Lancashire is at the heart of England’s North West, bordering Manchester, Liverpool and the Lake District, making it a great base to live and work. This brochure gives you a taste of what we have to offer in Lancashire
View from Pendle Hill
Singing Ringing Tree, Burnley
Welcome to Lancashire
Lancashire is at the heart of England’s North West, bordering Manchester, Liverpool and the Lake District, making it a great base to live and work.
This brochure gives you a taste of what we have to offer in Lancashire.
Blackpool
Lancashire is a brilliant collective of brands, brains, products, people, places, services, heritage, land and opportunity. We are a county of contrasting landscapes, with wide open spaces, diverse heritage and fantastic food and drink, covering
3,075 km2 of England’s North West. About Lancashire
Lancashire offers an excellent quality of life for our businesses and residents. The county is 80% rural, with 137 miles of coastline, two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We attract over 69m visitors a year to our cultural venues and festivals, to our gastro pubs and Michelin starred restaurants, and to the UK’s favourite seaside resort, Blackpool.
Dunsop Bridge
Did you know?
Lancashire has a fascinating history, much of it in modern times. The county prospered and grew in size until many of its towns and cities were deemed large enough to stand on their own or be incorporated into new regions.
◆ Lancashire was established in 1183
◆ It has a population of 1,531,127 (2021 Census)
◆ Dunsop Bridge in the Ribble Valley is the centre of the British Isles
◆ The highest point in the county is Gragareth at 627 metres high or 2057 feet, making it a mountain.
It is near Whernside, one of Yorkshire’s ‘Three Peaks’
Forest of Bowland
◆ The largely `undiscovered` Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers 802 square km – making it the same size as New York City
◆ It is the first protected area in England to be awarded the European Charter for Sustainable
Tourism in Protected Areas, joining just 30 other protected areas across Europe
◆ Bashall Town, near Clitheroe, is England’s smallest town
◆ Preston is one of England’s newest Cities and in 2012 it celebrated the Preston Guild, which only happens every 20 years and is England’s oldest festival
◆ The Leeds Liverpool Canal – Britain’s longest – flows through large parts of the county
◆ The mill towns of Blackburn and Burnley were the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century
◆ The post office and craft shop in Chipping is the country’s oldest continuously trading shop. A shop has been in existence here since the 1600s
◆ Garstang was the world’s first Fairtrade town
Lancaster canal
Preston
Lancaster Castle
◆ Stonyhurst College and the surrounding Ribble Valley is said to be the inspiration for Tolkien’s Middle-earth from `Lord of the Rings` – his son boarded at the college which he visited regularly ◆ Pendle Hill is where George Fox is believed to have had his vision in 1640 prior to founding the Quaker Movement
◆ Blackpool’s permanent electric street tramway was the world’s first when it opened in 1885
◆ Martin Mere, Lancashire’s largest lake, is said to be the last known home of King Arthur’s sword `Excalibur` ◆ Sirloin beef is said to get its name after a visit by James 1 to Hoghton Tower near Preston, where he enjoyed a piece of beef so much – that he knight ed it ◆ Lancaster Castle is the only castle in the north owned by The King, (who also holds the title The Duke of Lancaster)
Famous Lancashire
Lancashire is easily reached from all over the UK and is well served by international airports, ferry ports and main line rail - you’re just over two hours from London on the West Coast Line with stops in the cities of Preston, Lancaster and Blackpool. Once here, the M6 motorway along with the M55, M65, M61 and M58 enable quick and convenient car travel to all corners of the county - in less than an hour from Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds you could be exploring our beautiful county which is 80% rural. Getting to Lancashire
2 HRS BY TRAIN GLASGOW
2.5 HRS BY CAR NEWCASTLE AIRPORT
LEEDS
1.5 HRS BY CAR
2.5 HRS BY CAR HULL PORT
LESS THAN AN HOUR BY CAR LIVERPOOL AIRPORT & CRUISE TERMINAL
LESS THAN AN HOUR BY CAR MANCHESTER AIRPORT
2.5 HOURS BY CAR BIRMINGHAM
Local public transport is operated by a range of bus, train and tram providers across the North West.
