Swindon has once again punched above its weight in a national report measuring the economic strength of the country’s largest towns and cities.
The Borough has been ranked fifth in the latest Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index, placing it ahead of heavyweights including Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow – as well as near neighbours Oxford and Reading.
The index looks at 50 of the UK’s biggest cities (excluding London), weighing up 12 measures that the public themselves say matter most, alongside hard economic data. These include jobs, skills, health, safety, transport, housing, income equality, business start-ups and even the state of the high street.
Swindon performed above average in seven of the 12 measures, particularly in jobs, skills, safety, health and transport. The only area it fell just below par was income distribution.
The town also boasts one of the fastest-growing annual GVA rates in the UK – proof of a strong, expanding economy. This has been helped by a stream of inward investment from major companies such as Thermo Fisher, RWE and TE Connectivity, alongside record profits from established Swindon stalwarts like Nationwide and Zurich.
Council Leader Jim Robbins welcomed the findings, saying:
“It shows what we all know – that Swindon is a great place to live and a fantastic place for businesses to invest. The combination of high growth and high index scores suggests we’re not just growing, but doing so in a way that matches public priorities and sustainable development.”
Cllr Robbins pointed to Panattoni’s £900m redevelopment of the former Honda site, the arrival of new drone manufacturing firms, and major regeneration plans for the town centre around the train station as reasons to be optimistic about Swindon’s economic future.
With Swindon consistently scoring highly in these national league tables, it looks as though the town’s reputation as a hub for growth, innovation and opportunity is only set to strengthen.
