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{{Use British English|date=March 2019}}
This article is about the '''Economy of [[Luton]]'''
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Short description|none}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2009}}


[[File:EasyJetHQ.jpg|thumb|Hangar 89, [[EasyJet]] headquarters]]
⚫
Over the centuries, due to technological and economic change, Luton's economy has changed and developed to keep pace with the rest of the [[UK]]. Major industries that are related to [[Luton]] include [[Brickmaking]], [[Millinery]] or Hat making, [[Automobile]] production and it's airport, [[London Luton Airport]]. Currently, Luton is going through a regeneration scheme that will transform the [[Central Business District]] to include a new shopping centre on Power Court, the redevelopment of the Town Square and a refit of The Mall Arndale Centre.
[[File:VauxhallGriffinHouse.jpg|thumb|Griffin House, former headquarters of [[Vauxhall Motors]]]]


⚫
Over the centuries, due to technological and economic change, [[Luton|Luton's]] economy has changed and developed to keep pace with the rest of the [[UK]]. Major industries that are related to Luton include [[Brickmaking]], [[Hatmaking|Millinery]] or Hat making, [[Automobile]] production and its airport, [[London Luton Airport]].
== History ==


==Automotive==
===Early Industries===
Luton has a long history of automotive manufacturing. Many firms have used Luton as a base for production including [[Commer]], [[Marcos Engineering]] and [[General Motors]].


⚫
[[Vauxhall Motors|Vauxhall]] came to Luton in 1905, just two years after the company had started to make cars.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/features/vauxhall1.shtml History of Vauxhall in Luton]</ref> The company was taken over by [[General Motors|GM]] in 1925 but continued to develop and build its own vehicles in Luton. In 1931 the truck and bus arm [[Bedford Vehicles|Bedford]] was created, the first Bedford vehicles were reworked Chevrolet vehicles but Bedford soon became a unique marque in its own right. During the [[Second World War]], Vauxhall became a major supplier of lorries and also produced the Churchill Tank which were tested in the grounds of nearby [[Luton Hoo]]. The lake at [[Wardown Park]] was even used for testing vehicles to be used on [[D-Day]].
===Brickmaking===


During the 1960s the factory in Luton employed 37,000 people but from the end of the 1960s production and employment in the town was reduced, due to advances in production methods, as well as the opening of a second Vauxhall factory at [[Ellesmere Port]] in [[Cheshire]], and the fact that [[General Motors]] was importing Vauxhall-badged cars from its [[West Germany|West German]] [[Opel]] factories from them in the 1970s, as well as a new factory in [[Spain]] from 1982, as part of the integration of its Vauxhall and Opel ranges.
===Hat Making===


In 2000 the company announced that car production would end and the factory finally closed in March 2002, leaving the [[Ellesmere Port]] plant in [[Cheshire]] as the company's only remaining car plant in Britain; the remaining Vauxhall-badged models are imported from [[Opel]] factories in the rest of Europe. [[IBC Vehicles]] still has a factory in the town, producing the [[Opel Vivaro C|Vauxhall Vivaro]], [[Peugeot Expert]] and [[Citroen Jumpy]] vans.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/5395969/Jobs-fear-as-Vauxhall-awaits-fate-of-General-Motors.html | title=Jobs fear as Vauxhall awaits fate of General Motors | first=David | last=Millward | work=[[Telegraph.co.uk]] | publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]] | date=2009-05-27 | access-date=2009-05-28 }}</ref>
===Vauxhall===
{{main|Vauxhall Motors}}


==Principal employers==
⚫
Vauxhall came to Luton in 1905, just two years after the company had started to make cars.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/features/vauxhall1.shtml History of Vauxhall in Luton]</ref> The company was taken over by [[General Motors|GM]] in 1925 but continued to develop and build its own vehicles in Luton. In 1931 the truck and bus arm Bedford was created, the first Bedford vechicles were reworked Chevrolet vehicles but Bedford soon became a unique marque in its own right. During the Second World War, Vauxhall became a major supplier of lorries and also produced the Churchill Tank which were tested in the grounds of nearby [[Luton Hoo]]. The lake at [[Wardown Park]] was even used for testing vehicles to be used on [[D-Day]]. During the 1960s the factory in Luton employed 37,000 people but from the end of the 1960s production and employment in the town was reduced.
According to the Luton Borough Council,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.luton.gov.uk/Environment/Lists/LutonDocuments/PDF/Planning/Observatory/Major%20Employers%20in%20Luton.pdf |title=Major Employers in Luton 2014 |access-date=10 February 2019 |archive-date=6 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206222909/https://www.luton.gov.uk/Environment/Lists/LutonDocuments/PDF/Planning/Observatory/Major%20Employers%20in%20Luton.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> the principal employers in the town are:


{| class="wikitable"
In 2000 the company announced that car production would end and the factory finally closed in March 2002.
|-

