How about starting your company in a business-friendly city? Liverpool is one of the friendliest cities in the UK. Therefore, you will get a good ambiance and lots of cooperation in developing your business in Liverpool.
The city welcomes all sorts of innovative ideas in various fields of business. Hence, you can start with any innovative business idea in Liverpool.
Liverpool has a strong economy and a great lifestyle, which attracts many business investments. This is a plus point for you to start your business idea in Liverpool.
Liverpool offers you an excellent communication network for local, national, and international businesses. Therefore, you can think of any sort of business idea in Liverpool and succeed in your venture.
Why Liverpool Makes Sense for Entrepreneurs
Let’s kick off with a little reality check. Liverpool’s not London — and that’s a good thing. Costs are lower, people are friendlier (most days), and the sense of community still counts. The city’s population is around half a million, with over 1.5 million in the metro region. Add to that a massive tourist inflow — millions every year — and you’ve got both local customers and fresh faces walking through your potential storefront.
Also, there’s something quietly powerful happening here. The city is shifting from its old industrial backbone to new-age industries — creative tech, logistics, life sciences, and tourism. Regeneration projects and business support programs are creating space for entrepreneurs who can move fast and keep things fresh.
So, yeah, Liverpool’s not just ready — it’s hungry for small business innovation.
27 Business Ideas in Liverpool
1. Restaurant
Are you a foodie or a connoisseur of foods of different kinds? If yes, then start your restaurant in Liverpool and earn good profits. You can choose any kind of cuisine or open a multi-cuisine restaurant, because the city has a good demand for restaurants. Good marketing and widespread publicity, along with a busy location, will get you many clients for this business idea in Liverpool.
2. Café
We all know about the popularity of cafés as a meeting place, discussion center, or hangout zone. Cafés are highly popular in Liverpool. Take advantage of this popularity and open your café here. Serving good coffee, having a good décor, and crockery will make this business idea in Liverpool a hit concept. Ads and online publicity will help you in this business.
3. Take Away Counter
People of busy cities like Liverpool prefer takeaway counters to carry packed food home. Hence, starting a takeaway food counter is a lucrative business idea in Liverpool. Serve freshly made food and keep different varieties of fast food and healthy food on your counter to cater to customers with varied choices. Local networking and publicity are important for this business.
4. Film & Location Services
Liverpool is one of the UK’s top film shoot locations. Productions constantly need people who can scout sites, handle logistics, and sort local permits. If you’ve got a knack for coordination and connections, this is a lucrative niche — especially since the film scene’s only growing. You need to build relationships with the Liverpool Film Office early. Get to know building owners and local authorities — that’s how you land gigs before anyone else.
5. Cleaning Service
Cleaning service is a sought-after service in busy cities. Therefore, starting a cleaning service company will be a profitable business idea in Liverpool. Offer both office and home cleaning services to make your business bigger. Trained staff, safe and good cleaners, sanitizing service, and good equipment will help you in this business. A website of your company and digital publicity are also important.
6. Kid’s School
Parents now prefer to send their kids to school early. Hence, opening a kids’ school can be a very profitable business idea in Liverpool. You can take a franchise of a popular chain of schools or start independently. Trained teachers, a good ambiance and modern teaching-learning materials are necessary for your reputation as a good school. Local marketing and publicity, along with personal networking, also play important roles.
7. Tutoring
If you are good at Academics, tutoring can be your ideal business idea in Liverpool, as there is high demand for good tutors in this city. Tutoring can be for different levels of students, starting from school to higher studies and specific subjects. Personal and virtual-both methods of tutoring are profitable. Your reputation, referrals, and word-of-mouth publicity are important for this business.
8. Writing Service
Start providing professional writing services and earn a comfortable income from this business idea in Liverpool. You can write articles, news items, SEO content, web content, blogs, and other kinds of writing, including ghostwriting, which is a high demand now. Your language proficiency and good writing style are the primary requirements for this business. You can get work through various online portals.
9. Pet Shop
Liverpool is a pet-friendly city. Therefore, you can open a pet shop and get high profits. Stock your shop with all sorts of pet essentials like food, medicine, treats, toys, accessories, etc. Try to include a pet clinic and pet grooming services in your shop for greater profits. Good local contacts and publicity will help you with this business idea in Liverpool.
