Manchester has taken the top spot once again in CBRE’s UK Tech Cities report, published this week.
The report ranks the top 15 tech destinations outside of London according to a number of factors including access to skilled talent, availability of office space, proximity to institutions providing high-quality tech education, cost of living and cost of employment.
The size of Manchester’s office market and its access to a high-quality workforce were factors underpinning its position at the top of the leader board. Manchester plays host to 5,725 tech companies, the highest of any regional city, many of which are concentrated in The Northern Quarter and Media City UK in Salford.
John Ogden, Manchester managing director at CBRE, said: “Looking ahead, Manchester seems well placed to maintain its position as the UK’s pre-eminent tech city outside of London. New developments such as Manchester Goods Yard and Bruntwood SciTech’s development of Circle Square have attracted global attention with companies such as Roku and Cloud Imperium recently taking space.”
Birmingham was one of the most notable movers, rising to second place from fourth in CBRE’s 2019 report. The city’s popularity among millennials staying in the city following graduation was one of the factors cited in its rise up the league table.
Glasgow maintained its position at number three this year, attracting talent and companies with its high levels of educational attainment and relatively low house prices. In 2020, a reported £43m in venture capital was invested into the city. With more than 570 tech occupiers, including BBC Scotland and STV, already based there, CBRE expects Glasgow to attract a wave of new start-up tech firms going forward.
Mike Gedye, head of tech sector vertical at CBRE, said: “Tech companies are now more than ever competing for the best talent and post-pandemic have broadened their horizons in hiring a more distributed workforce and will drive a new era of regional tech demand. The regionalisation of the tech sector beyond London and the South East will also be critical to sustaining the UK’s ability to innovate and compete on the global stage.”
To send feedback, e-mail evelina.grecenko@eg.co.uk or tweet @Gre_Eve or @EGPropertyNews
