SOUTH Lakeland could benefit as businesses are driven out of London by high costs, a leading academic says.
Professor Andrew Atherton, who is Professor of Enterprise and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Lancaster University, was addressing the annual partners’ dinner hosted by Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and South Lakeland District Council.
He argued that technology made it feasible for businesses to move out of London to lower-cost locations with a high quality of life, such as South Lakeland.
“Digital connectivity will make working from distance more widespread. As a result, there may be some re-distribution of economic activity away from the South East, and some of this could benefit the South Lakes," Professor Atherton said.
Around 220 people attended the dinner, at The Villa near Levens on March 16 with other speakers including the chief executive of South Lakeland Council, Lawrence Conway.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here