Leeds is a city with plenty on offer. It has a huge high-street, filled with all the names you expect, plenty of character and endless entertainment choices. From the Corn Exchange and the newly refurbed Market Hall, to cinemas, pubs and clubs, there is no end of things to do in the city. If you take a glance above the shopfronts, you’ll see the architecture to document over 400 years of history.
But, when it comes to employment opportunities, Leeds is continuously growing, particularly when it comes to digital, health and technology. Leed’s technology sector is extremely strong and there are now 3,500 digital and technology businesses in the city. Here are just 5 reasons why, if you are a startup tech company, you should consider moving to Leeds if you work in or own a business in these industries.
Leeds Is An Already Established Hub For Technology
Leeds is quickly developing into a central hub filled with tech and digital expertise. Employment within the digital tech industries in the centre of Leeds grown by an impressive 7% between 2011 and 2014 and is still continuing to grow. Sky Gaming and Betting alone created around 140 jobs in 2017 within their commercial and software academy.
Data science is also a big industry in the city, with large names like Equifax and Open Data Institute based in Leeds, and there are also a growing number of companies focusing on fintech too. There are, as an estimate, 4000 tech businesses well established in Leeds already, with this number expected to grow in the next few years. after seeing growth from professional electricians, office works and much more, this growth is only natural.
Leeds Is An Affordable City To Live In
The centre of Leeds is very easily accessible by bus or train from any of the surrounding villages and towns. The M1, which runs from north to south, and the M62 which travels east to west, pretty much run directly through the city, which means that you could live in cities or towns as far away as Manchester, Wakefield, York and Bradford.
A lot of the villages to the north of Leeds have plenty of stunning period properties available on the market. These villages are often set in the middle of idyllic countryside locations and are in reaching distance of the Yorkshire Dales and Moors. Wherever you decide to settle will depend on your personal budget, yet the house prices are below what you would expect to pay for a single-bed flat in London.
Leeds Is Home To Big Tech Employers
HMRC is expected to transfer around 6000 jobs to Leeds in 2020 as part of an effort to deliver a more digitally-advanced tax service, which is a move following on from the move of NHS Digital into the city. HMRC will join forces with NHS Digital in their state-of-the-art premises in the centre of Leeds as a way to modern and flexible working environments to their employees.
Workers are being given the chance to move into a city which is exciting and vibrant, yet it is highly affordable to live in. This all comes under the “Northern Powerhouse” movement, which is an effort to try and decentralise companies away from the Capital and balance the economy over the UK.
Leeds Is Always Growing
When it comes to population, business growth and foreign investment, Leeds is growing. And fast. New businesses have been starting up here at twice the average, particularly when it comes to technology and retail industries. The new Trinity Walk development, which attracted a lot of the big names in London to transfer over, has had many of the big name restaurants settle in the development.
Now home to some of the best Leeds restaurants, the development continues to thrive. Sky Gaming and Betting have also relocated its main hub to the Leeds Dock and is just one of many tech leaders finding a new and welcome home in Leeds. If you are thinking about moving your digital tech business to the city of Leeds, then you’ll be in great company!
