BUSINESS confidence is starting to return to Yorkshire, as more enterprises expect to grow in the next 12 months, according to new research issued by Yorkshire Bank.

More than a third of businesses (36.6 per cent) questioned in the bank’s latest business confidence survey say that they are either confident or very confident of growing by summer 2011.

The research also reveals that almost half of the businesses surveyed (41.6 per cent) believe that they will continue to operate at current levels while 14.9 per cent anticipate a reduction in their business. Only 6.9 per cent fear that they may go out of business in the next 12 months.

Rick Warburton, managing partner of Yorkshire Bank’s York-based North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre (FSC), said: “These figures are promising. They appear to indicate that a growing number of Yorkshire and Humber businesses are more confident and are starting to explore opportunities to develop and grow. “This is encouraging, as where confidence exists, growth often follows.

“It has clearly been a challenging time for businesses and conditions will remain tough for some time. While it remains important for businesses to stay realistic, a growing number will be looking at how they can take advantage of emerging market opportunities.”