! #
== Today ==
! Employer

! # of Employees
===Shopping===
|-

|1
===The Airport===
| [[Luton Borough Council]]

|8,000+
===The Future===
|-

|2
==Employment==
| [[Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust]]
<small>This caused an upsurge of unemployment in the town<ref> [http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:h8OXfJK0V1YJ:www.luton.gov.uk/Media%2520Library/Word/Chief%2520executives/Performance/LUTON%25202011%2520only.doc+luton+employment+levels+2003&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=uk 2011 Luton Plan]</ref>, however, with plans to expand the airport, and the redevelopment of Luton Town centre, a demand for engineering and construction skills has meant that unemployment levels have dropped.</small>
|4,000+

|-
The airport is vital to the local economy, employing about 9,500 people, 55% of whom live in Luton.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2005/10/25/luton_airport_expansion_feature.shtml Three Counties Radio report - Luton Airport]</ref> Although Manufacturing is still the biggest employer in the town, the rate is decreasing every year, and the demand for services will increase in sectors such as retailing.<ref> [http://www.luton.gov.uk/internet/Business/Economic_development/Economic%20intelligence Luton Borough Council Employment report]</ref>,
|3
| [[BBA Aviation|Aircraft Service International Group]]
|1,000–1,999
|-
|3
| [[Impellam Group|Carlisle Security Services]]
|1,000–1,999
|-
|5
| [[EasyJet]]
|1,000–1,999
|-
|6
| [[Menzies Aviation]]
|1,000–1,999
|-
|7
| [[Randstad]]
|1,000–1,999
|-
|8
| [[TUI Group|TUI]]
|1,000–1,999
|-
|9
| [[University of Bedfordshire]]
|1,000–1,999
|}


==Trends==
==Trends==
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Luton at current basic prices published<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf Office for National Statistics economy figures]</ref> (pp.240-253) by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
This table shows regional gross value added of Luton at current basic prices published<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf Office for National Statistics economy figures] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201002538/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf |date=1 December 2007 }} (pp.&nbsp;240–253) by ''Office for National Statistics''</ref> with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Year
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added '''<sup>a</sup>''' || Agriculture <sup>'''b'''</sup> || Industry <sup>'''c'''</sup> || Services <sup>'''d'''</sup>
|| Regional Gross Value Added <ref group="note">components may not sum to totals due to rounding</ref>
⚫
|| Agriculture <ref group="note">includes hunting and forestry</ref>
⚫
|| Industry <ref group="note">includes energy and construction</ref>
⚫
|| Services <ref group="note">includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured</ref>
|-
|-
| 1995 || '''2,067''' || 1 || 902 || 1,165
| 1995 || '''2,067''' || 1 || 902 || 1,165
Line 44: Line 81:
|}
|}


Notes
'''Notes'''
<references group="note" />
*'''a''' Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
⚫
*'''b''' includes hunting and forestry
⚫
*'''c''' includes energy and construction
⚫
*'''d''' includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured


==See Also==
==References==
{{More footnotes|date=September 2009}}
<references/>


{{Luton}}
{{Luton}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Economy Of Luton}}
[[Category:Luton]]
[[Category:Luton]]
[[Category:Economy of Bedfordshire|Luton]]

Latest revision as of 10:12, 23 February 2024

Hangar 89, EasyJet headquarters
Griffin House, former headquarters of Vauxhall Motors

Over the centuries, due to technological and economic change, Luton's economy has changed and developed to keep pace with the rest of the UK. Major industries that are related to Luton include Brickmaking, Millinery or Hat making, Automobile production and its airport, London Luton Airport.

Automotive

[edit]

Luton has a long history of automotive manufacturing. Many firms have used Luton as a base for production including Commer, Marcos Engineering and General Motors.

Vauxhall came to Luton in 1905, just two years after the company had started to make cars.[1] The company was taken over by GM in 1925 but continued to develop and build its own vehicles in Luton. In 1931 the truck and bus arm Bedford was created, the first Bedford vehicles were reworked Chevrolet vehicles but Bedford soon became a unique marque in its own right. During the Second World War, Vauxhall became a major supplier of lorries and also produced the Churchill Tank which were tested in the grounds of nearby Luton Hoo. The lake at Wardown Park was even used for testing vehicles to be used on D-Day.

During the 1960s the factory in Luton employed 37,000 people but from the end of the 1960s production and employment in the town was reduced, due to advances in production methods, as well as the opening of a second Vauxhall factory at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, and the fact that General Motors was importing Vauxhall-badged cars from its West German Opel factories from them in the 1970s, as well as a new factory in Spain from 1982, as part of the integration of its Vauxhall and Opel ranges.

In 2000 the company announced that car production would end and the factory finally closed in March 2002, leaving the Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire as the company's only remaining car plant in Britain; the remaining Vauxhall-badged models are imported from Opel factories in the rest of Europe. IBC Vehicles still has a factory in the town, producing the Vauxhall Vivaro, Peugeot Expert and Citroen Jumpy vans.[2]

Principal employers

[edit]

According to the Luton Borough Council,[3] the principal employers in the town are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Luton Borough Council 8,000+
2 Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 4,000+
3 Aircraft Service International Group 1,000–1,999
3 Carlisle Security Services 1,000–1,999
5 EasyJet 1,000–1,999
6 Menzies Aviation 1,000–1,999
7 Randstad 1,000–1,999
8 TUI 1,000–1,999
9 University of Bedfordshire 1,000–1,999
[edit]

This table shows regional gross value added of Luton at current basic prices published[4] with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.

Year Regional Gross Value Added [note 1] Agriculture [note 2] Industry [note 3] Services [note 4]
1995 2,067 1 902 1,165
2000 2,614 1 850 1,763
2003 3,090 1 811 2,278

Notes

  1. ^ components may not sum to totals due to rounding
  2. ^ includes hunting and forestry
  3. ^ includes energy and construction
  4. ^ includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured

References

[edit]
  1. ^ History of Vauxhall in Luton
  2. ^ Millward, David (27 May 2009). "Jobs fear as Vauxhall awaits fate of General Motors". Telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Major Employers in Luton 2014" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  4. ^ Office for National Statistics economy figures Archived 1 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics
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