With many start-up schemes available for budding entrepreneurs, it is now easier than ever before to start your own business. A big factor to consider when starting your own business is the location of your business. Many people may presume that London is the best place to be, and while it is a very popular city and the central hub for a number of business opportunities, for many start-up’s it is not economically viable due to the high prices. Today many British cities have undergone regeneration and have UK wide offices for rent, which makes them very appealing for new businesses.

Liverpool

It’s not too long ago that Liverpool was the official city of culture, plus it previously hosted the International Business Festival on two occasions. The city centre is constantly evolving, plus there is a busy port, which could be integral if your business has international connections.  The John Lennon airport is close by if you need to travel anywhere on business, and a train will only take two hours to get you into London.

Newcastle

It should come as no surprise that more and more businesses are deciding to open shop in the north east of England. With a low cost of living being the most attractive prospect, Newcastle is also growing as a city, especially with technology and science businesses deciding to open up in the area. By train you can be in London within three hours, plus Newcastle International Airport is very geographically handed for any international business meetings.

Glasgow

The largest city in Scotland has undergone regeneration on a huge scale and even won the Technology Strategy Board’s Future Cities Demonstrator competition, plus a £24m grant and the status of a ‘Smart City’. BBC Scotland is based in Glasgow, and the area is keen to encourage the arrival of creative businesses, especially in the realms of film, television, technology and entertainment.

Manchester

Labelled as the “Shoreditch of the North”, Manchester been rapidly growing, especially since BBC opened Media City in the area. As a result, Manchester now has quite the pedigree in the creative and digital industries. With the biggest university campus in Europe, Manchester are nurturing the next generation of talent at a young age, plus they have the largest economy outside of London. Business meetings are easy to attend with a two hour train ride into London or Manchester Airport, the third largest in the UK behind only Gatwick and Heathrow.

Cardiff

The Welsh capital is the centre for all financial and professional services. Banks, insurance brokers and pension providers all make a very good living in Cardiff, but technology has also been growing in the area recently, especially in the fields of aerospace and biotechnology. Now is a really exciting time to set up a business in Wales as they are expected to develop over the next 20 years following a £1.28bn City Deal from the UK government. This means local authorities will be in a better position to support local infrastructure, both physical and digital.

Author

Founder of Paisley.org.uk in 1998 and constantly strives to change peoples attitudes to the town, Brian is a self described Paisley Digital Champion who promotes Paisley via any means necessary. You can also follow me on X