Southampton is the largest city in the English county of Hampshire and is conveniently located along the southern coast 62 miles south-west of London.
Famed for the RMS Titanic, Southampton has always been a maritime centre and to this day it remains home to luxury cruise ships, as well as being the largest freight port on the Channel coast and fourth largest UK port by tonnage.
The docks have long since been a major employer in the city but during the latter half of the 20 century more industries made the city their home. These industries include a diverse mix such as aircraft and car manufacturers, electrical engineering and petrochemical firms.
Southampton acquired city status, becoming the City of Southampton in 1964.
Southampton is an employment hotspot with an unemployment rate lower than that of the national average. Between 1995 and 2004, the number of jobs in Southampton has increased by 18.5 per cent.
The largest shopping centre in Southampton, the West Quay Shopping Centre opened its doors in September 2000 and is one of the largest shopping centres in the country.
In 2010 another phase, now to be called Watermark Westquay, was confirmed with plans that includes shops, housing, an hotel and a public piazza with a planned opening date of 2012.
On a green level Southampton is the only city in the UK with a geothermal power station. The station provides hot water to a city centre district heating scheme.
In a recent survey of carbon emissions in major UK cities conducted by British Gas, Southampton was ranked as being one of the lowest carbon emitting cities in the UK.
Being a major port, Southampton has always enjoyed excellent transport links to the rest of the country. The M27 motorway links the north of the city with key places along the south coast of England and the M3 links the city to London.
The main railway station in the city is Southampton Central and rail routes run east towards Portsmouth, north to Winchester, the Midlands and London, and westwards to Bournemouth, Salisbury, Bristol and Cardiff.
Southampton Airport also has its own regional airport, located near the town of Eastleigh, just north of the city. It offers flights to UK and near European destinations.
So, if you wish to take advantage of the business opportunities available in Southampton then Regus can provide you with prestigious yet affordable office space at Southampton Airport or the modern Southampton Solent Business Park so contact us now.
