National Federation of Enterprise Agencies’s (NFEA’s) chief executive George Derbyshire comments that the ‘generally favourable economic climate’ has meant people are more confident in their business abilities.

Although it is not possible to ‘quantify’ how much of an influence television programmes have had on encouraging start-up business, they have proved that ‘all sorts and types of people’ can start companies, Derbyshire believes.

‘If you’ve got an idea and you’ve got the right attitude then I think it demonstrates that the opportunities are there,’ he says.

There have recently been a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging people to start their own business.

Alastair Darling announced in the budget a £12 million fund to encourage women to go into business. Dragon’s Den panel member Peter Jones has also invested his own money into business education.