Employment
Swindon, Bristol, Oxford, and Cheltenham are all within easy commuting distance from the Cotswolds. They all have thriving business communities so it is possible to have a professional career in law, finance or property development.
Swindon is one of the fastest growing towns in Europe. It has the highest level of residential broadband access in the country with 51% of households signed up. According to national statistics Swindon is the most productive town in the UK with a gross value added (GVA) worth £4.4 billion in 2003, 5.9% of South West GVA. Its unemployment rate of 2.1% is below the UK average of 2.6%.
It is the site of the headquarters of several major companies including the Nationwide Building Society, Early Learning Centre, Motorola and the National Trust. Honda and BMW both have major manufacturing sites in the town. Swindon is also home to five out of seven research councils. These are public investors in research in the UK, ranging across the arts and humanities, social sciences, engineering and physical sciences and the medical and life sciences.
However for many women used to working in high powered jobs in finance and law in the City of London, job opportunities are few and far between. Salaries are also very low relative to central London even though living costs in the Cotswolds are high. For the majority of women, it is worth bearing in mind the cost of commuting and childcare particularly if you will be working part-time.For many people, a move to the Cotswolds is prompted by a desire to have a better work/life balance than is possible in the City. It can be an opportunity to change career or become self-employed. The spread of broadband means that is becoming increasingly common for men and women to work from home, in the office above the garage or in the barn, with perhaps a trip to London or another large commercial centre, two or three times a week. This combines the best of both worlds.