With the New Year approaching there are a number of people setting themselves the goal of starting their own business with aspirations of making millions, but the question then becomes, where should this be set up? A new study has found the top places in the UK to open a business based on the best value for money, with North East Lincolnshire in first place.
Commercial property marketplace EG Propertylink gathered data for the average property area per square foot, average lease per square foot, properties available for letting and properties available for sale per 100,000 to create an index score out of 100 for each area in the UK. The areas were then ranked from highest to lowest scores.
At the top of the ranking is North East Lincolnshire, which scores 66.02 out of 100 for value for money in business spaces. This location has an average of 108 commercial properties to let and 57.68 properties for sale per 100,000 people, with an average property size of 6,573 square feet.
North Ayrshire in Scotland ranks second, with an index score of 62.71 for value for money in commercial property. Here, the average property size is 9,077 square feet, and there are approximately 99 properties available to let and 44.2 for sale per 100,000 people.
Top 10 places to open a business for value for money
| Rank | Area | Score |
| 1 | North East Lincolnshire | 66.02 |
| 2 | North Ayrshire | 62.71 |
| 3 | Bridgend | 62.41 |
| 4 | Blaenau Gwent | 62.39 |
| 5 | Rochdale | 61.43 |
| 6 | Merthyr Tydfil | 61.31 |
| 7 | Ceredigion | 59.90 |
| 8 | Wrexham | 59.38 |
| 9 | City of London | 58.96 |
| 10 | Newport | 58.76 |
Chloe Ward, Product Manager at EG Propertylink, commented on the findings: “Some of the best locations in the UK for business space value-for-money offer high-quality office space at more competitive prices. Cities in the North of England and regions like Wales provide businesses with affordable rents, strong local economies, and supportive growth environments, making these areas ideal for expanding companies.
“While the City of London is known for its prestige and high business activity, certain areas within it have become surprisingly affordable for office space, as reflected in this study. Recent shifts in demand and increased flexibility in leasing have opened opportunities for businesses to secure prime locations at lower rates than expected.”