10. App Cab
Buy a car and register it with any popular app cab services. There are several popular app cabs successfully operating in the city. Some of them are Alpha Taxis, Uber, and One Call Taxis. This will be a very profitable business idea in Liverpool, as the concept of app cabs is very popular now. Good maintenance of your car and long duty hours will give you a high income. You can scale up your business by adding more cars over time.
Read: How to Start a Car Rental Business
11. Start a Car Servicing Business in Liverpool
Car servicing center, along with facilities of mobile car servicing, is a great business idea in Liverpool. If you are an automobile engineer, you can earn a high income from this business. However, you will also need trained workers to run the business successfully. Widespread marketing and publicity are necessary for this business to grow.
12. Florist
If you are passionate about flowers and have the creativity to arrange flowers in different ways and patterns, you can start a flower shop in a good locality in Liverpool. This is a profitable business idea and can give you high profits. Apart from the regular bouquets, you can make various gifts and decorations with flowers and supply them at parties, gift shops, etc. Online and offline marketing and publicity are important for this business.
13. Sports Coaching
Liverpool is famous for soccer and other games. Hence, you consider opening a sports training center as your business idea in Liverpool. Hire experienced and skilled trainers for your center and focus on one or two games in the beginning. Good contact with the sports sector, along with strategic marketing, will give you more business.
14. Security Services
Open a security service center and provide security guards for various offices and residential complexes. This service has a good demand and a profitable business idea in Liverpool. Hiring efficient security personnel, giving them proper training along with first aid training, is important for this business. Good contacts and publicity will help you get more clients.
15. Photography
Photography is a sought-after business in Liverpool. Start your photography business and get a good profit. Your photographic skills, good camera, laptop, and processing facilities are the keywords of this business. You can take photographs of different genres like tourism, news, sports, corporate and social events, etc. Your website, along with digital and social media publicity and personal contacts, will help to get more clients.
16. Home Repair and Renovation
A home repair and renovation service is a good business idea in Liverpool. If you have expertise in these fields, you can start this business, which will give you high returns. Excellent finish, innovative ideas of space planning and renovation will help in building your reputation. A website of your company, along with online and offline marketing, will get you more business.
17. Computer and Smartphone Repair
Repairing services have a universal demand. If you are a trained technician, you can start a computer, laptop, tablet, and smartphone repairing service center in Liverpool. Providing mobile service will be more beneficial and profitable. Local and digital marketing are useful for this business.
18. Corporate Training
Liverpool has a great corporate culture, and that is why corporate training is in great demand here. If you have experience and expertise as a trainer, you can start a corporate training business. This business can be conducted in an institute or training center, or through virtual media. In-office training is also a profitable option. Your website, online and offline marketing, and publicity will be helpful for this business idea in Liverpool.
19. English Teaching
The city of Liverpool has people from different parts of the world who are not very conversant in English. Hence, you can open an English teaching center as your business idea in Liverpool. Training can be given in both written and spoken English, and your clientele will comprise students, housewives, and job-seekers. A website of your center and digital marketing, and social media publicity will help you in growing your business.
20. Fitness Center
Open your fitness center with good trainers and modern equipment, and earn a good income from this business idea in Liverpool. The location of your fitness center is important for this business to flourish. Good contact, referrals, and Ads will give you more clients.
21. Social Media Marketing
Social media plays an important role as a marketing medium now. If you are well aware and a regular user of social media, you can start a social media marketing consultancy. This business idea in Liverpool is profitable as well as prospective. You can plan and implement marketing strategies for various products and services on social media. An active social media profile, website, and digital marketing will grow your business.
22. Street Food Truck or Market Stall
This one’s fun — and smells amazing (literally). Street food culture is thriving here. Wander around Baltic Market and you’ll see the proof — queues, Instagramming, repeat customers. Liverpool folks love trying new food, and visitors are always looking for a quick, tasty bite that feels unique to the city. The food truck setup will cost you in the range of £8k–£50k. The investment includes vehicle lease, equipment, permits, and branding.
23. Business Consultancy
Liverpool is a great center of start-ups and innovative businesses. Hence, business consultancy can be a prospective business idea for you in Liverpool. You must have experience and expertise as a business consultant to build your credibility. Assessing business viability, preparing a project report, finding sources of funds, and suggesting business diversification or new business ideas will be your primary responsibilities as a business consultant.
