Corridor Manchester

Key Competitive Attractions

The Corridor, the Oxford Road area of the city, contains the most significant concentration of academic, research and teaching institutions in the North of England and is the gateway to the UK`s leading financial and professional services sector outside London. The area of 240 hectares is estimated an annual turnover of £2.8billion.

Existing business base:

• Two of UK`s largest universities
  The University of Manchester leads cutting edge research programmes in various fields drawing from the exceptional knowledge and expertise of its academics. This research produced many of the high value businesses located on the Corridor.
  Manchester Metropolitan University has a number of highly rated research departments and produces world class professionals contributing to the future growth and success of businesses in the city and beyond.
• Comprehensive NHS facilities
  The Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (The Trust) is a leading research and teaching hospital. Working with the University of Manchester, the Trust is at the heart of a strong and successful bio-medical cluster located on the Corridor.
• Manchester Science Park
  The park is one of the UK`s top five business parks and has supported the development of a number of high value businesses, many of them covering the fields of bio health and digital technology. The park can potentially double its size over the next decade to meet the needs of science and technology businesses who consider a location near the universities and Hospital Trust facilities.
• Over 20 cultural venues

Assistance and Support For New Business Investors

The Corridor Manchester partnership works closely with Manchester`s inward investment agency, MIDAS, which offers national and international businesses planning to locate to or expand within the Manchester City Region free and tailored advice and support.

MIDAS services include:
- Research (market validation, demographic analysis and university research)
- Property finding support (location advice, searchable property database, property viewing)
- Relocation support (Familiarisation trips, presentations to employees, Marketing & PR support, access to financial  incentives and grants)
- Advice on recruitment (labour and salary information, advice on employment grants, recruitment services)
- International links (subsidised accommodation, global strategic links, professional services advice)
- Networks (industry forums and local authority liaison groups, potential business partners and private investors)

Existing Business Base

Manchester City Region

City for Business
UK Cities Monitor 2008 by Cushman and Wakefield voted Manchester as the best UK city to locate a new headquarter and back office and Britain`s 'Best City for Business' after London.

Connectivity
Situated at the centre of the UK, Manchester is easily accessible nationally and internationally with connections to over 220 global destinations from Manchester Airport.

Top Visitor Destination
Over 9.4 million tourists visit Manchester each year, making Manchester UK`s third most visited city after London and Edinburgh.

People & Skills
Business have access to UK`s largest labour pool with a workforce of over 2 million and 7.2 million people of working age within a 50 mile radius.

City of Education
Manchester is home to five universities and the largest student population in Europe with over 100,000 students and 30,000 graduates every year. They attract more overseas students than anywhere in the UK and retain more graduates.

Inward Investment
65 out of the FTSE100 companies have a presence in the Manchester City Region and over 40% of the North West`s Top 500 companies are based here.