2 HOURS BY TRAIN LONDON
By Air Manchester Airport is well served with flights from North and Central America, Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe; and John Lennon Liverpool Airport has frequent flights from Europe. Manchester Airport has direct trains to many Lancashire destinations every 30 minutes and driving from Manchester Airport to Preston takes approximately an hour. By Car The M6 runs right through Lancashire, connecting to the M61, M65, M55 and a number of major A roads. In less than an hour from Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds you could be exploring the Pennine Fells, sitting down to eat a meal in the Ribble Valley or driving along Blackpool’s promenade. By Train Lancashire is very well connected by rail from all over the country. You’re just over two hours from London on the West Coast Line with stops in the cities of Preston, Lancaster and Blackpool. Change at Preston to reach the market towns of Clitheroe, Burnley, Blackburn, Colne and Ormskirk. There are also direct trains from Manchester to most Lancashire towns.
Chorley
Heysham
By Ferry The main port of Heysham has regular services to and from the Isle of Man. The nearby Liverpool Port welcomes cruise ships from around the world. The Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry Service provides a vital link for visitors and locals between the town of Fleetwood, once a thriving fishing port and Knott End, a quiet village Over Wyre. The ferry journey takes less than 10 minutes and provides great value for money. Liverpool Cruise Terminal has earned a reputation as one of the most desirable cruise destinations in Europe and is located just 12 miles away from the Lancashire border.
Stenaline Ferries
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Heysham <-> Douglas
Holyhead <-> Dublin Holyhead <-> Dun Laoghaire
Fishguard <-> Rosslare Cairnryan <-> Belfast Liverpool <-> Belfast P&O Irish Sea Ferries Liverpool <-> Dublin Cairnryan <-> Larne Troon <-> Larne
Irish Ferries
Holyhead <-> Dublin
Norfolkline Ferries Belfast <-> Liverpool Dublin <-> Liverpool. Belfast <-> Birkenhead
Knott End to Fleetwood Ferry Fleetwood <-> Knott End
Safran
Work in Lancashire With 52,000 businesses generating £3 3.3 bn per year, Lancashire has a thriving economy full of opportunities and offers the ideal work/life balance. The county is a recognised
world-leader in aerospace, advanced engineering and manufacturing, energy, and higher education excellence, there are plenty of sectors to make your mark in.
Clitheroe
We’re a county that has already attracted many British and internationally owned businesses, who have re-invested in Lancashire, where a skilled workforce and some of England’s best universities are on hand to support future development and innovation. Lancashire has a thriving tourism industry with a thriving tourist industry with attractions and places to visit that suit all tastes, along with food and drink from coastal cafes, the best countryside inns and Michelin star dining. There’s also a superb retail offer with cities and towns like Clitheroe, Lancaster, Ormskirk and Preston combining a great mix of the big names with a lively independent business scene run by locals passionate about what they sell and the areas in which they live.
Business and investment opportunities
Businesses locating to Lancashire can benefit from tailor-made support from the time of initial enquiry right through to a programme of on-going support once established here.
This service is bespoke, but can include: ◆ Identification of suitable sites and premises
◆ Assistance with site visits ◆ Advice and access to finance ◆ Support to key relocating staff ◆ Soft landing/first office facilities ◆ Recruitment of skilled staff ◆ Business introductions to local networks and suppliers ◆ On-going account management
Our support partners include The Lancashire Skills Hub and Boost, Lancashire’s Growth Hub.
The latter provides business support and economic development services to small and medium sized businesses. The Lancashire Skills Hub supports the development of skills within Lancashire across a wide range of industries, including digital and automotive.
