I guess it doesn’t matter where in the World you happen to be so long as you’re healthy and happy right? Wrong! Location is often what matters most when it comes to your work life, love life, holiday time or home life for that matter.
Location Matters
Theres a lot to be said for location, whichever continent, country or county you may be based within are each different in terms of scenery, weather, population, amenities, opportunities, currency, finance and a whole host of other quantifiable qualities.
I myself was born and brought up in a rural location based within the North West of England. On the very edge of the Lake District lays a small town in which I now reside, this is often termed to be ‘the back end of nowhere’ as quite frankly travelling to said town is a bit of a ball ache. We are almost an hours drive away from the motorway and should it happen to snow or flood then we are almost certain to be stranded.
Travel Issues
Living in a rural area can be difficult at times especially when it comes to travel and transport. Almost everybody drives a car as otherwise they would have next to no transport. We once had a bus service and whilst this consisted of a couple of busses each day, it made all the difference. Sadly, this service is ‘no longer’ and should you happen to be ‘without wheels’ then your only other option is to use a train.
Our local rail network is a joke, whereas most people are accustomed to travelling upon modern trains with such luxuries as automatic doors and digital, scrolling information available to guide them upon their journey. We on the other hand have been lumbered with sixties rolling stock; these bone-rattling, diesel chuggers are a train boffins dream come true but the typical travellers nightmare.
Trains are meant to run both north and south six days a week at least once every other hour between 6am and 10pm. Often though, trains either run straight through stations without stopping or services are cancelled entirely due to break downs, lack of staff, strikes or whatever other excuse Northern Rail can pull from their backsides. This unfortunately is a regular occurrence which leaves endless amounts of people stood sullen and stranded at stations all over the county. I for one wouldn’t term the trains around this area as any type of ‘service’, more of a disservice and a disgrace.
As driving seems to be the only viable option you’d expect for our roads to be able to withstand a high amount of traffic. Our roads however could be likened to Swiss cheese as they have more holes in them than my fish net tights. What was once tarmac is now much-like a dirt track and whilst I’m all for a bit of ‘off road driving’ my car isn’t designed for such delights. There isn’t a single road without potholes and whilst I’d love to be able to afford a four-wheel drive, I shouldn’t have to fork out for the luxury nor deal with the damage that is done to my current car by the wreckage which is our roads.
Opportunity Knocks
Having lived in a city whilst studying at University, I was amazed by how many opportunities were available especially in terms of employment. Yet after three years of living in the big smoke I still chose to return to rural life. Why? I guess I’m a home bird at heart and whilst there may have been endless amounts of entertainment, serious shopping solutions, terrific transport, oodles of opportunities and never-ending nightlife but I missed ‘home’.
Home may have been where my heart lay at the time, but unfortunately ‘home’ lacked the employment opportunities which I so desperately desired. It became a case of ‘making do’ and though I met Paul, settled down, got married, had children and we’ve built ourselves a pretty fab family life, I am well aware that our location is far from ideal.
It may seem safe and the scenery may be stunning but there’s very little in terms of employment or entertainment and I’m fairly sure that come the time when J and E are considering their future, we will no doubt up sticks and follow them to wherever they should desire.
Where To Base Your Business
Most people tend to base themselves within close proximity to their work place, unless they happen to have high-speed transport options available or work away from home. Whilst work should never take priority over pleasure, should you happen to be setting up your own business it’s well worth looking into location.
Location can make or break a business, for example I once worked behind a bar which was placed upon a busy road, directly opposite a train station. Whilst the bar itself was situated within a village with a minute population, business once seemed to boom thanks to the transport links. That said, a business should never rely entirely upon transport, as they may fail if said transport terminates.
If I were to be setting up my own business I would try to base myself somewhere with a high population, easy access and lack of competition. Ideally I would aim to live nearby if not on site, therefore I would also be looking for a location with good schools, entertainment, opportunities, amenities and most importantly, a location in which my family could reside healthily and happily.
Be sure to base yourself somewhere popular with the public and easy to access. It’s absolutely no use being based somewhere such as where I live, as your business is bound to fail from the get go.
Business Battles
It’s all very well setting up business upon the high street but these days most businesses are based online. The high street is sadly a thing of the past, this is glaringly obvious each and every time I make my way into town only to be greeted by boarded up buildings and endless ‘shutting down sales’.
Whilst being based online should leave businesses open to decide upon their location, their whereabouts still matters should they require warehouse or office space. There are a wide variety of commercial workshop spaces available to rent such as Pall Mall Estates for example which are spread throughout the UK.
The World in which we live is rather ‘dog eat dog’ especially so when it comes to down to business. It’s no use parking your property next door to a shop of a similar nature, therefore when planning to purchase or rent office/ storage space it’s recommended that you research the area beforehand. Find out who your competitors may be, where they may be located and think carefully before setting up shop.
Learning To Live Within A Location
Once you have chosen a location and setup shop whether that be through your own business or work opportunities within the area, learning to live with your chosen location can be tricky at times. No matter where you live there’s bound to be something which will irk you at some point, nowhere is ever perfect, it’s what you make of it that matters.
Be Flexible
Be flexible, it’s all very well following your heart and being a home bird, but if you’re willing to be open to explore other options then you are more likely to further your opportunities and in the long run find success. Never get too comfortable, it’s a big World out there and there’s all kinds of opportunities to explore!
To Summarise
Location is key whether you should be settling down, building a business or finding your forever home, never just ‘make do’ – be sure to base yourself somewhere you are likely to succeed! I would like to second Roy Halladay whom once said “The biggest thing I’ve learned is location” as location is central to success.
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