well above the regional and national
average (ONS Annual Survey of hours
and earnings).
Alongside the town centre, the North
Farm Estate has grown to accommodate
new retail offerings, including major
store investment by John Lewis and
Marks and Spencer.
The towns of Paddock Wood,
Southborough and Cranbrook provide
more local retail services. Cranbrook,
especially, includes a mix of businesses
aimed at both local people and tourists
who come to visit this unique market
town in the High Weald.
Tourism
Tunbridge Wells has been successfully
drawing visitors to the area for many
years. Royal Tunbridge Wells lies at the
heart of one of the most scenic stretches
of countryside in the south east of
England, and is surrounded by the
unspoilt beauty of the Weald. Much of
the countryside falls within a designated
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
and contains villages and hamlets of
exceptional quality. Heritage and tourism
development are therefore important
aspects of the borough's economy.
The Tunbridge Wells area has a good
selection of high quality accommodation
for both leisure visitors and business
people. The larger hotels also provide
facilities available for business
conferences and exhibitions. A guide to
accommodation is available online at
Wells is a prime location for this sector
of business as the geographical links
to London are excellent and IT
communications are well developed to
work online, including fast broadband
in key localities.
The Council is working with Kent County
Council and private partners to ensure
that the area's broadband infrastructure
continues to provide competitive advantage.
Creative and Media Sector
The presence of BBC South East as a
large employer in Royal Tunbridge Wells,
has enabled the town to market itself as a
centre of excellence for the creative and
media sector, and has led to a large number
of small creative businesses locating in
the borough. Royal Tunbridge Wells is an
ideal location for creative and media
enterprise because of its proximity to
London and Brighton where customers
and clients are easily served. Many
residents are also requesting services in
this sector meaning a prosperous future
for these types of businesses.
Retail Sector
According to statistics compiled by
Javelin Group, Royal Tunbridge Wells is
a strong, retail centre with emerging
opportunities to accommodate a
significant level of identified retailer
demand. Royal Tunbridge Wells was
ranked 51st on its Venuescore index in
2013, ahead of many neighbouring
centres. The potential for capturing
discretionary spend in the area is good,
given that local residents' earnings are
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