ESSEX has been described as the "engine room of Britain's enterprise economy".

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said its Essex branch is growing rapidly to meet the rising number of business start-ups in the county.

Chairman of the Essex FSB, Bill Pirie, said: "Essex men and women are prepared to have a go and if there's a chance to set up a business they will. In Essex we are good, if not better, than other counties at setting up businesses."

He said the opportunities available in the county spur residents into setting up on their own.

"Our proximity to London and the south east means we have reasonable links and if we look at the growth happening in Essex - the Haven Gateway, Thames Gateway and of course, the 2012 Olympics, there's a lot going on," explained Mr Pirie.

"An awful lot of people have to be accommodated and services needed, from IT to engineering, and Essex people develop businesses around that. That's why Essex is a hub or an engine room of entrepreneurial spirit."

The FSB recently held a meeting at Ashcroft International Business School at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, to encourage new members. Mr Pirie revealed 20 new members are joining the essex branch each month.

"We have 66,000 VAT registered businesses in Essex and many more smaller companies which do not need to be VAT registered. There are opportunities to be had and I have no greater admiration than for people who are prepared to put themselves on the line and start a business," he said.

He claimed the Government did not give "sufficient consideration" to small businesses, and said the authorities have to remember that companies including Tesco and Sainsbury's were small once.

The group also held a meeting to brief the 25 Essex MPs on five issues: the expansion of Stansted Airport and its impact on the business community; concerns that the new regional minister is refusing to meet with the FSB; encouraging local authorities to implement the small business rate relief scheme; delays in small businesses receiving their VAT registration numbers and taxation and changes to the capital gains tax taper relief.

For more information about the Essex FSB visit www.fsb.org.uk/essex