GOOD value office space and better transport links could help develop the Thames Valley area into a hub of enterprise, research from Network Rail has found.

In a survey of 1,000 UK small business owners, 94 of which were based in the Thames Valley, almost six in ten said new transport, infrastructure, house building and shopping centres were key to attracting start- ups to an area.

71 per cent of the Thames Valley-based small business owners surveyed believe they’re based in a good location and would like a new wave of start- ups to join them.

More than a third of savvy small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners in the Thames Valley said they deliberately chose a location to be better connected to customers or their target audience, while more than a quarter chose to base themselves in a major town or city to give them added credibility. The same number said they were attracted to the area because it has good transport links.

The research also revealed how much small business owners value being connected to peers, as around a fifth said that being close to fellow SMEs and networks made them feel more confident- ranking higher as a positivity driver than what is widely considered a key challenge for small firms; being able to recruit skilled employees.

Gemma Leroy, owner of Man at Home Garage in Swindon, said: “The reason we chose to run our business from the Old Great Western Railway Units in Swindon are not that dissimilar to the reasons why Great Western chose to operate here back in the 1800's.

“We now have a road network, but the fact remains that with good connections to commuter networks we attract a wide range of customers.

“Swindon is a busy and vibrant town, attracting both residents and employers, as well as encouraging those already living here to stay. This has given us the security of both repeat and new business coming through the door.

“The history of the building we are in is also quite captivating, I know that my own grandfather worked here as a teenager. For us there is no better location.”

Despite a number of selective and smart SMEs believing they’ve made the right location choice, they still believe more could be done to develop their area into a hub of enterprise.

Six in ten said good value office space would make a big difference, but second on the list was ‘better transport links’ which was identified as a priority by almost a third of small business owners. Almost a quarter said having other small businesses to network with and share ideas would help attract budding entrepreneurs to their local area.

David Biggs, managing director of property at Network Rail, said: “There is clear evidence that station investment is a major catalyst for wider regeneration in towns and cities, which in turn creates significant economic growth; supporting small businesses and sustaining thousands of jobs.

“As landlord to thousands of small business tenants across Britain – the vast majority of which are independent SMEs based in our rail arches – we understand their importance to local communities and the UK economy, and are committed to helping them flourish.”