Your future in one of Europe's finest inward investment locations
Gloucestershire is situated at the north of the UK’s South West region between Bristol and Birmingham. Bordering the counties of Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Oxfordshire, and with an area of 1020 square miles (2650 square kilometres), Gloucestershire constitutes approximately 11% of the area of the South West region.
What will you achieve in Gloucestershire?
Geographically, Gloucestershire is divided into the world-famous Cotswolds, the Royal Forest of Dean and the Severn Vale. The county, renowned for its scenery and transport links, contains the city of Gloucester, Regency Cheltenham, and historic riverside Tewkesbury with its beautiful abbey.
With its long tradition of business achievement, Gloucestershire is a hotbed of commercial activity and innovation, a base for research organisations such as Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA), and home to further and higher education facilities including Gloucestershire University and Gloucestershire College.
The county is full of culture and fascinating contrasts. Amongst many achievements, Gloucestershire inspired Harry Potter, Frank Whittle’s jet engine, Gustav Holst’s music and Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccines.
Anything’s possible here. What will your business achieve?
Perfect for doing business
With its transport links, quality of life and a reputation for supporting business, Gloucestershire is a great place for your company relocation or start-up. Private enterprise flourishes here; for every 100 people employed, 78 work in a thriving private sector where manufacturing, engineering, avionics, financial services, pharmaceuticals and food technology feature strongly.
Gloucestershire is the place to invest and feel at home, a place where businesses as diverse as Messier-Dowty, Direct Wines, Fortis Insurance, and film special effects company Snow Business prosper in one of Europe’s loveliest natural environments.
The facilities your business needs to thrive
From character-rich rural business centres to modern business parks, Gloucestershire offers discerning inward investors a huge choice of facilities.
From the Forest of Dean’s hugely successful Vantage Point Business Village to Gloucester’s booming business parks and the Cotswolds Business Village in picturesque Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire is packed with the facilities you need for successful business.
A great place to live and work
At work and play, Gloucestershire appeals to individuals and organisations alike. Highly skilled and ambitious workers recognise that, for career prospects and social space, the county is a prime location. And when work is over? The beautiful Cotswolds, Severn Estuary and Forest of Dean are all a short drive, walk or cycle ride away. Then there’s Cheltenham’s vibrant restaurant scene, Gloucester’s renovated Victorian docks, and the county’s abundance of charming country pubs. For music fans, leading UK venues are conveniently close, while Gloucestershire itself offers six theatres, an exciting live music scene and numerous arts festivals (including world famous literature and jazz festivals).
Sports enthusiasts love Gloucestershire too. The renowned Badminton Horse trials and horse racing’s Cheltenham Gold Cup take place here as well as premiership rugby, league soccer, motor sport, a thriving cricket scene and all kinds of outdoor pursuits. And then there’s easy access to the UK’s other major sporting venues…
Location, accessibility, hotels and conferencing
For business or leisure, few inward investment locations offer such an attractive location combined with such convenient transport. Gloucestershire lies close to all domestic markets, with mature rail and motorway links providing reliable passenger and freight access to the Midlands, South East England, the South West, South Wales, the M4 corridor and London.
And when it’s time to do business abroad? Bristol and Birmingham international airports are only an hour away, Cardiff an hour and a half, and Heathrow just two hours – all by motorway. And then there’s Gloucestershire Airport (between Gloucester and Cheltenham) where local business has access to one of the UK’s premier business aviation airports.
For conferences, meetings or training, Gloucestershire offers perfect venues for your business-building event – including the striking Centaur facility at Cheltenham Racecourse. Large or small, urban or rural, there’s one to suit you – from motorway-accessible hotels to rural conference venues in the Cotswolds, great plans find wings in Gloucestershire.
Education, skills and training for your business
Gloucestershire is home to numerous high quality education institutions that add to the local pool of skilled labour and work closely with local businesses. These include:
- The University of Gloucestershire
- Gloucestershire College
- Stroud College
- Cirencester College
- The National Star College
- Hartpury College
- The Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester
Economic profile
Population: 575,200 (2005) Source: ONS (Nomis) mid-2006 population estimates
Employment: 278,100 Rate: 81% July 2006 - June 2007 (Source: Annual Population Survey ONS Crown Copyright Reserved)
Unemployment Rate: 1.9% February 2008 (Source: Claimant count: % of resident working age population ONS Crown Copyright Reserved)
Housing allocation 2006-2026: 48,600 (Source: Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West)
GVA (£ per head) at current basic prices for 2003: 17,629 (Source: ONS First Release, Dec. 2005)
Can’t wait to find out more? Contact Invest in Gloucestershire now…