HERITAGE OF CREATIVE YOUNG, INNOVATION, EXPANDING CITY IMAGINATION AND 25% of ’s Gloucester businesses benefit from a wide talent pool of creative individuals. population is under 30 College’s Arts, Media, Music INSPIRATION and Performing Arts department and Fashion - highest in the Academy work with local businesses and utilise industry-experienced staff to ensure South West students are equipped with the skills required to start-up or support creative businesses.

In addition, the University of Gloucestershire’s CREATIVE & schools of Art & Design and Media, whose state of the art facilities, such as the Media Centre, give the area a competitive edge. The INNOVATIVE CITY University is also home to a number of groundbreaking research centres including Gloucester’s rich heritage and stunning the Centre for the Study of Film and Screen historic environment has provided the perfect Cultures (FASC) and the Research Centre for inspirational backdrop for a growing cluster the Creative Industries. of web and graphic designers, architects, advertisers, videographers, software developers, design engineers and fashion designers amongst others to flourish.

Creative businesses include: 10 Yetis PR Agency Absolute Creative Marketing Gloucester’s creative sector – ranging from Businesses are attracted by the city’s Alpha Colour Printers Ltd advertising to architecture and fashion to film excellent location and transport infrastructure, Gloucester is one of the Alpha Response – is blossoming following over £700 million strong growth, large catchment, affluent am-pm design & print of private sector investment and now boasts hinterland, young profile, highly skilled UK’s ‘top ten’ historic Earl & Thompson Marketing “Gloucester has a large pool of one of the South West’s most vibrant and workforce, attractive premises and rents, Emma Willis Shirts creative and graphic art talent. diverse creative economies. excellent education and training provision destinations with 5.9 GCC Innova Ltd and supportive local authority. Great British Card Company , the With the city’s young demographic and million annual visitor Icon.net Limited University of Gloucestershire Arts population set to expand by more than 20% Gloucester City Council has recently Miss Silver Boutique Faculty and Cirencester College over the next 20 years, these are exciting extended its successful grants programme trips spending £207 Moose Marketing & PR provide the skills and develop times for your creative business to grow in by offering a £1.6m package of grant Prontaprint the interest and environment Gloucester – over 420 businesses in the last support to help businesses start-up, grow million Quattro Design Architects Ltd for those working in design two years have invested in the city. and prosper. In addition to grants, information Roberts Limbrick Ltd and creative jobs; vital for the is available on marketing, training and Severn skills support, subsidised workspace and print and graphics part of our Severnside Software Ltd business.” excellent networking opportunities. Visit SLG Beauty www.gloucester.gov.uk/business for more The Destination Marketing Group David Pealing, information. Turnbull & Asser Sales Director, Severn Verifac Veterinary Computers © Paul Davies www.severnprint.co.uk “We chose Gloucester as our business location due

M1 to the outstanding business opportunities and excellent support and networking for “Roberts Limbrick Ltd is one creative businesses. Gloucester of the largest award winning City Council provided us with M69 Birmingham architects’ practices in the region. a business grant to convert M6 We transformed a semi-derelict, premises into studio space, enabling us to locate beside the M1 Victorian building into our M40 awe inspiring Cathedral. We are M5 Northampton fantastic, Civic Award winning studios, representing our belief excited to be part of a city that and commitment to the city. values creative businesses.” M50 M1 Chris Nyland, Luton The city’s location, surrounded Gloucester by beautiful countryside and Director, Absolute Creative www.absolutecreativemarketing.co.uk Oxford picturesque towns and villages, excellent choice of educational Swansea M40 establishments, quality housing, M4 M4 Bristol a growing leisure quarter and Cardiff Reading London Swindon M4 excellent transport links, made M5 our decision an easy one.” M25 Stephen Limbrick, Joint Managing Director, Roberts Limbrick Ltd www.robertslimbrick.com

M5

Exeter

• 121,700 population in 2011 (10.7% • Competitively priced premises ranging 30 minute contour growth since 2001) from bespoke built, contemporary 435,934 offices and industrial units to AN ENVIABLE • Over 20% population growth by converted Victorian premises with a 2035 - the city will accommodate the waterside location 60 minute contour majority of the county’s population BUSINESS LOCATION and business growth by 2035 • Quality, flexible and subsidised 2,701,706 workspace, networking and business • Top 20 most competitive UK city and “Gloucester is a fantastic place support for small businesses highest growing regional business The city’s young to live, work and do business 90 minute contour destination • 8.4m people live within 90mins travel and has over the past 5 years 8,402,453 time demographic and • Strong employment and business received considerable investment growth rates. Currently 4,200 • Outstanding location and transport population is set to from the private sector. It is a city businesses in Gloucester with approx. infrastructure near M5, M4 & M50 with a bright future.” 63,500 employees motorways expand by more Mark Owen, Regional Chairman • One of UK’s ‘top ten’ historical (South West of England destinations with 5.9 million annual than 20% over and Gloucestershire), Federation of visitor trips spending £207 million Small Businesses & Managing Director the next 20 years of Moose Marketing & PR www.moosepartnership.co.uk OUTSTANDING CREATIVE FACILITIES “Our Enterprise Hubs are a hive INNOVATIVE of activity with many businesses working in the creative industries. The hubs encourage co-working, DESIGNERS this helps generate forward thinking and fresh ideas, pushing Amongst many others, the city is home to Gloucester’s creative businesses the workshops of internationally acclaimed shirt designers and exporters, Turnbull & in to a highly competitive arena. Asser and Emma Willis Shirts, the multi- Here their exceptional level of award winning architects, Roberts Limbrick, product and customer service whose wide portfolio covers everything positions them at the forefront for from education and healthcare to retail and creative execution.” racecourses and Miss Silver Boutique, who offer clients bespoke, tailored 1940s, 50s Dr. Basil Omar, and 60s dresses. Enterprise and Incubation Manager, University of Gloucestershire

