Economy and business
| Economy snapshot
|
Summary of data
|
| Number of jobs
|
6611 excluding 1643 self employed, 8254 in total
|
| Change in number of jobs
|
20 fewer JSA claimants from 2007 to 2008
|
| Percentage employed by large employers (over 200 employees)
|
|
| Jobs by industrial sector
|
[Frame1]
|
| Percentage employed in hotels and catering
|
6%
|
| Unemployment rate
|
2.8%
|
| Percentage unemployed over 6 months
|
21.8%
|
| Jobs to economically-active residents ratio
|
70% - 30% commute out of the area
|
| Professional e.g. public sector, medical, financial and legal services, employees as a percentage of
|
25.8%
|
| Number of Job Centres
|
0
|
| Number of new businesses registered
|
5
|
| Members of Chambers of Trade/Commerce
|
29 members of West Malling Town Chamber
|
| Presence of a Business Link office
|
Kent office at Kings Hill but not drop in centre
|
| Presence of a one-stop-shop for business advice
|
0
|
| New industrial units built
|
None in the town – growth of office buildings at Kings Hill
|
| Average rent for industrial premises
|
Relatively high – Kings Hill is prime location for HQ and Centralised offices of UK businesses
|
| Rent for prime retail unit
|
|
| Change in rents
|
Rents rising with competition from restaurants and national chains
|
| New shops built and/or converted in last three years
|
0
|
| Regular general market
|
0
|
| Regular farmers' market
|
Monthly Farmers Market – in decline, calls for a weekly market instead
|
| Number of comparison goods shops in the town
|
0
|
| Number of supermarkets over 1000sqm
|
Asda in out of town location, Tesco Metro in the town itself
|
| Number of other convenience goods shops in the town
|
0
|
| Number of vacant shops in the town in proportion to total number of shops
|
0
|
| Number of public toilets in town centre
|
2 (Town centre and Station) with further toilets available at the Millyard centre and pubs/cafes
|
| Residents with post-school qualifications
|
17.3% with higher level qualifications
|
| Number of primary schools
|
10
|
| Number of secondary schools
|
3
|
| Number and type of post-16 education (VI Form College, Technical College)
|
7
|
|
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