UK recovery will be patchy
The Centre for Cities, an association which monitors prominent cities around the UK, has today suggested that various UK cities are better prepared for the eventual economic upturn than others. The association has cited Brighton, Milton Keynes, Reading, Cambridge and Edinburgh as having "the right ingredients" to succeed when the economy turns although places such as Stoke, Burnley, Barnsley, Newport and Doncaster may struggle.
This is another reminder that when the UK economy finally recovers the performance across the UK could be very patchy and very different. It is now up to local authorities to ensure that financial assistance for businesses is there when required otherwise there is the risk that many local economies will stagnate or show very little growth in the short to medium term.
It is interesting to see that Edinburgh has been cited as one of the more better prepared cities around the UK when in fact the Scottish economy is widely regarded as the weakest in the UK. However, there was no mention of Glasgow, Aberdeen or any of the other more prominent Scottish cities which will be something of a concern for the SNP and businesses north of the border. It is likely that any recovery in the UK economy will, at least in the early stages, emanate from the south of the country.
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