Expert Office Advice

Stats and information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Central London.

The term Central London refers to the districts of London which are considered closest to the centre. London’s metropolitan area is divided into 33 political units – 32 boroughs and the City of London. The core of this urban area is known as Central London. It contains about 12 of the 33 political units including the City of London, the City of Westminster and districts in the West End.

The City of London often referred to as just the “City” or as the “Square Mile” is the world’s leading international financial and business centre alongside New York City. The City of Westminster is the seat of the national government and contains most of London’s West End. The West End is the entertainment and retail hub of London.

Population
2,985,700 – Mid-2005 Population Estimate for Inner London
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

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Vital facts and key information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Bournemouth.

Bournemouth is a large resort town located in the southern coast of England. IT is considered as the educational and economic centre in the region and is also a part of the so called South East Dorset Conurbation.

The area surrounding Bournemouth has been the site of human settlements for thousands of years. Up until the 1800, it was actually a barren heathland and the only frequent visitors were fishermen, hunters and smugglers. Over the years the place has made a drastic change and has developed into what it is today – one of the finest towns in the United Kingdom and visited by many tourists every year.

Population
163,600

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Whites - 96.7 per cent
• Other ethnic groups comprise the remaining 3.3 per cent of the population
• Asians are the largest ethnic minority group in Bournemouth

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Stats and information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Croydon.

Croydon is one of the United Kingdom’s largest commercial centres. Situated in South London, Croydon is the most populated London borough. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough got its name. Central Croydon boasts of the largest office and retail centre in the south east of England after Central London thereby positioning itself as an important hub for business.

Croydon is the economic capital of the South East priding oneself of international recognition and diverse business interests. Thousands of businesses trade in Croydon and dozens of blue chip companies have their headquarters here. Croydon is a thriving city well on its way to being a business alternative to Central London.

Population
342,700 – mid-year population estimate (2005)
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• 70.2% of the population is white, 11.3% is Asians and 13.3% is black.
• 78.2% were born in the UK, 18.5% outside the EU and 3.3% were born elsewhere in the EU.
• Nearly 27% of the population is under 20 years old.
Source: ONS Census 2001

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Vital facts and key information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Swindon.

The Borough of Swindon located in South West England is part of the ceremonial county of Wiltshire. In 2002 the Swindon Borough Council was rated as a failing Council but is now a 2 star council due to changes in the political administration, which resulted in the formation of the Swindon 2010 50 Promises.

Population
184,000 (ONS Estimate 2005)

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Ethnicity: White (95.20%), Mixed (1.14%), Asian or Asian British (2.13%), Black or Black British (0.7%), Chinese or Other (0.83%)
• Religion: Christian (70.07%), No religion (19.13%), Muslim (1.03%)
• The workforce mostly works in Lower managerial and professional occupations (19.14%), Semi-routine occupations (13.72%), Intermediate occupations (12.09%) and as Routine occupations (10.78%).

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Stats and information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Wakefield.

The district of Wakefield, located at the heart of England, has a proud heritage with its city (Wakefield City) being the historic seat of regional government in Yorkshire. It is very spacious and quiet as a whole since 70% of its rural communities are designated as green belt.

Population
320,600 (ONS estimate 2005)

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Ethnicity: White (97.74%), Mixed (0.46%), Asian or Asian British (1.41%), Black or Black British (0.14%), Chinese or Other (0.26%)
• Religion: Christian (78.21%), No religion (11.74%), Muslim (1.14%)
• 97.76% of the population were born in UK while 0.56% come from other parts of EU and the rest (1.69%) coming from other parts of the world.

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Vital facts and key information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in West London.

West of central London, West London it is close to the River Thames. It has many and varied local centers that are old towns but are becoming or are already urbanized. West London is known for being one of the most economically active parts of London aside from central London. It is a very ideal place for businesses and has numerous office space especially in the area near Heathrow Airport.

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Boroughs in south west London contain higher levels of people with professional qualifications.
• Certain districts in outer West London have a large Indian, Pakistani, Somali, Irish and Polish population.
• Has a large Sikh community since it is home to one of the largest Sikh temples outside India.
• Districts in West London are: Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Chiswick, Richmond upon Thames, Ealing, Wembley, Hounslow, Hayes, West Drayton, Uxbridge, Hillingdon, and Uxbridge.

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Stats and information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Bolton.

Bolton was originally part of Lancashire but during the 19th century, it became prominent for being a mill town that specialised in the area of textile manufacturing and cotton spinning. At its height, Bolton was considered as one of the capitals of cotton manufacturing in the world.

The people of Bolton have also been recently dubbed the friendliest people in the whole of Britain. This is quite a distinction especially when seen in the light of the fact that it is also one of the most deprived boroughs in the country, based on the Indices of Deprivation 2000. The study showed that it is the 28th most deprived borough in England in terms of income deprivation.

The deprivation issue has also given added attention to Bolton. There is now an increased number of people relocating in the area, which has resulted in the steady rise of property values, often faster compared to other areas in the United Kingdom.

Population
139,403

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Stats and information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Maidstone.

Maidstone is located at the heart of the so-called Garden of England. It is surrounded by beautiful countryside and at the same time its town centre has the largest office centre in the county. The River Medway runs through the town centre which is known for its fine museums. Maidstone is currently going through a phase of regeneration and has major commercial, residential and retail developments taking place.

Population
138948 (Census 2001)

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Majority of the population fall under the 30-44 age bracket
• Maidstone’s population is 97.3% white.
• The largest minority ethnic group is Indian (0.5%).

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Vital facts and key information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Portsmouth.

Considered to be UK’s premier waterfront destination, Portsmouth has miles of sea views and is home to the world’s oldest dry dock. One of the main tourist attractions, Spinnaker Tower, is however just a relatively new building located in Gunwharf Quays. The city of Portsmouth is also UK’s one and only island city.

Population
186,800 (Census 2001)

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Majority of the population fall under the 30-44 age bracket (22.9%)
• Ethnicity: White (94.8%), Mixed (1.4%), Asian or Asian British (4.4%), Black or Black British (0.5%), Chinese and Other (1.4%)
• Religion: Christian (68.1%), No religion (20.0%), Muslim (2.1%)

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Stats and information for businesses considering relocation to or setting up an office in Reading.

Reading borough, located at the heart of Thames Valley, is the largest town in south east England. It is considered to be one of Europe’s premier business centres with 10 of the top 50 global organisations headquartered in the area. Aside from being a major transport interchange and commercial centre Reading is also historically important being the county town of Royal Berkshire.

Population
143,124 (Census 2001)

Migration, immigration, ethnic diversity, basic population demographics
• Reading has a relatively young population (34.3% are aged under 25) compared to England (31.1%)
• Ethnicity: White (86.82%), Mixed (2.37%), Asian or Asian British (5.2%), Black or Black British (4.14%), Chinese or Other (1.45%)
• Religion: Christian (62.63%), No religion (22.0%), Muslim (4.0%)
• The workforce mostly works in Lower managerial and professional occupations (20.75%), Intermediate Occupations (10.71%), Semi-routine occupations (10.59%) and as Full-time students (10.89%).

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