The City of Manchester has 24,550 registered businesses. Wholesale is 5.7% of them and retail 11.9%, both far above the UK (3.6% and 7.7%). Professional services are 15.2%.
We do not have an office, staff or events in Manchester.
The local business mix
Construction is only 7.7%, roughly half the UK share, so GraftG fits fewer Manchester businesses than it does elsewhere. The city splits between businesses that move stock and offices that advise.
| Sector | Businesses | Share | North West | UK | vs UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All businesses | 24,550 | 100% | — | — | |
| Fewer than 10 staff | 21,440 | 87.3% | 88.4% | 89.1% | |
| Construction and specialist trades | 1,895 | 7.7% | 13.1% | 14.1% | below |
| Cleaning, facilities and landscaping | 315 | 1.3% | 2.0% | 2.0% | below |
| Wholesale | 1,395 | 5.7% | 4.2% | 3.6% | above |
| Retail | 2,915 | 11.9% | 9.3% | 7.7% | above |
| Motor trade and repair | 535 | 2.2% | 3.4% | 3.0% | below |
| Hotels, pubs, cafés and restaurants | 2,035 | 8.3% | 7.3% | 6.5% | above |
| Professional services (legal, accounting, consultancy, architects, marketing) | 3,740 | 15.2% | 11.8% | 12.3% | above |
| Software and IT services | 1,175 | 4.8% | 3.5% | 4.4% | about the same |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts 2026, via Nomis, March 2026, local authority area. About these figures.
What fits here, and why
Ordered by how many local businesses each is likely to suit.
For 1,395 wholesalers taking trade orders into Linnworks.
Find out more →For the 2,915 retailers on Linnworks.
Find out more →For the 3,740 professional-services firms that quote from Xero or QuickBooks.
Find out more →For anyone wondering which of their jobs AI can actually do.
Find out more →No. Grafto is run from Suffolk, where Green & Home Ltd has its warehouse in Mildenhall (registered office: Hertford). We work with businesses in Manchester remotely: the AI Tools Report, the apps and support are all online or by email. Our only in-person events are in Bury St Edmunds.
It depends on what you do, but on the local mix we would usually start with Trade Order POS by Grafto. Trade counter, phone and field orders taken in seconds and sent straight into Linnworks. Live now.
From the Office for National Statistics’ UK Business Counts for 2026, published through Nomis. They count 24,550 enterprises registered for VAT and/or PAYE in Manchester, so very small unregistered sole traders are not included.
Nearby
Manchester is part of the North West.
Other cities: Birmingham · Leeds · Glasgow. Or see everywhere we work.
Ten minutes of questions, then a costed plan for your business, wherever in the UK it is. £59.99 inc VAT.
Get my AI Tools Report →Questions first? Email hello@grafto.co.uk.