Business in England
Nottingham city is home to the headquarters of many well-known companies. One of the best known is Boots the Chemists(now Alliance Boots), founded in the city by Jesse Boot 1st Lord Trent in 1849 and substantially expanded by his son John Boot (2nd Lord Trent).Other large current employers include the credit reference agency Experian, the energy company E.ON UK, the tobacco company John Player & Sons, betting company Gala Group, engineering company Siemens, sportswear manufacturers Speedo, high street opticians Vision Express, games and publishing company Games Workshop (creator of the popular Warhammer series), and the American credit card company Capital One, whose European offices are situated by the side of Nottingham station. Nottingham is also the home of HM Revenue and Customs and the Driving Standards Agency.
Creative Industries are a target growth sector for the Nottingham city with graphic design, interiors and textile design being a particular focus. already many small design companies are establishing a base in the city with Jupiter and the multi-award winning Purple Circle being two of the higher profile consultancies. Nottingham City Council has recently announced that other target sectors include Financial and Business Services, Science and Technology, Public Sector and Retail and Leisure as part of their economic development strategy for the city. Business services include the printing industry and Royale Graphics have been based in Nottingham for nearly 20 years. Ceramics manufacturer Mason Cash was founded and continues to have operations in Nottingham.
The schools and aerial photographers, H Tempest Ltd were Nottingham-based for many years, until relocating to St. Ives (Cornwall) around 1960. A skeleton office remained for many years in the original building next to Mundella School.
Nottingham is progressively changing from an industrial city to one based largely in the service sector. Tourism, particularly from the United States and the Far East, is becoming an increasingly significant part of the local economy.
