If you’re beginning or growing your company, finding office space in Chester is a great place to start. The city is steeped in historical significance, such as ties to Roman heritage and being home to the oldest racecourse in Britain, the Roode.

In recent years, Chester has established itself as a business and entrepreneurial hub for the North West of England.

It has talented people, a great infrastructure, and a thriving business community. On the border with Wales, the city is home to major commercial clusters. It's a leading location for healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and financial companies.

At the same time, the city is steeped in historical significance. For example, it’s home to the oldest racecourse in Britain, the Roode, which was established in 1539.

In this article, we look at why Chester is such a popular location for businesses. We also share details of the premier Regus offices space and business centres in and around the city.

Top business areas in Chester

Chester is most famous for its historic city centre. The Chester Rows, timber-framed shops on both the street level and on first-floor covered walkways, are unique to the place.

But Chester is more than just a tourist destination. As important as visitors are to the city, it’s also home to a thriving, diverse economy. When choosing office space for your company, consider these key locations:

• City centre: Great for retail and hospitality, the centre is also home to major local employers and fast-growing businesses.
  
  
• Thornton Science Park: The Science Park is where you'll find many of Chester's booming tech enterprises. Businesses here benefit from the exchange of knowledge and ideas via the University of Chester.
  
  
• Saltney: On the English/Welsh border, the connections to local roads make this a popular location for distribution firms.
  
  
• Chester Business Park: This popular business park is on the edge of the city, close to major roads. The park also features hotels, leisure facilities, and a great selection of restaurants.
  
  
• Chester Gates: By the M53, this estate is where you’ll find storage, distribution, warehousing, and office units.
  
  
• Sealand Industrial Estate: Sealand is close to the A540 and just one mile to the southwest of the city centre. It's home to many industrial, warehousing, and distribution firms.
  
  
• Chester West Employment Park: This park has great access to the M53 and to port, freight, airport, and seaport facilities.

Chester's location explains part of the reason it's so popular with businesses. Being close to the economic powerhouses of Liverpool and Manchester is one more advantage.

The M56 and M53 motorways connect the city directly to these important hubs, as well as to large regional train stations, airports, and seaports.

Chester is home to thousands of businesses. There are plenty of long-established businesses, alongside newer companies that are set to become big players in their sectors.

Companies that typify the vibrancy and entrepreneurial spirit of the city include:

These five businesses are just a small portion of the types of industries that thrive in the city.

Like so many other Chester companies, they provide added value to their clients and customers. They also attract investors to the city, which helps the area to boom financially.

 

Chester is beautiful, peaceful, and affordable. It’s a great place to live, but also one of the best places in the UK to start a business. We’ve provided five reasons why the city attracts so many companies and entrepreneurs.

 

Chester has thriving sectors in both professional services and business administration. The city’s importance as a local financial powerhouse is growing, too. There are now around 12,000 financial and insurance businesses employing the best local talent.

Healthcare is one of the biggest industries in the area. The city is home to up-and-coming companies like Med-Tech Innovation and Health Diagnostics.

There are also approximately 13,000 manufacturing firms in Chester, ranging from business giants like Unilever to startups such as Autichem.

Chester’s workforce is highly skilled and educated, in part thanks to the University. It’s one of the primary factors that encourages businesses from all over to establish a base here.

 

Chester's financial strength not only comes from its talented workforce, but also its diverse range of businesses.

The city’s important financial sector includes big names like the Bank of America, Lloyds Banking Group, and M&S Money. There’s also a growing legal and judicial industry here, thanks to the County and Crown Courts located in the heart of Chester.

The city is home to advanced engineering, energy, chemicals, and pharmaceutical companies. Local firms in the automotive, manufacturing, food and drink, and creative industries are thriving, too.

Airbus UK is nearby, employing thousands, and is a major contributor to Chester's skilled workforce. Tourism, retail, and public administration also contribute to the city's economic vitality.

 

A higher proportion of businesses are more likely to thrive in Chester when compared to the North West of England on average.

That’s thanks to the support provided by the council. They offer a startup club to help local businesses that are less than two years old pool their resources.

The council is also very proactive in helping more established businesses take advantage of what the city has to offer.

They run digital inclusion programs and schemes designed to strengthen local supply chains. The local Chambers of Commerce are a major force in the area and are a great source of new networking and partnership opportunities.

