September 6th, 2016
Entrepreneurs are increasingly realising the importance of attaining a good work-life balance, and searching for a business location which will help them to achieve this. As a result, many are looking beyond London and deciding to move to other areas of the country known for a high quality of life. The South West, including Devon, is a popular choice because of its heritage and beautiful countryside, with many businesses deciding to move into office space in Exeter.
Basepoint’s Exeter business centre is a hub for a wide range of small businesses. Here we will look at the cathedral city’s advantages as a place to run your company and enjoy high quality of life for you and your staff.
Great Location
Exeter has one of the most scenic locations of any English city. Lying on the river Exe, it is near to the unspoilt beaches along the long Devon coastline and the wild landscapes of Dartmoor national park, an area which is full of character. Devon was voted best place to live in Britain in a survey by Country Life magazine, because of all its beautiful countryside.
Just a few miles out of the centre of Exeter you can be in the heart of the Devon countryside; so many people moving to the area might be tempted to live in surrounding picture-postcard villages. However, the city itself is also a great place to live, with its historic buildings, excellent entertainments and social life, while property prices here are lower than those in the capital and the South East.
The city benefits from excellent transport links, including fast train services to London’s Paddington station. So, even though you are in a beautiful location which has a completely different atmosphere from that of London, your business can still enjoy all the benefits of being within easy reach of the capital.
Proud Heritage
Exeter is a city with a unique heritage and many picturesque historic buildings. A recent survey carried out by the Heritage Lottery Fund found that people living and working here say the many historic sites contribute to their happiness.
Dominating the landscape of the city centre is the cathedral, with its two great towers. Founded in 1050, this is one of Europe’s Gothic architectural masterpieces. It has many famous features including its ceiling, said to have the longest unbroken stretch of vaulting in the world, stained glass windows, astronomical clock and minstrels’ gallery.
In addition to the cathedral itself, the city boasts a number of medieval churches, an ancient city wall and the remains of a castle, lying within the Rougemont Gardens. Museums include the Royal Albert Museum and Art Gallery and St Nicholas Priory, a Tudor home on the site of a medieval monastery, which has now been restored as a visitor attraction.
All these historic sites help to give Exeter its special atmosphere and high quality of life and to make it a place where many business owners want to be based.
University City
As well as being famed for its cathedral, Exeter is also known as a leading university city. Although its university was founded in the 1950s, its history goes back much further, because it grew from two colleges which were set up in the 19th century. It has four campuses, with the largest, Streatham campus, being widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the UK.
The Russell Group university has a high reputation and was recently listed as one of the world’s top 100 universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Many students studying in the area fall in love with Devon and decide to stay here, meaning the skills base in the city is strongly enhanced by the university’s presence. The university has a business school and its own innovation centre, and has built strong links with companies in the area.
Various different bodies can give support to businesses in Exeter. These include Exeter and Heart of Devon Business Support’s Business Boost service. Run by Exeter District Council and other local authorities, this is especially geared to helping start-ups as well as existing businesses looking to expand or relocate.
If you are looking for office space in Exeter which is available on easy terms, then Basepoint’s business centre is ideally placed. Our centre has a range of flexible serviced offices of different sizes, as well as workshops, with a management team providing support services to help your business run more smoothly. We also offer virtual office services.
Office Space in Exeter – Click to find out more about our fully serviced offices.
