The business landscape in the district offers a blend of historical charm and modern innovation. It boasts a diverse array of industries, from traditional sectors like agriculture and tourism to emerging fields such as technology and healthcare. The district is home to high-profile employers including IBM, Arqiva, NATS, HSBC and Zurich.

Winchester's rich history as the ancient capital of England attracts tourists from around the world, providing ample opportunities for hospitality businesses, including hotels, restaurants and cultural attractions.

The city's stunning architecture, including the iconic Winchester Cathedral, serves as a backdrop for bustling commerce. Winchester has also become a hub for technology companies and startups, drawn by its proximity to London and the South East, as well as its excellent quality of life and the pool of talent from the district’s two universities and excellent schools.

The Winchester district benefits from a strong agricultural sector, with fertile farmland producing a variety of crops and livestock. Local farmers markets and food festivals showcase the region's agricultural bounty, providing opportunities for small businesses and artisans.

The Winchester district is home to over 8,200 business enterprises (NOMIS 2023), the population is 127,500 (Census 2021) and it ranks fifth nationally for the high employment rate of working-age residents at 87% (CoworkingCafe).

The Winchester High Street vacancy rate went to 4.7% in January 2025, well below the national vacancy rate (14%) (Winchester District Quarterly Economic Intelligence Dashboard, March 2025).

The Winchester district has excellent business networks: Find out more of the business networking offer here.

The Winchester district has a thriving economy that supports elevated living standards for its residents and offers an optimistic outlook for investors. The district has been ranked as the second happiest place to live in Great Britain for 2023 according to Rightmove, ranked top in the latest Royal Mail Happiness Index in 2019 and appears in Muddy Stilettos top places to live in 2025.

The second largest district in Hampshire at 661 square kilometres, it is a distinctive and special place with a unique mix of rural areas, market towns, new developments and a vibrant and cultured city centre. Located in the central part of the administrative and historic county of Hampshire, the district benefits from well-connected transport links, lies in the valley of the river Itchen and values its idyllic rural areas, culture, heritage and excellent educational links.

A train journey to or from London Waterloo takes under an hour, Southampton is less than fifteen minutes by train and there are services to Southampton airport that can take as little as eight minutes. National Express has coaches to London Victoria, Heathrow, Edinburgh and Bournemouth. The coast is easily reached in under an hour.

The district has unique strengths and assets, which encourage strong economic growth and provide green growth opportunities. The dynamic Winchester District Ten-Year Green Economic Development Strategy aims to ensure the district benefits from the new jobs, skills and services that the whole of the UK will need in the future.

The district is bursting with heritage and culture. England’s ancient capital is a city steeped in history, offering rich pickings for visitors looking to uncover Britain’s past.

From Iron Age forts to Civil War sites and a world-famous Cathedral with the longest nave and greatest overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe. The novelist Jane Austen died in Winchester and is buried in the Cathedral. Behind the Cathedral, you will find Winchester College, one of the oldest continuously running schools in the country founded by Bishop William of Wykeham in 1382. There are also several museums within the district where you can learn about Winchester’s role in English history.

There are a huge variety of independent shops, restaurants and bars, including those appealing to the younger demographic. The city centre has three theatres, multiple art galleries and makers’ spaces. The district has a thriving festival and events programme, that pulls residents and visitors from far and wide. The most famous of which is Hat Fair, an annual long-standing street festival and Boomtown music festival.

There are many cycling and walking paths across the district and through The South Downs National Park, which covers 40% of the district, taking in some of the most breath-taking views across Hampshire.

The district is also home to unique rural market towns, which all have their own quirks and unique attractions:

Alresford is a handsome Georgian town of colour-washed houses, riverside walks, specialist shops and the UK's capital of watercress farming. It is also home to the Watercress Line.

Bishop’s Waltham is famous for the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace. This medieval market town offers a well-preserved high street with many independent shops located in listed buildings.

Wickham is situated in the beautiful rolling countryside at the end of the Meon Valley Trail and is home to the annual Wickham Festival.  It has one of the largest medieval market squares in England and quirky shopping centres such as Chesapeake Mill.

Denmead has an eclectic mix of local events and festivals and is home to many independent businesses.

Located in Whiteley is a shopping outlet village and the Solent Business Park, where you’ll find Zurich Financial Services, NATS (formerly National Air Traffic Services) and the offices and studios of ITV Meridian. 79% of the population in Whiteley are under the age of 44 (Census 2021).

