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Hmm. This is disappointing.

I’ve grown up in and work in the South East, but work takes me around much of Britain and I find centralisation an apparent issue. Only speaking from my experience (I don’t have quantifiable evidence to share) companies moving to/expanding to much of the South seems to drive up the cost of living here and reduce investment elsewhere.

In my UK travels, I’ve tried to promote businesses using non-South-East locations and to utilise the benefits. And friends and colleagues I have in the North have said they’re concerned, if not worried, about the career prospects of their children in certain areas.

There has been a lot of investment and development in Manchester, so I find it slightly frustrating that the impulse still seems to be getting into the London market. I understand it’s where a lot of the money is and I see the appeal, but this feels like a step backward and even against what a lot of time, money and resources is trying to change. However, I appreciate it isn’t that simple as it’s not just the employers but also the employees that get drawn to London. But if something doesn’t change then I won’t be surprised if, one day, 90% of the population is living in box flats piled on top of each other in London, while the rest of the UK is countryside reclaimed by nature… which isn’t a totally upsetting thought.