24. Real Estate Agency
Real estate is a profitable business area in Liverpool. Hence, you can start a real estate agency as your business idea in Liverpool. An online agency is the most profitable and viable option in this business. You can connect sellers with prospective buyers virtually and get your payment online. Personal networking and good contact with architects and builders will help you in this business.
25. Interior Design
Interior design is a lucrative business idea in Liverpool. If you are a trained or experienced interior decorator, you can start a consultancy and earn a high income. Your aesthetic sense, customized approach, and good idea of space planning will help you in building your reputation as an interior decorator. You will need a website for your company. Apart, online and offline marketing and publicity are also helpful.
26. Bakery
Bakery is a hit business idea as it caters to people of different age groups at different times of the day, starting from breakfast to dinner. Open your bakery and offer common and innovative bakery items to satisfy the taste buds of people with distinct choices. You can supply bakery items to different shops and eateries, or start your own shop. Both of these business ideas are profitable. Online and offline marketing will give you good results in this business idea in Liverpool.
27. App Development
App development is a sought-after business idea now. Starting an app development company in Liverpool will be a profitable business idea for you. Knowledge of programming, creative and innovative ideas, and good networking and publicity is very important for this business. You should also have a website for your business.
Testing Your Business Idea in Liverpool (Without Going Broke)
Here’s where most people mess up — they go big before they test small. Don’t.
- Start tiny. A stall, a pop-up, a 3-month lease. Just enough to check demand.
- Talk to real people. Not just friends. Walk Bold Street, ask vendors, talk to locals — that feedback is worth gold.
- Keep your costs flexible. Use month-to-month rentals and freelancers before hiring full-time.
- Watch cash flow like a hawk. Profit doesn’t matter if you run out of money mid-month.
- Get local help. The city council and Liverpool Growth Hub have brilliant programs and even funding links. Don’t be shy — they want small businesses to succeed.
Local Resources You Should Know to Start a Business in Liverpool
- Liverpool City Region Growth Hub — for funding leads and start-up mentoring.
- Liverpool City Council Business Support — for licensing, permits, and grants.
- Liverpool Science Park & Universities — for collaborations, research, and innovation projects.
- Liverpool Film Office — perfect for those venturing into film or creative services.
All of these can open doors you didn’t even know existed.
A Mini Example — The Baltic Triangle Studio
Imagine this: you rent a small, slightly rough 300-square-foot space in the Baltic Triangle. You paint it yourself (half the fun), put up some acoustic panels, and start offering podcast recording for local brands.
You charge £35 an hour. After a few months, you’re fully booked on weekends. Then you add video shoots. Later, maybe social media management.
That’s how creative studios here are quietly scaling — small, focused, and anchored in community.
Final Thoughts — Finding Your Liverpool Edge
Liverpool rewards the bold but humble — the ones who can dream big but still talk to customers by name.
The city’s got layers: heritage, creativity, humour, grit. If your business idea reflects even a sliver of that, people will rally behind you.
So, don’t wait for “perfect timing.” It doesn’t exist. Start small, keep listening, and let the city teach you what works.
Because in Liverpool, once the locals start talking about your business — trust me, you’re halfway to success.
FAQs
How much does it cost to start a small café in Liverpool?
Around £20k–£120k, depending on your setup. But start lean — maybe test your menu as a market stall first.
Are there any grants or loans available?
Yes, plenty. The Growth Hub and city business programs often help with early-stage funding or mentorship.
Is the Baltic Triangle still a good place for creatives?
Absolutely. It’s got that gritty-meets-cool vibe that suits artists, freelancers, and small studios perfectly.
How can I test a business idea cheaply here?
Try pop-ups, markets, or weekend rentals. It’s all about getting your idea in front of people fast — before you go all in.
And there you go — Liverpool’s best business ideas, broken down with honesty, heart, and a bit of local flavor. Whether you’re aiming for profit, purpose, or both, the city’s wide open.
Just remember: in Liverpool, it’s not about fitting in — it’s about belonging.
Rupak Chakrabarty is a small business coach and founder of 99BusinessIdeas.com, where he and his team share practical guides and startup resources for entrepreneurs worldwide. With over a decade of experience in business consulting, Rupak has advised startups and small businesses across industries, including retail, food services, making money online, and e-commerce. His mission is to simplify entrepreneurship by providing actionable insights that help everyday people turn ideas into profitable ventures.
Contact: rupak@99businessideas.com
