The city of Oxford is located in the county of Oxfordshire, in the Thames Valley region. Oxford is situated in the heart of the UK, less than ninety minutes from both London and Birmingham. There are approximately 3,400 businesses in Oxford, employing 106,000 people. The service industry accounts for 89% of employment, with half of workers commuting into Oxford daily.
Academics and tourism are key drivers in the economy and Oxford is famous for its University, which is the oldest in the English speaking world. The tourism industry brings in around 9.3 million visitors annually. The bioscience sector is also a key feature along with software and IT, creative media businesses and research and development. Motor manufacturing is another important industry in Oxford, with BMW recently investing a large amount into its Cowley production plant.
The Oxford Business Park is set over 88 acres, providing a large number of offices in Oxford, and benefits from fast links to Heathrow, London and the Midlands. The Oxford Science Park was developed as a true Science Park and is home to more than forty science and technology companies.
Oxford City Council provides advice and information for businesses, along with investment support. The Economic Development Team, part of Oxford City Council, aim to attract and connect both national and international companies with the benefits and potential of doing business in Oxford. The Oxford –Cambridge Arc promotes the business growth potential of linking with Milton Keynes and Cambridge.
The city of Oxford has three main train stations, providing routes to Edinburgh, Manchester, Reading, Maidenhead, Worcester, Banbury, London, High Wycombe and many more UK destinations. Oxford is also well connected by the motorway network, with links to Bicester, Cheltenham, Chippenham, Winchester and Worcester.
Oxford boasts a large number of landmark buildings and attractions including Oxford Botanic Gardens, the Museum of the History of Science, Bodleian Library, Sheldonian Theatre and The Christ Church Cathedral. The city centre is home to an impressive range of shops and restaurants as well as entertainment venues, bars and banks.