Quality of life

The North East consistently remains one of the most beautiful, vibrant, exciting and thriving places to live and work.

“There are few places in the world where you go surfing in the morning and then be in a bustling city centre for a 9am meeting.”

Guy Currey, Director, Invest North East England


Living
There are some stunning living locations in North East England spanning all price brackets, with rural, coastal and river views being accessible from family town houses and starter apartments in equal measure.

On average house prices are 73% lower than London and 54% lower than South East England

Residential areas are in proximity to a choice of top rated state and independent schools and award winning hospitals (Newcastle upon Tyne is the UK’s 3rd largest hospitals trust and one of only 5 UK Trusts to be awarded ‘outstanding’ two years running ).

Natural Landscape
From award winning parks and gardens to serene beaches and countryside, North East England offers great natural beauty.

Our beaches are some of the best in the UK from the iconic Northumberland coastline all the way down to County Durham.

In 2022, Sandhaven Beach in South Shields was named ‘UK beach of the year’ according to The Sunday Times annual best beaches guide. The Blue Flag beach, which means it is also one of the tidiest in Britain, is near the Ocean Beach Pleasure Park and Haven Point.

Entertainment
North East England has a variety of entertainment offers, from cinemas to open air concerts and live music, to theatre shows, there’s something for everyone. Theatres in the region attract Broadway shows, whilst Sage Gateshead is a world renowned venue for music and learning.

Food & Drink
In our city centres, we have Michelin Star fine dining, family fayre and student feasts; and in our market towns, we have some of the most exquisite home grown produce from our extensive rural areas.

Arts & Culture
Our region has exceptional art galleries such as Baltic, Laing Art Gallery and the Customs House; child-friendly museums such as Beamish, Bowes, Discovery and Centre For Life; and stunning days out for the whole family, such as Alnwick Gardens and Castle, and numerous National Trust stately homes.

Shopping
Retail therapy has always been an important part of life in North East England and, as such, we boast one of Europe’s largest shopping centres, The Metrocentre, Gateshead, which has over 330 stores, a cinema complex and food village. North East England also offers boutique outlets and market towns that are treasure troves for antique’s dealers.

Sports
North East England has a proud footballing tradition with Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC. We also boast premiership Newcastle Falcons Rugby team and the Durham County Cricket Club. For people who love the great outdoors, there is surfing along the stunning North East coastline and the coast-to-coast cycle trail to Carlisle.

North East England also hosts the world’s largest half marathon, The Great North Run, which attracts more than 55,000 participants each year.

Travel & Tourism
Iconic attractions such as the Angel of the North, Durham Cathedral and Penshaw Monument are visited by over 150,000 tourists every year.  

To find out more about tourism in the region, Visit North East England has a compelling website.

SECTORS WE SPECIALISE IN

Advanced Manufacturing - North East England
Advanced Manufacturing North East England

A highly skilled workforce, unmatched operating costs and superb access to UK and overseas markets, make North East England the location of choice for investors in the Automotive, Rail and Advanced Manufacturing sectors.

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Life Sciences - North East England
Life Sciences

A world class centre of healthcare excellence, a workforce underpinned by university graduate talent, pharmaceutical manufacturing prowess and R&D excellence, make our region highly attractive to life sciences investors.

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Digital - North East England
Digital Sector North East England

Home to scores of software and tech companies doing business right across the globe, the North East workforce has a proven track record in Satellite Applications, Immersive Tech, Games Development , E-sports and Fintech.

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Energy - North East England
Energy Sector North East England

North East England has a worldwide reputation for excellence in Energy and is leading the way in Green Energy and offshore renewables.

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Business Services - North East England
Business Services Sector North East England

Our combination of a highly skilled, cost competitive workforce, plentiful Grade A office accommodation and a strong network cluster make our region one of Europe’s best investment locations. The Fintech sector is growing with a rich ecosystem and great market opportunities.

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WHY INVEST IN NORTH EAST ENGLAND?