Regeneration Project: Circuit of Wales

Posted on November 5, 2015

According to an official report from the UK government, the Welsh economy has been growing at a fast pace since 2012 and has in fact overshadowed other UK regions in terms of job gains and GVA growth. However, several analysts have pointed out that economic growth rates in many areas of Wales still lag behind the national average. This is particularly true in rural areas that formerly relied on the primary sector as the main source of income, and at regional level the total GVA remains at 72 per cent of the UK average. Training programmes, job creation strategies, and important infrastructure improvements have been carried out over the past decade with the objective of making Wales an attractive business destination supported by a flourishing and strong economic base.

In this respect, one of the most ambitious and far-reaching initiatives is the Circuit of Wales, a large-scale regeneration project that aims to address the economic challenges and shortcomings faced by business owners and residents in South Wales. Once completed, the Circuit of Wales project will have important economic, commercial, and educational effects on the local economy.

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Regeneration Project: Nottingham MediPark

Posted on October 7, 2015

Nottingham skylineNottingham’s MediPark will help boost the city of Nottingham’s position as a place for medical discoveries and support it as a designated Science City. The project will also help bring together life sciences and technology companies to create a new place to innovate.

Built next to one of Europe’s largest teaching hospitals, MediPark covers an area of 3.5 hectares. Companies based at the new medical technology and science park will have easy access to the Queen’s Medical Centre, helping to promote collaboration and knowledge transfer particularly in the clinical sector. It will also be located close to the University of Nottingham. Planned for development in three phases, the site will feature up to 100,000 square feet of high-tech business and laboratory spaces. These spaces will be feature high standards of design and sustainability, and will be well-connected to Nottingham’s tram network. Overall, the MediPark will feature nine buildings and deliver 400,000 square feet of employment space as well as space for accommodation, a hotel, retail space, and leisure facilities.

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Study Shows Employees Work Best in Well-Designed Office Spaces

Posted on September 10, 2015

Maximising the productivity of employees may be down to how well the office furniture is arranged, whether the environment is designed well, and how the space “works”. According to a recent study, employees who work in more natural environments are 6 percent more productive and report overall higher levels of well-being and creativity.

Office worker shown seated whilst making a phone callThe Impact of Office Environments on Employees

The report, entitled The Global Impact of Biophilic Design, describes how office design is affected by the presence (or absence) of natural light, decorative plants, windows, and a private desk space. The absence of one or more of these elements has an adverse impact on the well-being of employees. Key findings include:

  • Almost half of workers around the globe (47%) have no natural light in their workplace.
  • 58% have no live plants in their workplace.
  • 19% have no natural elements around them at work
  • Almost one fifth (19%) desired a quieter office environment, citing noise as a stressor.

Does Biophilic Design Improve Productivity?
Biophilic Design is the skill of bringing natural elements into spaces humans inhabit. It lies somewhere between interior design and architecture, introducing nature into the workplace to satisfy the needs of every human being to connect meaningfully with their environment. The main focus is on urban spaces in city centres and towns where people congregate for leisure or work. The Human Spaces global study shows biophilic designed offices result in calmer, more restorative workplaces where increased productivity and creativity is related to improved individual behaviour. This leads to better organisational outcomes, including lower stress reports, higher satisfaction levels and improved perceptions of well-being and happiness with the organisation as a whole.

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Birmingham: Top Cities for Business

Posted on August 13, 2015

Birmingham's Council Building at Victoria SquareThe city of Birmingham is the gateway to the Midlands and one of the best-ranking UK cities in terms of quality of life, entrepreneurship, and global outlook. Sustainable growth and innovation are key priorities for the local business community, as well as for the regional government, who is clearly aware of the city’s potential. Take a detailed look at the key facts and figures that make Birmingham one of the best cities for business in the United Kingdom.

The Economy

Birmingham’s economic impact extends beyond the regional level, as the city has strongly positioned itself as an attractive global business destination. For several years, Birmingham has upheld the title of ‘Britain’s Second City’, as this Midlands metropolis ranks right behind London in terms of population and gross domestic product. The city’s economy is nurtured by a healthy balance between local and foreign investment and its annual GVA is in the region of £48 billion, which makes it only second to the British capital. Birmingham is part of the Core Cities Group, and its inclusion in the group confirms the importance of the local economy and the city’s ability to drive growth and development.

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The UK’s Stand Out Cities: Manchester

Posted on July 1, 2015

Castlefield Manchester UKManchester has been an economic powerhouse since the early 19th century. Over the decades, the city has proved that it is open for business and that it can successfully rise to the challenges presented by increased global competition. As a result, this British city is considered one of the best European cities for business and startups in a wide variety of industries.

An overview of the local economy

Manchester is at the forefront of the UK’s economy and is considered a model for business growth and economic prosperity at international level. The city has one of the highest growth rates of the Core Cities group, and is also considered a Beta global city along with powerful economic hubs like Stuttgart, Berlin, Vancouver, and Guangzhou. Manchester has capitalised on its relationship with prosperous global markets like China, the Asia-Pacific region, North America, and Australia.

Nearly half of the Northwest of England’s Top 500 companies are based in Manchester, along with a number of FTSE 100 companies. Overall, the Mancunian economy generates 5 per cent of the UK’s GVA, having a total gross value added total of £54 billion.

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Coventry: Top Cities for Business

Posted on May 8, 2015

Coventry CathedralCoventry’s Economy, Business Innovation, Industry, Jobs, Skills and Infrastructure

Coventry has benefited from forward-looking and business-friendly steps taken by the local council, the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, and the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Over the past ten years, the city has emerged as one of the most successful places to do business in the UK. It now ranks seventh in the UK for job growth, with almost 12,000 new jobs created over the past decade. Although its skills base remains relatively low, Coventry can do more to attract high-skilled workers and ensure its residents have the qualifications needed to continue the city’s growth in the longer-term.

