A Liverpool Hope University academic has contributed to a new article which shows the city is one of the best places in the UK to launch a new business.
Revd Dr Tony Bradley is the Centre Director of the Social & Economic Action Research Centre (SEARCH) at Hope as well as a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and the Social Economy.
He was invited to add his thoughts to new research, from online magazine StartupsGeek.com, which reviewed a range of data, from the cost of office space, to average internet speeds, to analyse which cities were best to begin a new enterprise.
The study found Liverpool placed third in the run-down of best start-up locations, behind Canterbury in first place and runner-up Sunderland.
You can read the full article here.
And Dr Bradley says: “The one thing you can guarantee with Scousers is their willingness to try something new. Alan Bleasdale captured this perfectly with his character Yosser Hughes, in The Boys from the Blackstuff, and his signature line ‘Giz a job, I can do dat!’
“That was a drama about unemployed and black economy construction workers during Liverpool's dark days of the 1980s. Then, the city was under the twin shadows of the Thatcher Government, on the one hand, and Derek Hatton's Militant Council, on the other.
"That period led to Liverpool coming together as a city, to reinvent itself. It resulted in the successful Capital of Culture bid in 2003 and the city's designation as European Capital of Culture, 2008. In the intervening twelve years the city hasn't looked back.
“It is now the 4th or 5th most visited city in the UK, particularly by foreign tourists. Now, they find a vibrant city of artists, culture, hospitality and a unique night-time economy.
“But, behind that, less visibly, is a culture of 'do-ers and makers', artisan craftspeople, digital creatives and media workers. The spirit of Liverpool is creativity. When the Beatles were around there were 300 other skiffle, pop and rock bands from the city, all making some sort of living. Now, the music scene is only part of the city's inventiveness.
"Neighbourhoods such as The Baltic Triangle, Fabric District, Bold Street and Lark Lane each show the city's ability to create new ventures and independent, entrepreneurial offerings.
“Liverpool continues to go from strength to strength, particularly in its cultural diversity, the virus notwithstanding. And even during the pandemic the inventiveness of relaunching businesses in new ways has been evident throughout. Yosser may not have been able to do everything he said he could. But, the creatives of Merseyside show that they really mean business when they say ‘Giz an opportunity. We'll show you that we really can do that’.”
The StartupsGeek.com piece suggests starting a business in Liverpool instead of London would save over £250,000 over five years in salaries.
Joe Dawson, co-editor of StartupsGeek.com, said: “It’s often repeated that small businesses are the backbone of the British economy, and I think that small business has a big role to play in the economic bounce-back that we need after the trauma of 2020.
“The statistics in this study give us a snapshot of current conditions but it will be down to the next generation of entrepreneurs to capitalise on these opportunities. However, with the right funding and policy to support those wanting to strike out on their own, local authorities and government would be able to create conditions for small businesses to thrive in any of the forty locations in our study.”
To learn more about the Liverpool Hope University Business School, head .