Watford Borough Council
Key Competitive Attractions
1. Ideally located: Just 16 miles from London, Watford’s proximity to the city offers urban possibilities coupled with dynamic local growth.
2. Business success stories: Global companies from confectionary maker Ferrero to the hotelier Hilton Group to blockbuster film producer Leavesden Studios call Watford home.
3. Well-educated, skilled workforce: Employers can leverage a more than 500,000 workforce in the greater Watford area and easily access an even vaster London-based workforce.
4. Economically healthy environment: Watford boasts low unemployment and continued business growth in the face of global economic challenges.
5. Ready for business: Multiple business sectors, from creative media to healthcare, from environmental technology to financial services, thrive in Watford’s ready-for-business environment.
6. Well-developed infrastructure: Watford is well-connected to London and the rest of the world with excellent underground, road and rail links and a close proximity to London’s major international airports.
7. Innovation/R&D hub: Watford is a knowledge-based home to more than 3,000 businesses, ranging from international conglomerates to smaller-scale, entrepreneurial ventures. The region is also renowned for IT, pharmaceutical and biotech R&D ventures.
8. High quality of life: Watford offers abundant amenities, from excellent schools and higher education facilities to always expanding communications networks to culture, entertainment and sporting events and green park areas.
9. Corporate relocation services: Watford For You partners with business support organisations to offer dedicated support services for seamless, easy relocation of your business.
10. Local support: The Watford Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council offer extensive business support services to encourage your growth and success.
Assistance and Support For New Business Investors
Watford For You is a partnership among stakeholders from local businesses, the Watford Borough Council and the Watford and West Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, which works together to promote Watford as a ready-for-business destination.
Business Advice and Support
Watford For You offers comprehensive business advice and support services. It provides you with access to a specialist business adviser who can help you to take action on relocating or investing in Watford.
Watford For You will identify how best to provide you with the tailored information and services you need, which may include:
• Relocation advice and assistance
• Accounting and tax advice
• International trade and business planning support
• Training and development service
• Business start-up planning
• Business growth and survival planning
Watford For You also offers:
• Workshops on business topics (throughout Watford, Hertfordshire and London)
• Networking events
Business Relocation Services
Watford For You, in cooperation with the Watford Borough Council’s Strategic Economic Partnership and other partners who form the One Watford initiative, offers both relocation information and hands-on services to ensure that your specific business needs are met.
Watford For You offers:
• A free commercial property search
• A dedicated investment manager to assist with business set-up and registration
• Help with market research
• Help with establishing joint ventures and partnerships for business growth
• Contacts for investor programmes and contacts for other services (legal, accounting, banking, etc.)
• Contacts for agencies to assist with staffing and recruitment
• Contacts with local universities and research centres for R&D ventures
• Industry-specific support services (biotech/health, creative, ICT, etc.)
• Support for relocating employees (guided tours, information packs, presentations)
Existing Business Base
Providing a home for a cross-section of businesses from a diverse array of sectors, Watford is growing, particularly in knowledge-based and technology industries, which make up over 55% of Watford’s enterprises. With over 2 billion GBP in investment projects underway, Watford is at the centre of innovative business endeavours.
Key Sectors
• Healthcare/medical technology
• Financial and business services
• Environmental technology/renewable energy
• Creative, media and entertainment
• Hospitality (corporate and tourism/service)
• FMCG/Confectionary
• Education
Though Watford benefits from its proximity to London, Watford is itself an economic powerhouse, acting as home to some of the world’s largest and highest profile industries, such as Leavesden Studios (now Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden). This profile is rapidly growing because:
• Consistent public sector growth and development continue (cases in point, the public regeneration projects, Watford Health Campus (c£750m), Croxley Rail Link (£120m) and Charter Place).
• The opening of the new Harry Potter studio tour is bringing a tourism boom to Watford and boosting demand for services
• Cutting-edge facilities, such as the Croxley Green Business Park (sustainable, efficient office space), are available and expanding
Leading companies in Watford come from a variety of sectors and include Leavesden Studios/Warner Bros., The Hilton Group, Ferrero UK, RES (Renewable Energy Systems Ltd), BRE, TJX/TK Maxx, Costco, Beko, Sanyo, and Total Oil.
