Property expert reveals UK hotspots for the best value business spaces

• North East Lincolnshire has been crowned the best place to open a business for value for money, with an index score of 66.02
• In second place is North Ayrshire, scoring 62.71, and Bridgend in third, scoring 62.41 for commercial property value for money
• The worst value for money for business spaces is in Northamptonshire, scoring just 24.10

It’s 2025 New Year, and with the turn of the year comes a wide array of resolutions, for many there is the goal of starting their own business with aspirations of increased freedom and making a comfortable living, but the question then becomes, where should this be set up? A new study has found the top places in the UK to open a business based on the best value for money, with North East Lincolnshire in first place.

Commercial property marketplace EG Propertylink gathered data for the average property area per square foot, average lease per square foot, properties available for letting and properties available for sale per 100,000 to create an index score out of 100 for each area in the UK. The areas were then ranked from highest to lowest scores.

At the top of the ranking is North East Lincolnshire, which scores 66.02 out of 100 for value for money in business spaces. This location has an average of 108 commercial properties to let and 57.68 properties for sale per 100,000 people, with an average property size of 6,573 square feet.

North Ayrshire in Scotland ranks second, with an index score of 62.71 for value for money in commercial property. Here, the average property size is 9,077 square feet, and there are approximately 99 properties available to let and 44.2 for sale per 100,000 people.

Bridgend in Wales ranks third with an overall score of 62.41. In this location, business spaces are an impressive average of 33,674 square feet. Approximately 79 properties are available to let, and 33.53 are for sale per 100,000 residents.

In Blaenau Gwent, Wales, the index score for value for money for business owners is 62.39 out of 100. On average, 36 properties are available to let and 8.95 are for sale per 100,000 people in the area, with an average size of 16,335 square feet.

Rochdale in Greater Manchester ranks fifth, with a score of 61.43 for value for money in commercial properties. Business spaces in this area are 22,953 square feet on average, approximately 97 are to let and 20.27 are for sale per 100,000 people.

Merthyr Tydfil in Wales ranks sixth, with a total score of 61.31. In this area, 54 properties are to let and 5.09 are for sale per 100,000 residents. The average area of one of these business spaces is 6,567 square feet.

Another Welsh location in the ranking is Ceredigion, coming seventh with a score of 59.90 out of 100. This location has an average of 29 properties to let and 55.86 for sale per 100,000 residents, with an average property size of 5,943 square feet.

Wrexham, also in Wales, has scored 59.38 out of 100 for business space value for money. In this area, 118 properties are available to let, and 27.33 are for sale per 100,000 people, with an average property size of 11,617 square feet.

The City of London ranks ninth, with a surprisingly high index score of 58.96. The average business space size here is 16,477 square feet, with 12,326 properties to let and 295.01 for sale per 100,000 residents.

Newport, Wales, ranks tenth, with an index score of 58.76 out of 100. In this area, the average business space size is 20,800 square feet, with 101 properties to let and 22.29 for sale per 100,000 people.

Top 10 places to open a business for value for money

Chloe Ward, Product Manager at EG Propertylink, commented on the findings: “Some of the best locations in the UK for business space value-for-money offer high-quality office space at more competitive prices. Cities in the North of England and regions like Wales provide businesses with affordable rents, strong local economies, and supportive growth environments, making these areas ideal for expanding companies.

“While the City of London is known for its prestige and high business activity, certain areas within it have become surprisingly affordable for office space, as reflected in this study. Recent shifts in demand and increased flexibility in leasing have opened opportunities for businesses to secure prime locations at lower rates than expected.”