RSSManchester businesses see Salford on the rise
Published: 2009-12-18 08:06:11
Most businesses in Manchester believe Saford Quays will become more important as a regional business centre, according to a recent survey.
Conducted by Drivers Jonas, the survey of 100 Manchester city centre office occupiers found that Manchester Airport and its surrounding area was the most important business centre in the region, outside of the city centre, followed closely by Liverpool and then Salford Quays.
But Salford will become more important as a business location while the importance of most of the region's other towns will remain the same.
Salford Quays was described as a very important business location by 35% of respondents. Thirty two per cent of respondents predicted their organisations would relocate offices in the next five years, implying an opportunity for Salford to grow its office sector
Survey respondents ranged from small companies to large organisations with more than 250 employees; most of the firms interviewed were smaller firms with between one and 50 employees, reflecting the composition of Manchester's office occupiers. The average amount of space leased by those interviewed was less than 5,000 sq ft and more than 70% occupied just one floor in their building. Nearly a fifth of respondents owned their office premises.
The interviewed occupiers consisted predominantly of SMEs with 60% employed in single site organisations, in other words, their only office is in Manchester city centre. Nearly 70% of all interviewed firms have been located in Manchester city centre for more than a decade, while a quarter have been in the area for more than 25 years. This indicates a stable and loyal core occupier base, but not an entirely static one. Almost a fifth of respondents have been in their current city centre location for four years or less.