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Four Top Locations to Begin Your Business

11 October 2018, 18:13 CET

Starting a new business is tough; even those with a great idea and plenty of upstart capital from investors to work with will face challenges along the path to success.

Having a winning business idea is great when you begin, but you still need to focus on where your customer or client's demographic is primarily located, and where you will have the most opportunity. Where you choose to start your new business will be a critical step to your success, especially once the UK leaves the EU.

London

London is one of the world's hubs and is an obvious place to start up any new business. Even with the uncertainty of Brexit, there is still a lot of hope for expansion and growth in the capital. It is currently home to 40% of Europe's "Unicorn Company's," and altogether London's startups are allocated upwards of £2 billion from investors, which amounts to 75% of all venture capitalist funding in the UK.

Even if your startup has smaller ambitions, there is still a lot of potential in London, simply due to is a large and diverse population. You are almost guaranteed to find clients and customers here, and with co-working office environments offered by companies such as The Brew, you are guaranteed not to be out-priced in the capital.

Manchester

Manchester is a great city for startups, especially if you work within or in partnership with the entertainment industry. It has the third-largest population in England and is a great place for young professionals who are relocating. Nearly 40% of all startups that open here succeed. Plus, due to the lower living costs compared to cities like London, the area is also more affordable. This makes it a great place to start your new business if you want lower costs and great visibility.

Bristol

Bristol is one of the more artistic and eccentric cities in the UK, making it a great location for creative industries to flourish. It also has a healthy IT, finance, and tourism industry for start-ups in those industries as well, and, with a start-up survival rate at 43%, you have a slightly better chance of succeeding here than in Manchester. You also have great ties to London and Cardiff, making it a good base for any UK business.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is in many ways London's rival. It has a good economy and is a beautiful city to live and work in. Combine this with the strong tourism industry and world infamous Fringe Festival, and there are a lot of reasons why the world is looking here. Start-up survival rate here is at 44% as well, making it a great location for startups.

Choosing cities that play an important cultural and economical part in the UK is a great way to start a new business and minimise the impact of Brexit. At home, businesses are more important than ever, and by operating out of any of these four top locations, you can improve your chances of success and growth for continued success.

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