Not only is the district a good place to do business, it is also highly ranked as a place to live. It is a family-friendly district providing a balance of history, culture, natural beauty and modern amenities, making it an attractive place to relocate to. The district is praised for its picturesque scenery and colourful streets that have attracted celebrities such as Rick Stein and Raymond Blanc to bring their businesses to the district.

There is a high quality of life, with good schools and healthcare facilities, high average earnings and low crime rates. Excellent transport links, which aid hybrid or remote working, rich history and culture, offering residents a vibrant cultural experience. The district has a strong sense of community with a wide range of local events, festivals and activities, bringing residents together.

The average house price in Winchester was £482,000 in February 2025 (provisional), up 3.1% from February 2024. This was lower than the rise in the South East (4.6%) over the same period. Private rents rose to an average of £1,436 in March 2025, an annual increase of 9.7% from £1,309 in March 2024. This was higher than the rise in the South East (7.0%) over the year (National Statistics).

The Winchester District offers 49 state funded and six independent schools. Many of which are top ranked schools. Twenty of these are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Winchester College has been in the district since 1382. They have 700 pupils that gain a private education through either boarding or day boarding. The college has welcomed girls as day pupils from September 2022 and will admit girls as boarders from September 2026.

In 2025, 53 students at Peters Symonds College were offered places at Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge) universities. The College, which is home to 4,400 students, regularly features as one of the country’s top five feeder institutes to Oxbridge. They have over 60 courses that cater from fine art and economics and music, through to BTEC in digital media, health & social care and acting.

The district is home to award-winning Sparsholt College offering courses from sixth form to degree level and specialising in country-side based subjects such as agriculture, fishery studies, equine studies, forestry and woodland management, horticulture and sports.

The district is also home to two universities: The University of Winchester and the Winchester School of Art, which is part of Southampton University.

The University of Winchester sits within the top universities in the UK. With graduate prospects outcomes also sitting within the top universities. These provide opportunities for businesses to access an excellent local talent pool at trainee, graduate and post graduate level.

• Station Approach is a development area within the city near Winchester Railway Station including the Carfax and Cattlemarket sites. Winchester City Council is currently exploring regeneration opportunities for the area. Using the agreed development principles, we aim to create a viable, local and community driven concept masterplan, that will guide the development of the area.

 

• The council is also regenerating part of the bottom end of the town in its Central Winchester Regeneration scheme. The vision for this area is for a mixed-use, sustainable, pedestrian-friendly quarter that reflects the distinctive character of the city centre, set within attractive open spaces. The regeneration site includes Kings Walk, Friarsgate and the bus station.

 

• Bushfield Camp is an employment-led regeneration area. A best-in-class mixed use knowledge park with inclusivity, connectivity and vibrancy at the heart, the redevelopment of Bushfield will generate a wealth of social, economic and environmental benefits for the city and wider district. Prioritising sustainability and community, around 60% of the 44-hectare Bushfield Camp site will be managed as publicly accessible and biodiverse green space.

 Want to find out more about the Winchester district and why it is the ideal location for your business? We can offer:

 • Bespoke support from officers who can advise on every aspect of the district

• A single point of contact that is dedicated to working with you throughout your investment journey

• Links to local suppliers, professional services and partners at Winchester Business Improvement District, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and both our universities.

Get in touch with the Economy team at Winchester City Council to see how we can help: ecodev@winchester.gov.uk.

Do you have a vacant retail space and aren’t sure what to do with it? We’ve produced a new document providing guidance for anyone involved in repurposing vacant retail spaces (including developers, landlords and potential tenants). Repurposing empty retail units can really help our district’s high streets maintain their vitality – we hope that this guidance will help people make the most of their vacant units and help contribute to the vibrancy of our local economy.

You can find the document on the right hand side of this webpage. Please note this guidance is not exhaustive and if you have any questions, please contact our Sector Project Officer, Emily Reason, at: ereason@winchester.gov.uk.

Are you looking to grow your business in the Winchester District? The Economy team have created district-wide register of vacant commercial properties to support inward investment and business expansion. The register is updated regularly to keep you informed of any vacancy changes as and when they happen.

You can find the register here. ^{(xlsx, 51kb)}

For more information contact Ellen Evans at eevans@winchester.gov.uk.

The Economy team have compiled a register of co-working spaces available across the district. In line with the Council’s Green Economic Development Strategy, this register aims to outline the flexible, affordable grow-on/SME space that is available in the district. 

You can find the register here. ^{(pdf, 108kb)}

If you provide a co-working space in your area, or would like to find out more, please contact Ellen Evans at eevans@winchester.gov.uk.