How to assess local demand before opening a business
By Decised editorial · Reviewed by Decised methodology review · Published 2026-09-01 · Updated 2026-09-01
What public UK datasets can and cannot tell you about demand, footfall and spend before you open.
Public data rarely measures demand directly
Nomis UK Business Counts and ONS population estimates do not measure customer footfall, spend or willingness to pay. They measure registered businesses and residents at district level.
Build a demand evidence list
Combine labelled public context with primary work: trade conversations, short pilots, waiting lists, competitor menus or price lists, and any footfall or spend study you can obtain for your format.
- What would you need to observe in the first 90 days?
- Which assumptions in your forecast depend on demand you have not measured?
- Where does Decised show ‘missing’ rather than a midpoint?
Limitations
This article is general guidance, not advice to proceed. Figures on city profiles are district-level registered-business statistics unless stated otherwise. Missing data in Decised stays missing.