Introduction

The Solent and its coasts have been an important maritime area for centuries. A variety of marine craft have been plying the stretch of water between southern Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for thousands of years; long before King Henry VIII's favourite ship, the Mary Rose, sank off Portsmouth in 1545. The Solent is now the UK's premier area for recreational boating.

The Solent area is unique due to its rich cultural heritage, natural scenery and coastal waters, and is an excellent place to do business, live and work. It has the UK's number one cruise port and one of the UK's main commercial ports at Southampton. The graduate retention rate is high, and talented individuals are attracted to the area. Staff retention is paramount to successful business and Solent area residents enjoy a high standard of living, with excellent schools, colleges and universities, and an abundance of recreation and leisure facilities. Personal taxes in the UK are low, and publicly-funded health is free to all.

The area has excellent transport links to London and other UK cities via the rail and motorway network, and is within easy reach of major European cities, by air from Southampton or by sea from Portsmouth.

For companies wishing to establish a presence or relocate to the area, there are several support agencies and organisations able to give expert advice and assistance; delivering a specialist, professional service tailored to suit specific requirements. There has never been a better time to invest in the Solent area, the largest economy in southeast England. The World Bank found that it takes 13 days to set up a business in UK, compared to the European average of 32 days, and it ranks the UK first in Europe and sixth globally as the easiest place to operate a business.

The UK is the second best place in Europe to employ workers, just behind Denmark, and is one of the world's most productive places for innovative firms, ranking second only to the USA for the quality of its research base. Additionally, the UK has the least barriers to entrepreneurship in the world.

Every day businesses are moving to this vibrant part of the United Kingdom. With a population of around 750,000, the local workforce is skilled, enthusiastic and varied, and there can be few places with as much to offer as the Solent area.