Find clients for your agency in Reading
The Reading borough council area counts 1,055 local businesses of the kinds agencies sell websites, SEO and ads to. The biggest groups: 335 restaurants and takeaways, 170 builders and 155 hair and beauty salons. 40 advertising agencies compete for them.
The local businesses agencies sell to in Reading
Counts of business sites (local units, rounded to 5) by trade in the Reading borough council area, per 10,000 residents, against the median of the 32 UK cities on this list.
| Trade | Businesses | Per 10,000 residents | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builders | 170 | 9.3 | +28% |
| Plumbing and heating | 100 | 5.4 | +15% |
| Estate agents | 80 | 4.4 | +14% |
| Garages and vehicle repair | 145 | 7.9 | +13% |
| Hair and beauty salons | 155 | 8.4 | +8% |
| Restaurants and takeaways | 335 | 18.2 | −15% |
| Electricians | 70 | 3.8 | −22% |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026; population 183,762 (ONS mid-2025 estimate). Council area, not the wider metro area. Counts change as businesses open and close.
Where Reading stands out
- Builders: 9.3 per 10,000 residents, 28% above the median of the 32 UK cities on this list (rank 6 of 32).
- Plumbing and heating: 5.4 per 10,000 residents, 15% above the median (rank 8).
- Electricians: scarcer here (22% below the median), so fewer prospects, each with fewer rivals.
- Competition: 40 advertising agencies for 8,230 businesses of all kinds, one for every 206. The median across the 32 UK cities on this list is one for every 191, so Reading ranks 14 of 32 on businesses per agency (1 is the least crowded): more businesses per agency than most, more room for you.
How Reading compares with nearby and similar cities
Of these 7 cities, London has the most of these businesses per resident and Oxford the most businesses per agency.
| City | Local businesses | Per 10,000 residents | Businesses per agency | Strongest trade, vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 1,055 | 57 | 206 | Builders (+28%) |
| Oxford | 820 | 49 | 215 | Estate agents (+35%) |
| Cambridge | 745 | 50 | 170 | Estate agents (+32%) |
| Norwich | 960 | 66 | 110 | Garages and vehicle repair (+32%) |
| London | 77,880 | 85 | 99 | Builders (+185%) |
| Birmingham | 6,385 | 54 | 175 | Estate agents (+23%) |
| Leeds | 4,995 | 59 | 116 | Electricians (+51%) |
Your first three lists in Reading
- Restaurants and takeaways: 335 businesses, 15% fewer per resident than the median city, so each one has fewer rivals (rank 24 of 32).
- Builders: 170 businesses, 28% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 6 of 32).
- Hair and beauty salons: 155 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 10 of 32).
How to work a list, from the "No website" filter to the first call: LeadsIt for agencies.
Frequently asked questions
How many local businesses can an agency prospect in Reading?
ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 counts 1,055 business sites (local units, rounded to 5) in the trades on this page in the Reading borough council area, including 335 restaurants and takeaways, 170 builders and 155 hair and beauty salons.
How many marketing agencies are there in Reading?
40 advertising agencies in the Reading borough council area (ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026), one for every 206 businesses, against a median of one for every 191 across the 32 UK cities on this list.
Which trade should an agency target first in Reading?
By volume, restaurants and takeaways (335). Relative to its size, Reading stands out most on builders: 9.3 per 10,000 residents, rank 6 of 32.