The digital tech industry is powering the growth of local economies across the UK. However, it is not the sole preserve of larger metropolitan cities. Areas such as Heathrow, Guildford, Aldershot and Slough have significantly higher digital tech density and the highest levels of employment and tech turnover, suggesting that the UK has emerging digital suburbs. This finding challenges the conventional view that UK tech activity is based in large cities.
Slough and Heathrow have experienced the 2nd largest increase in digital startup births (536% percentage change 2006 vs 2016) over the last few years.
There is a growing strength of Heathrow’s and the surrounding Berkshire / Surrey / Thames Valley digital tech sector.
