COMPANIES in East Kent are more confident about the future than those in any other part of the county, according to new research.

Sixty per cent of East Kent companies questioned during a recent survey said they were either very confident or fairly confident their business would be financially better off in the next 12 months, compared to a countywide average of 54 per cent and just 48 per cent in West Kent.

East Kent companies – defined as those in the Thanet, Dover and Canterbury local authority areas – also reported the highest levels of new sales in the county. Nearly half (49 per cent) reported sales had increased in the three months to August, compared to 43 per cent county-wide and 40 per cent in Thames Gateway.

The findings come in the latest Kent Business Barometer, a quarterly survey commissioned by Business Link Kent (BLK) to gauge the state of the county’s business community. It was carried out before the recent job losses announced by P&O in Dover.

Jeff Gibson, BLK’s operations director, said: “The East Kent findings are very interesting because, notwithstanding the recent bad news from Dover, they suggest the intensive assistance that has gone into regenerating this part of the county is paying off.”

The Kent Business Barometer is the first survey of its kind to be carried out in the county and is designed to help BLK map business confidence, track trends and build on its knowledge of the needs of local businesses.