Liverpool is one of the most important economies in the North of England. It’s a well known fact that Thatcher’s Britain crippled the northern economy during the 1980s and Liverpool was among the worst hit cities in the nation. Indeed, things got so bad that the Toxteth riots flared up in 1981. These riots are known for being one of the worst periods of civil unrest in modern British history. However, towards the end of the 21st century, Liverpool started to find its feet economically.

Tourism and the service sector became the dominant forms of income for the city with Liverpool now known as an international tourist location. The Albert Docks alone attract approximately four million visitors a year. The city earns £1.3 billion a year through tourism with almost £200 million earned through overnight visitors during 2008 when Liverpool was made the European City of Culture. Liverpool One is among the largest retail centres in Britain. At one time, the docks were the city’s major source of employment but now, less than 10% of the city’s jobs involve this industry. However, the Liverpool Waters project, which could be worth more than £5 billion in the next half century, may create an estimated 17,000 jobs.

Sectors

The city council knows that the city still has a lot of growing to do. Recent research suggests that Liverpool still has four of the top 10 poorest areas in the nation. These regions need to redeveloped and new jobs found. The rest of the city is growing incredibly quickly with public sector jobs now taking up 60% of Liverpool’s employment opportunities. The main fields for advancement are finance, health, education and public administration. The Criminal Records Bureau and HRMC have their respective headquarters in Liverpool. The recent opening of the Liverpool One shopping centre also created a wave of new jobs.

Travelling

The road and rail networks in the city are excellent and you will have little problem travelling to and from work once you understand the timetables and traffic system. It should be noted that travelling by car in the city is not recommended because the parking spaces in the city are very expensive, and the public transport system is superb. If you’re living in the city centre, you can choose between four train stations: James Street, Lime Street, Moorfields and Liverpool Central. Mersey Rail run this service and you can go anywhere in the city centre in quick time.

If you’re looking to travel from Liverpool to other cities in the UK, you’re in luck. You can reach London in just two hours from Lime Street via high speed rail. There are high quality motorways leading out of the city as well. John Lennon airport serves a variety of international locations and is just seven miles away from the centre of Liverpool.

Accommodation

As Liverpool is historically famous for the docks, it’s no surprise to learn that waterfront properties are the most sought after accommodation in the centre of the city. As well as offering stunning views of the Mersey River, these properties are also close to a host of amenities and facilities. If you would like the beach lifestyle but would rather be clear of the city, Southport is the perfect location for you. It’s a major tourist attraction and is home to thousands of retired individuals. It is filled with beautiful scenery and is one of the quietest places to live in Liverpool.

Those on professional budgets may prefer to choose Croxteth Country Park which is one of the most exclusive areas in Liverpool. Woolton and Allerton are also filled with extremely high quality houses. Wavertree is a student area and is a popular haunt for those attending one of the region’s three universities. The Smithdown Road area is famous for its pub crawl and may be attractive to those with a rebellious streak.

Liverpool was formerly known as a city on the wane but the average income of almost £27,000 per year would suggest otherwise. Although it’s still far from the council’s ideal when it comes to the economy, Liverpool is slowly but surely becoming a force in the United Kingdom. It’s hoped that future redevelopment will speed up the process of growth and change.