Industry, Business and Innovation in Coventry

Coventry is the thirteenth largest city in the UK, with some 329,000 people living in the city. It is located in the heart of England and is well-connected to the rest of the UK and beyond. Coventry is an hour from London by rail, 20 minutes from Birmingham Airport, and 35 minutes from East Midlands Airport. It is also accessible from six motorways (M1, M6, M42, M40, M45 and M69), while 98 per cent of the UK market is within a four-hour drive. The local area is home to several renowned companies, including Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover, E.ON, Severn Trent, Rolls Royce, IBM and many others. Key sectors include automotive engineering, low carbon industries, intelligent transport solutions, and digital gaming. In 2013, there were 45.18 business start-ups per 10,000 people in Coventry. Knowledge intensive business services accounted for 17.92 per cent of jobs in 2013, while manufacturing represented 11.07 per cent of businesses in Coventry. About a third of jobs in Coventry are supported by the public sector.

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Milton Keynes: Top Cities for Business

Posted on April 21, 2015

Milton Keynes on the mapMilton Keynes’ Economy, Business Innovation, Jobs and Skills, Industry and Infrastructure

Since 2003, Milton Keynes has risen as the fastest growing city in the UK in terms of population and creation of new jobs. Research shows that the number of businesses increased by over 18% over the decade from 2004 to 2013, leading to the creation of 24,400 more jobs. Milton Keynes demonstrates the highest job growth among the cities of the south, and the highest population growth among 64 UK cities.

The following key statistics determine Milton Keynes’ economic success:

Economy & Business Innovation

Milton Keynes ranks second in Business Startups (behind London) with 67.66 per 10,000 people. Gross Value Added (GVA) per worker, the value of goods and services produced per capita, places Milton Keynes fourth among 63 cities, indicating a high contribution of the workforce to the UK GDP. Finally, Milton Keynes is tenth out of 64 UK cities in the registration of new patents, a strong indication of innovation. 

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Edinburgh Airport for Business Travellers

Posted on April 9, 2015

Are you a frequent business traveller? Flying into Edinburgh for a meeting? Our business travel guide to Edinburgh will help you take advantage of your time and enjoy the airport’s facilities.

Business Travel Stats

In 2014, Edinburgh Airport was the busiest airport in Scotland as well as the 6th busiest airport in the United Kingdom. In 2014 the airport served 10.2 million passengers. It is estimated that, on average, 26,850 passengers fly in and out of Edinburgh Airport daily using more than 40 airlines who fly to 100 destinations worldwide.





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Business Services and Incentives
Edinburgh Airport offers free Wi-Fi access and free Internet access to facilitate business communication, catching up with your e-mails or plain research on business issues. Business Lounges are available for travellers who have passed security control and need some privacy to unwind and work before their trip. Especially, international business travellers can enjoy contemporary business facilities including business desks. The Helping Hand service provides business travellers with customised assistance to get around the airport. Additionally, FastTRACK Priority Security Lane assists business passengers to save up time to check-in and it can be pre-booked or booked online.

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London: Top Cities For Business

Posted on April 7, 2015

London’s Economy, Business Innovation,  Jobs and Skills, Industry and Infrastructure

The city London has been spearheading economic growth for decades. The city has paved the way to economic recovery following the recession and most analysts believe that it is well on its way to outperform the rest of the United Kingdom in various key economic indicators.

London’s economy: Recent figures

At approximately £375 billion per year, London has the UK’s highest GVA. GVA per worker is the country’s second highest at £70,100. The city offers a favourable environment for both established and new businesses, and this is evident in the rather low business churn rate (7.76 per cent) and in the impressive business start-up rate of 57.56 companies for every 10,000 people. Likewise, the most recent data show that business stock levels are 489 per 10,000 people.

Over the past decade, the number of London-based businesses has grown by 33 per cent and more than 750,000 new jobs have been created. Self-employment has grown by 24 per cent since 2010. Other positive indicators involve the performance of small and medium-sized businesses in London. The 2015 Centre for Cities report shows that 13.4 per cent of the capital’s SME’s fall into the high-growth category. Moreover, London has the highest SME density in the country, with 418 SMEs for every 10,000 people.

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Office IT Security Guide

Posted on March 31, 2015

Keeping your office secure is most likely high on your list of priorities, but are you sure you’re paying enough attention to your IT system? Under the UK Data Protection Act, you can face fines and criminal charges if you don’t take the correct steps towards keeping your business’ IT system secure. Fortunately, the government and GCHQ offer guidance on making this easier.

Make sure your staff are IT savvy

While the ins and outs of IT security may seem obvious to some, others need a little guidance. Make sure staff are aware that  they should not write their passwords down, and encourage them to set secure passwords in the first place, and offer training on ensuring they keep the system secure. Many staff may also need some of the less obvious rules explaining, for example only using specificweb browsers, not accessing certain features from their mobile phones or tablets, and not using work emails for personal purposes. Finally, stress the importance of not downloading software or MP3s, as this is an easy way to invite malware onto your business’ IT system.

Make sure staff are safe when working from home

Working from home offers staff members with difficult commutes a little more flexibility. However, they need to ensure their anti-virus systems are robust and up-to-date, so your information doesn’t get lost. You may want to consider strengthening your office’s intranet security if staff are accessing it from home. If you do allow staff to access work files using mobiles or tablets, ensure they are secure against new threats.

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