Blackburn
Housing in Lancashire Lancashire is a beautiful county with characterful towns and cities amid attractive countryside and coastlines. This diverse landscape, combined with our outstanding performing schools, positions us as an ideal location for attracting people relocating from abroad or from the rest of the UK.
Burnley
Lancashire’s housing market offers great value. While house prices vary depending on location, the average property price is £186,873, lower than the UK average. The cost of living in Lancashire is also lower than in many other parts of the country. There is also a great choice of rental properties across the county for both short term and long term lets. Although cost of living is low, quality of life is high, with Burnley being named the friendliest town in Britain, Ribble Valley the UK’s happiest place and South Ribble the best place to live for people in their twenties.
Being 80% rural, Lancashire also benefits from each town and city being no more than 10 minutes from the countryside or coast, bringing significant health and wellbeing advantages.
*House price data is publicly available information produced by the HM Land Registry. These figures were last updated on July 21, 2022.
Crook O Lune, Lancaster
Education and Childcare
Stonyhurst College
Shuttleworth College, Burnley
Early years All 3 and 4-year-old children are entitled to up to 15 hours of free childcare per week at a local nursery or with a childminder. There are a number of nurseries and early learning centres across Lancashire, as well as a list of registered childminders. To find out what you’re entitled to and the provision available, see the council’s Early Learning and Childcare Provision pages.
Schools One thing you’ll hear regularly from people living in Lancashire is that it’s a fantastic place to bring up a family. There is a great choice of schools across the county including primary and secondary schools, grammer schools, special schools, academies, and independent schools.
Lancaster University
Colleges Three of Lancashire’s colleges are in the top 10% of colleges nationally for further education achievement rates. Seven are in the top 20%. Lancashire’s colleges provide education and training to over 95,000 young and adult learners each year, from entry level to postgraduate qualifications. Almost 7,500 or 13% of higher education (HE) students based in Lancashire study at Lancashire’s colleges compared with 4% nationally. Each year, Lancashire’s colleges train over 10,000 new apprentices. All of Lancashire’s colleges have apprenticeship achievement rates above the national average.
Universities Lancashire’s four universities attract thousands of national and international students and research fellows every year. Lancaster University is recognised as being within the top 1 percent of the world’s universities and ranked 8th in the UK. Recently named International University of the Year by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020. UCLan is one of the country’s 10 largest universities and the first modern university
in the UK to be recognised by the QS World Rankings. Edge Hill is the Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2022. It was also named University of the Year for Student Retention in the Good University Guide 2018. University of Cumbria – one of the UK’s newest universities – with its largest campus located in Lancaster has strengths in teacher training and healthcare. Together, Lancashire’s universities and colleges combine to produce one of the UK’s largest sources of STEM graduates.
Cuckoo Gin - Brindle Distillery
Things to do
Moor Hall
Northcote
Head to VisitLancashire.com , the official guide for short breaks, days out and places to see in Lancashire. There is something for everyone, with sweeping countryside, canals and towns. Enjoy stunning views, quiet lanes, rare wildlife and our famous Lancashire coastline.
We have an abundance of award-winning restaurants, pubs and coffee shops offering superb hospitality, including Moor Hall which holds two Michelin stars, a Michelin Green star, five AA rosettes, and voted ‘Best Restaurant in England’ at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards.
You really will be spoilt for choice, whether it’s to enjoy our rich culture and heritage, to take to our coast and hills for fresh-air fun and some of the best outdoor activities around, or to learn why we’re referred to as ‘food & drink country’ thanks to authentic local produce that’s second to none.
The Dukes Play in the Park, Williamson Park, Lancaster
Festivals and events From folk music and food and drink to knitwear, motoring, nature and more, Lancashire has a range of festivals and events throughout the year that you can enjoy. Keep up to date with what’s on and coming up by viewing the events listings on VisitLancashire.com as well as following @VisitLancs on social media channels.
Mary’s Shell, Cleveleys
Find out more about Lancashire and why the county is a great place to live and work at
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