introducing coventry

Coventry is a primary city at the heart of the country. It has long been recognised as a centre of innovation, engineering excellence and peace and reconciliation. Its heart is being transformed into a modern and vibrant urban centre.

More than £4 billion is currently being spent to enhance the historic city – and Belgrade Plaza is at the forefront of this renaissance.

facts and figures about coventry

Population

• Coventry has a population of 305,000 making it the 10th largest city in the UK.
• The city is part of the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire sub-region that has a population of 1 million.
• Coventry has a massive student population close to 40,000 - in two nationally renowned universities. University of Warwick is fifth in the top ten UK research universities. Coventry University is known for its excellence in fields such as engineering and automotive design.

Investment and Growth

• Coventry has been named top city in the UK for potential business growth over the next 10 years according to research carried out by OMIS.
• More than £5 billion is being invested in Coventry in a range of innovative and exciting projects.
• The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry is undertaking a £10 million redevelopment programme to make it one of the most modern theatres in the UK.
• The £38 million Skydome complex is home to a range of bars, pubs and restaurants. It is Luminar Leisure’s flagship and most successful complex in the whole of the UK.
• The Skydome Arena is a 4,200 seat complex that is an ice-rink during the day and has played host to a series of successful concerts and sports events
• The new Ricoh Arena, home to Coventry City Football Club, opened in August 2005 in the north of Coventry. It has a 32,000 seat stadium, an exhibition hall, a 6,000 seat conference hall and 1,000 seat banqueting centre.
• There are plans to expand the city centre by 148 acres with a major new £1 billion regeneration project called the Swanswell Initiative. This 15 year programme will include 2,600 new homes, a marina, 2.4 million sq ft of commercial accommodation and a £100 million learning and education centre.
• Around 4,500 new homes are planned for the city centre and Swanswell. More than 1,000 have recently been completed.
• In one small suburb of Coventry there are 264 millionaires.
• Coventry’s Phoenix Initiative was in the shortlist of six for the Sterling Prize 2004 for architecture.

Access & Tourism

• Around 42 million people visit Coventry City Centre each year.
• Coventry is at the heart of the country. It has direct access to five motorways and the whole of England is within five hours’ drive.
• There are 300 bars and restaurants in the city.
• Coventry Airport recently began commercial flights to 17 European cities and that figure is growing with two million passengers expected to use the airport per annum. 10% of passengers are people coming into the city from abroad.
• London is less than an hour away on the train and Birmingham International Airport is 13 miles from the city centre.
• Numerous reports show there is a requirement

Employment

• The city was placed 15th in the UK for the best place to do business and 8th for the best place to do business with an emphasis on skills and infrastructure.
• Thirty-five companies from outside the UK chose to invest in Coventry in 2003, creating 1,695 jobs and safeguarding 1,564 jobs.
• More than 37,000 civil servants work in Coventry.
• The sub-region is home to 1,300 software and telecommunications companies that have an annual turnover of £3 billion.
• Earlsdon, Wainbody and Canley wards arein the 5% richest in the UK and South West Coventry has an average household income of over £35,000.
• There are 144,000 people in employment in the city the highest figure for almost 25 years.
• The unemployment rate is at its lowest since 1975.