Why Bradford?
We are on a journey to create a new future for one of the UK’s largest cities
With a population of 560,194, Bradford is the 5th largest metropolitan district in England and Wales. It is the youngest city in the UK, with 28% of the population aged under 20. Bradford’s labour market is huge and diverse, something recognised by many employers including PWC, Channel 4 and Bank of England.
Bradford is already a sizeable economy with an estimated Gross Value Added of £11.4 billion in 2022 making Bradford the tenth largest city economy in England. It is the third largest economy in the Yorkshire and Humber region after Leeds and Sheffield.
Bradford is home to over 16,600 businesses employing around 250,000 people across the UK with a combined turnover of over £35 billion. The district has a number of large headquarters including the grocery giant Morrisons, Yorkshire Water, Hallmark Cards, Vanquis, and Yorkshire Building Society. We also have thriving sectors in space and satellite technologies, advanced engineering, film and television, and food production.
Bradford has been identified as the best place in Britain to start a business, as ranked by Barclays Bank SME Growth Factors Index and was listed as one of the top 20 cities for business growth by the Sunday Times in 2020.
