Gosia Furmanik

Inverness is regarded as one of the UK's fastest-growing cities with a thriving economy supported by traditional industries including farming, forestry, and whisky distilling, as well as fisheries and maritime industries. In recent years many new sectors such as energy, professional services, hospitality, life sciences, technology, advanced engineering and creative industries have bolstered the economy.

If you're interested in buying commercial property, you need to know several things before jumping in. It's important to do your research before making that purchase, or you could wind up with a troublesome property that comes with regrets rather than profitable returns. So we've put together a list of ten simple yet surprisingly underrated tips that will help you buy the perfect commercial property.

With its cobbled streets, Norman castle and Medieval cathedral, Lincoln is an East Midlands cultural jewel. Lincolnshire county has a population of over 700,000, and many of these residents filter into the city for work and play. Lincoln is a charming place to base a business, but it is also well-connected.

Exeter is not only a place to come for a good day out. The city is all business too, with over 35,000 commuters travelling in from the surrounding area every day. Along with Bristol, Exeter is the most important business hub in the South West of England. The University of Exeter also attracts large numbers of students to the city every year, hoping to start their professional lives at the prestigious institution.

Carlisle was transformed into a mill town during the industrial revolution, and it later became a railway town. It continues to be a major hub in the north and is the administrative centre for both Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council. For business owners, the various attractions, along with all the footfall from retail and surrounding destinations, make it a bustling place to call home.

Flexible working is a megatrend affecting the future of work across many industries. In the UK, over 70% of employees say that the opportunity to work flexibly is a real plus point when it comes to choosing a job. For many, flexible working involves breaking the 9 to 5 routine to fit work hours around home life, while for others, it’s the opportunity to spend some time working from home or another location that suits them better.

Best known for its quaint village perched on top of the hill and one of the country's most prestigious boarding schools, Harrow is one of north London's most vibrant communities. With excellent transport links into the capital, an array of fantastic local amenities and lots of green spaces nearby, Harrow is one of London's most popular places to live and work.

Staines is now a town with world-class infrastructure, a bustling and incredibly diverse business sector, and home to several multinational research and technology companies. In fact, Staines was even hailed as Britain's number one town to start a new business, according to research conducted by Chartered accountants UHY Hacker Young.

Almost overnight, kitchen tables became desks, bookcases became the go-to background for Zoom calls, and dining rooms turned into conference centres. While businesses worldwide hastily implemented continuity plans to maintain ‘business as usual’, office buildings stood empty.

Situated in Hertfordshire, just 25 miles from London's Marble Arch, St Albans is one of the oldest cities in the UK, offering residents an idyllic countryside, a rich history, a thriving village and great transport links into London and other surrounding areas.

Situated on the coast of East Sussex, and regularly cited as the sunniest place in the UK, Eastbourne is a great place to base your business. It's home to some of the brightest start-ups and leading brands in the country and offers some of the most affordable commercial property available in the South East.

In this guide, we want to introduce you to the Light Industrial asset type, explore its growing popularity and provide a few tips for finding the right space for your business. If you are looking to set up a new venture or expand an existing one, Light Industrial can provide you with the space you need to get to work.

Basingstoke is a large, thriving town situated in the county of Hampshire in south-central England. It started off as an old market town but later expanded to become an important economic hub during the second half of the 20th Century.

Basildon is the largest growing economy in Essex and a significant regional and national growth driver. The town's commercial base has increased rapidly in recent years, and the borough is now home to almost 8,000 thriving businesses. Many of these businesses specialise in the digital, creative, technology, and advanced manufacturing fields.

Salford is a city in the Greater Manchester area of northern England. It’s an exciting place to live and work, with major professional hubs including Liverpool and Manchester within easy reach. There’s also a large pool of talent here, as it’s home to more than 100,000 residents and the University of Salford.

It’s no secret that the high street has suffered in recent years. The rise in online shopping has led well-known brands to close stores up and down the country. But as one store closes, another opportunity opens. For many, digital shopping is creating more pathways to success. New entrants are taking market share, and social media is enabling some brands to develop strong brand loyalty with their customers.

Slough is an economic powerhouse and regarded as one of the United Kingdom’s most attractive and lucrative places to both live and do business. The area is home to the highest number of UK-based headquarters of global companies outside of London, with many distinguished names in the manufacturing, technology, pharmaceuticals, and automotive industries based in the area.

Huddersfield is a large and well-established town situated halfway between Manchester and Leeds in West Yorkshire. It's been a market town since Anglo-Saxon times and is known for its important role in the Industrial Revolution.

Hammersmith offers the best of both worlds. A lively town centre on the doorstep of central London, with a tranquil riverside setting on the banks of the Thames. A key part of Hammersmith’s appeal lies in its flourishing arts and culture scene.

Belgravia is one of London’s most desirable areas. This centrally-located destination is home to exclusive retail brands, upmarket boutiques, world-famous eateries and the finest hotels; as such, it’s where you’ll find some of the capital’s wealthiest residents. Located between Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Westminster, Belgravia’s central location means it’s a great place if you’re looking to be close to central districts.

Croydon's main industries are technology, construction and retail. Technology, in particular, is a growing sector, with the borough named the fastest growing UK' tech city'. But with one of the largest commercial areas outside Central London — packed with shops, law offices, banks, and restaurants — Croydon is better known for its growing number of small and medium-sized businesses and startups.

Many of the capital’s most prominent industries have put their stamp on specific locations within London. Now, people from across the country, and even the world, know about Canary Wharf’s connection to financial services or Fleet Street’s (former) reputation as a press hub. It’s not something that’s unique to London either; California’s Silicon Valley and Hollywood are just two other notable examples.

A cosmopolitan cocktail of city, coast and countryside, Sunderland has all the buzz of the big city combined with the quiet charm of both the country and seaside. Keen to learn more about living and working in Sunderland? We have everything you need to know. 

The birthplace of the first light bulb, colour television, mass-produced dishwasher and ATM machine, Enfield has a history of industrial excellence and business innovation. It’s London’s most northern borough, sitting above Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest, and below Epping Forest and Hertfordshire.

Famous for its striking Transporter Bridge, which uses a suspended ‘gondola’ to take vehicles across the River Tees, Middlesbrough has long been known for its history of industrial activity. More recently, Middlesbrough has benefitted from billions of pounds of investment into its infrastructure, creating thousands of new jobs, homes and business and educational facilities.