An army of self-employed people and the proximity to London are behind a record rise in the number of companies in Kent, according to business chiefs.

The number of businesses registered in the county has grown by a quarter over the past five years to more than 100,000 for the first time, based on statistics from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics.

Last year was a record year for new companies in the county, when 14,577 were registered compared with 14,246 in 2015, taking the county’s total to 100,317 at the end of March.

Alison Parmar, development manager of the Federation of Small Businesses in Kent, said the rise was because of the “UK’s army of self-employed”, which has risen to 4.8 million people.

She said: “We’re seeing increasing numbers of people, noticeably women and under-25s, embracing the flexibility and opportunities for innovation that self-employment offers.

“The benefits of setting up shop in Kent are various – proximity to London, vibrant high streets and tourist footfall to name just three.

“The next government must do all it can to support Kent small businesses that are driving local growth and avoid any tax grab on these strivers if we want to see this entrepreneurial spirit continue to grow.”

Medway has the largest number of companies at 12,351, followed by Sevenoaks with 10,446 and Maidstone with 9,961.

Swale and Dover had the fewest companies, at 5,214 and 4,133 respectively.

Transport links to London could be behind the growth, according to Geoff Miles, chairman of Maidstone Studios, which is home to 30 companies.

He said: “Kent is a great base for businesses because it is close to London but the cost of running a business is much lower. People are beginning to recognise that.

“Also, the district councils and Kent County Council have been making a concerted effort to put out there that Kent is a great place to work, rest and play.”

Rich Tribe, joint managing director of Revolution Events in Pembury, says another reason for Kent’s growth in companies is the social benefits of living in the county rather than London.

“Kent is a great base for businesses because it is close to London but the cost of running a business is much lower..." - Geoff Miles, Maidstone Studios

His firm stages the Kent Vision Live business exhibition at the Kent Showground in Detling each year, from which a “good proportion” of its 3,200 visitors come from start-ups, which have “shown a marked increase over the last few years”.

He said: “When my business partner moved from a London-based organisation to launch Revolution Events from a humble office in Tonbridge, the county was already a great place to start a new business.

“In the eight years we’ve been managing Kent Vision Live, this situation has improved even further, with more and more first-time entrepreneurs attracted by the county’s highly supportive business environment and the fact that it’s such a great place to live and raise a family.”

Medway formed the most new businesses last year at 2,085, followed by Maidstone with 1,381 and Thanet with 1,196.

John Korchak, director of operations at Inform Direct, which conducted the research, said: “Kent had an impressive year in 2016, which has continued into 2017, passing the 100,000 milestone for the first time in its history and demonstrating that it offers a fertile environment for new businesses to spring up and prosper.”