Office Space in London or Manchester?

London is more well known amongst those outside of the UK, but nonetheless Manchester is one of Britain's major cities. Both are fashionable, iconic and full of character. But how do these two cities compare when the time comes to look for a new headquarters for your business? Is office space in London still the best choice for businesses that want to be right in the centre of modern industry?
Let's examine the benefits of choosing office space in London and Manchester:
Commercial Property in Manchester
Demand for Manchester commercial property has risen in recent times, with the creation of MediaCity - a development in Salford that houses several top media corporations. This has encouraged companies working in the media sector to move into the city. However, office space in London remains the prime choice for those operating in this industry - especially in locations such as Soho. It remains to be seen whether Manchester will manage to steal the capital's media crown.
Manchester also boasts good transport links, with Manchester Piccadilly being the busiest train station outside of the capital. Manchester Victoria is the other main station in the city. These stations make it easy for commuters or visitors to access the city, and provide quick links to the capital and the rest of the UK - so if businesses choose to use office space in both London and Manchester, they can easily switch between office locations. Manchester also boasts the busiest airport outside of the capital, which is great news for those that wish to make international business trips.
The character of Manchester itself, meanwhile, is defined by fashion, music and sport. Long held in high regard as a bastion of cool, commercial property in the city rivals London as a location for hip young companies.
Office Space in London
Whilst Manchester is experiencing a revival in interest, London has heritage and international recognition on its side. Despite being one of the UK's largest cities, Manchester lacks the capital's instant recognisability - office space in London puts businesses close to some of the most famous symbols of 'Britishness' that there are. To many visitors, Manchester is simply 'another' city, whereas the capital has plenty of attractions and sights that many people will already have seen on television and in magazines, helping to make London feel more immediately 'special'.
Also, the capital has the best transport network in the UK - both in terms of travel around the city itself, and travelling further afield. London puts businesses within reach of several major airports and railway stations, so it's easy to get around the country and to travel internationally. Travel within the capital is easy too, thanks to the London Underground (more commonly known as the tube) and the impressive bus network that runs throughout the city.
The capital is also, quite simply, still the prime location for major businesses in the UK. It is home to Canary Wharf and to the historic City of London, which are both internationally-recognised financial centres. For this reason more than any other, office space in London is still probably the best choice for businesses that want to be located 'where the action happens'.

For businesses looking to move, it can be a difficult choice to decide between office space in London or Manchester. This article examines the benefits of each location.