 

The UK is the sixth largest economy in the world and eighth in terms of manufacturing. Compared to many European countries, it has a faster rate of growth and lower tax rates. It’s also home to some of the world’s best universities, giving businesses ready access to emerging talent.

Whether your business is UK-based or overseas, Chester is a great place for you to state a claim in this globally significant economy.

 

Chester and the wider Cheshire area are famous for their affluent population and high disposable incomes. You’ll find a flourishing retail sector in the city, with plenty of upscale shops and boutiques.

The average weekly wage earned by Chester residents is significantly higher than the rest of North West England. Talent from across the country and overseas come to the city because of its high quality of life. So much so that the city’s population is set to grow by another 10% by 2038.

 

Office spaces with Regus in Chester cost from £99 to £149 per person per month. We also offer dedicated desks in coworking areas from £95 to £139 per month. If you rent an office with us, you can hire meeting rooms for between £15 and £25 per hour.

One major reason businesses choose Chester over other cities is cost. You typically pay less to base your business in Chester than you do in other parts of the North West.

 

Regus offers flexible office space in three prime areas of the city. Below, we discuss some of our local business centres.

Red Hill House, a stone’s throw away from the Welsh border, is an eight-minute drive from the historic streets of Chester city centre. It’s easy to get here by bus as well, but there’s parking on-site if you’d prefer to come by car.

The centre is friendly, welcoming, and attractive. There’s a great selection of private offices and dedicated desks within our coworking space. Red Hill House is ideal for networking and collaboration, with break-out areas and a choice of meeting rooms.

 

Private offices start from just £99 per person per month, which makes it a fantastic location for startups wanting the best office space at an affordable price.

 

There’s also a selection of bars and restaurants within a 10-minute walk of the centre. For fitness enthusiasts, there’s a modern and well-appointed gym not far away. If you want to practise your swing, the popular Westminster Park Municipal Golf Course and Cafe is nearby.

Highlights include:

Information about Red Hill House, Chester:

The impressive Regus Chester Business Park centre is less than 10 minutes away from the city centre by car. Getting here via the A55 is easy. The Park has won “North West in Bloom” numerous times, and it’s set in the heart of the glorious Cheshire countryside.

There are big names here, such as M&S Bank, MBNA Ltd., and Bristol-Myers Squibb. There’s also a thriving community of startups and growing companies, too. This is one of the premier places to do business in Chester.

This thoroughly modern building is light, airy, and spacious. Large windows flood the private offices and coworking spaces with natural light. Bring clients or investors here and they’ll appreciate just how contemporary and open the centre is.

Being in a major business park close to the centre also means there’s plenty to do. Lakeside Park is just a few minutes away, and is a great place to relax and take in the scenery.

For retail therapy, there are plenty of shops and bars in the area, and Chester Golf Club is close for any golf enthusiasts.

Highlights include:

Information about Chester Business Park, Chester:

Broughton Shopping Park is just 14 minutes away from Chester city centre by car. With great public transport as well, you’ll have no trouble getting here. Our centre is on North Wales’ busiest retail park with over 10 million annual visitors and 2,000 free car parking spaces.

Like the retail park, our business centre here is ultra-modern. A clean, simple design aesthetic runs throughout the private offices and coworking spaces. Broughton also boasts comfortable furniture and private thinkpods.

This is a lively sociable centre where business owners network regularly in the meeting rooms and break-out areas.

If you’re entertaining clients or investors, there’s a convenient on-site restaurant. For something quicker,  you can take advantage of the sandwich and coffee bar.

Highlights include:

Information about Broughton Shopping Park, Chester:

Chester is an affluent and thriving town where there’s high demand for serviced offices. If you want to build a successful business in the city, now is the right time to start looking for the perfect offices to rent in Chester.

Regus has three state-of-the-art business centres in the city. Choose from our wide selection of private offices, coworking spaces, and workshops.

As a client, you get access to our network of over 4,000 business centres worldwide. Book time where and when you need it with our private day offices.

You can check availability for temporary hire at any location via the Regus app. If business takes you out on the road regularly, become a Regus member to save more money.

To speak to one of our team about renting serviced offices in Chester with no long-term commitments, do get in touch.