Manchester is Britain’s Best City for Business.(1)

The capital of the north of England, Manchester has an increasing presence on the world stage. Served by the UK’s third largest airport, which flies over 20 million passengers to 225 global destinations per year, it has become the obvious choice for companies needing premises outside of London.

Its business infrastructure and services are those you would expect of a leading European city – high quality hotels and conference facilities, with superb connections to the rest of the UK and overseas.

Its arts, culture and entertainment scene is one of the most exciting in the country.

When assessed against a range of criteria, it is in the top ten European cities for external transport links, easy access to markets and the cost of staff and was voted No.1 for UK headquarters and back office functions (2). It is no wonder that 65 of the FTSE100 companies have a presence in Greater Manchester (3).

A highly motivated and skilled workforce of 2.5 million people live in Greater Manchester – and 7.2 million within a 50 mile radius of Manchester City Centre (4).

The Greater Manchester conurbation is home to fve universities with over 100,000 sttudents, increasing to 22 universities and 400,000 students within a one hour drive. This significant talent pool, coupled with world class graduate retention, ensures the workforce is sustainable as well as accessible.

Manchester is the place to be for companies serious about growth.

1: OMIS Research, Britain’s Best Cities
2: Cushman & Wakefield, European Cities Monitor
3, 4 & 5: MIDAS