“I am a worldwide exporter of the highest quality men’s shirts, exporting to America, Japan and India and with a shop in London’s Jermyn Street. There is a vibrant feeling about Gloucester that attracted me to the city and “The GLIC is a leading makes it a superb investment for provider of innovative learning businesses.” solutions for business. We offer Emma Willis, businesses high quality flexible Shirt Designer & Managing Director, space for meetings, training and Emma Willis Shirts creative development activities, www.emmawillis.com with state-of-the-art audio-visual Marketing Gloucester technology in a unique and exciting environment. GLIC has partnered with is particularly attractive to the media, PR and communication Gloucester creative sectors”. digital agency ICON.net Trevor Davies, Centre Manager, Global Language to produce a walking tour Immersion Centre (GLIC) www.glic.org.uk app for smartphones www.iconnet.co.uk/our- work Nature in Art is the world’s first art gallery STUNNING FILM dedicated to art inspired by nature located just two AND PHOTOGRAPHIC miles north of the city LOCATION centre Gloucester boasts a wealth of famous film “The city’s heritage led and TV locations with scenes from Harry regeneration has created a Potter and the BBC’s Shakespeare season thriving local arts, music and LIVELY MUSIC & filmed in stunning , cultural scene. This setting whilst the Docks is a magnet for film makers inspired me to produce stunning – Amazing Grace, The Colour of Magic, ARTS VENUES Outlaw and These Foolish Things, amongst photographic designs celebrating others, were filmed there. Gloucester’s rich history and is one of the County’s culture. Gloucester is well liveliest arts venues, renowned for hosting Photographers, too, find the city an exciting, positioned to take its rightful the biggest names in music as well as diverse working environment with over 2,000 place as one of the nation’s great comedy nights, theatre, cinema, exhibitions, years of history offering a rich heritage of cultural centres.” workshops and more. Recent names that some of the UK’s finest buildings, monuments have appeared include Bastille, Robert Plant, and architecture. Laurence Ash, Lily Allen, Echo and the Bunnymen, David Owner, Laurence Ash Art Frost, Germaine Greer, John Motson and www.laurenceashart.co.uk Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband.

Blackfriars Priory is another prized jewel in the city’s emerging Blackfriars Creative Quarter, hosting everything from weddings to vintage fairs.

Gloucester is also home to the Three Choirs Music Festival office based near the Cathedral and Gloucester Academy of Music “Gloucester is a wonderful providing professional tuition coupled with a film location and offers a vibrant family atmosphere. warm welcome to film crews – endorsed by the city signing up to Creative England’s ‘film-friendly charter’. The city’s passion for film, supportive arts culture and stunning film settings have enabled numerous blockbuster film and TV productions to be shot.”

Ellie Cook, Production Liaison Manager (South

Old Bell Zing © Laurence Ash West), Creative England © Nick Eaketts. Maximo Park Crowd

“The transformation that has taken place in Gloucester over the last decade has been inspired A SUPPORTIVE by the highest standards of urban regeneration. The aesthetic COUNCIL appeal of the city, combined with a rich and diverse culture and A range of incentives and free practical Other advice and support includes: heritage, has attracted a wealth of support, advice and business network • Property and site searches creative businesses to Gloucester opportunities are offered by Gloucester • Specialist growth support including photographers, video City Council, including: • Recruitment companies, advertising agencies • Skills development and design companies.” Business Grants • Networking A selection of business grant schemes are • B2B business directory free listing Jason Smith, available at www.gloucester.gov.uk/grants • Competitive rate planning pre- Chief Executive, Marketing Gloucester application service Business Support Programme • Funding bid opportunities Subsidised business start-up courses and • Demographic reports Gloucester Cathedral business support including one-to-one • Signposting to tender opportunities, business advice by a professional business finance, exporting and environmental LOCAL, NATIONAL mentor host the nationally information Incubator Workspace AND INTERNATIONAL acclaimed Crucible Quality subsidised small business office space, networking and bespoke business Exhibition – bringing support EVENTS together of sculptures Popular cultural, musical and sporting events flourish in the city. The biennial Tall Ships many cast at the Pangolin Festival, The Three Choirs Music Festival, For further information, Food Festival & Garden Editions in nearby Stroud please contact 01452 396972 / 74 / 86, Party, History Festival, Heritage Open Days, SportBeat Music and Sport Festival, The email [email protected] or Summer Festival, The Victorian Christmas Festival and international rugby – Gloucester visit www.gloucester.gov.uk/business is a host city for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Gloucester City Council Economic Development Service Herbert Warehouse The Docks Gloucester GL1 2EQ T: 01452 396972 / 74 / 86 E: [email protected] W: www.gloucester.gov.uk/business

Cover Photo © Laurence Ash

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