The top 9 cities for business in Britain

The top nine UK cities for business have been announced by IT company Sungard Availability Services.

It examined a range of metrics — including start-up survival rates, average internet download speeds, office rents and graduate populations — and combined them together to come up with an overall ranking.

London didn't make the top three thanks to its expensive rates, while university cities of Oxford and Cambridge did well.

English cities make up eight of the top nine, while a Scottish city took the remaining spot.

Check out the list below:

9. Leeds

Start-up survival rate: 60.2%

Employment rate: 73.1%

Office price per sq. foot: £110.5

Leeds has a huge student population thanks to its four universities, ensuring a steady stream of talented, ambitious workers. The relatively cheap office rent also makes it great for start-ups.

8. Northampton

Start-up survival rate: 61%

Employment rate: 78.6%

Office price per sq. foot: £145.2

Northampton has the highest employment rate of any city in the country, which probably explains why it's also fourth highest on the list for start-up survival rates. The lack of a significant tech hub has resulted in some cyber breaches in the area though.

7. York

Start-up survival rate: 68.1%

Employment rate: 74.4%

Office price per sq. foot: £90

York ranks top in the list for start-up survivals, due to its strong infrastructure and high university graduate numbers. It also has an exceptionally low crime rate, which is always good for business, though its low average broadband speed of 19Mbps and population density means it's not higher up the list.