One-third of people who consider starting a new business do not seek professional guidance, new research shows.

Barclays bank analysed 4,500 new small businesses in its study and found that despite the wealth of specialist advice available to new entrepreneurs, many choose not to use it.

This lack of guidance in the early stages of setting up a business may contribute toward the 37% of start-up businesses that close within two years, the bank warns.

With the number of start-ups reaching a record-level of 453,000 last year, the bank implores entrepreneurs to pursue every advantage in such a crowded field.

"With more people embarking on new business ventures, it's important to establish a solid grounding," said Louise Fowler, Barclays' marketing director for small business.

Barclays and the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies will host over 150 seminars across the country from mid-April through June, advising would-be entrepreneurs and newly established businesses advice on the many facets of running a business, such as business planning, bookkeeping and tips on how to obtain finance.