Coventry has been named the most productive city for work in the UK, according to a report by Currys. The analysis covered 34 cities across four key indicators for digital productivity: outage reports, full fibre access, download speed and co-working costs. Coventry scored 36 out of 40, ranking highly on co-working costs and full fibre access.
Slough came in second place with a score of 33, excelling in download speeds, while Swindon came third with a score of 32.
Perhaps surprisingly, London ranks as the worst place to work in terms of being a productive city, with Burnley and Blackpool falling in just behind. The capital scored just 12 out of 40 due to its high co-working costs and frequent outages. London had the highest number of outages on the list but scored reasonably well for full fibre access, with a score of 6.1.
Co-working impacts digital productivity
For those looking for affordable co-working spaces, Oldham was named the most affordable, with a monthly fee of £59. Coventry and Norwich were also well-priced options, costing £87 and £100 per month respectively.
However, co-working spaces in some cities can be expensive, with Bolton topping the list at £272 per month and London in second place at £256.
The report emphasised the importance of reliable internet connection and up-to-date technology, noting that poor connectivity and outages can lead to lost time and money.
Edinburgh was named the costliest city in terms of lost productivity, with an average cost of £3,061 per worker per year. Bristol and Leeds followed with annual losses of £1,950 and £1,502 per worker respectively.
[Read more: Where are the world’s best cities for tech workers?]
