Yorkshire tech firms contribute £4bn to UK economy

Data shows that the number of digital firms in just Sheffield and Leeds has increased by a third in nearly five years.

The Yorkshire Office Market Review 2017, published by property consultants Knight Frank, cited massive brands such as SkyBet, WANDisco, Rockstar Gaming and Plusnet as being key to the growth but also mentioned smaller, fast-growth firms, as helping to expand the sector, with as much of a quarter of all office space in Leeds and Sheffield now taken up with firms involved in technology, media and telecoms.

However, it also sounded a note of caution by warning that a lack of supply in office space was suppressing this growth and investment potential.

The review was launched at Aspire in Leeds to an audience of occupiers, investors and developers.

Eamon Fox, partner with Knight Frank in Leeds and leader of the office agency team, said: “From a property market perspective, the rise of the TMT sector is supporting demand for office space.

“In Sheffield and Leeds, TMT firms account for 20 per cent-25 per cent of space let between January 2016 and March 2017. Well-known brands such as SkyBet, WANdisco, Rockstar Gaming and Plusnet all have offices in either Leeds or Sheffield. “However, the smaller, fast growth companies have been most active with 27 per cent of TMT deals across the two major cities below 5,000 sq ft.