Yesterday saw the launch of The Great North, a bold-sounding initiative promising to invigorate the North of England with investment, opportunity and vision. Headlines applauded the ambition. Press releases boomed with phrases like “transformational strategy”, “regional powerhouse”, and of course, the ever-present “levelling up”.
But beyond the press clippings and ceremonial “ribbon-cutting”, the questions remain. Who really benefits from this initiative? Which businesses will see the promised pounds? And for those who don’t fit within the neatly drawn parameters of the grand vision, what next? Is The Great North truly a strategy for growth, or just another self-congratulatory project for the chosen few?
Historically, UK regional investment programmes have had a habit of funnelling funding into already advantaged pockets under the guise of regeneration. The Northern Powerhouse, launched in 2014, is a case in point. While it claimed to rebalance the UK economy, much of the investment gravitated towards city centres like Manchester and Leeds. Smaller towns and rural businesses on the periphery were left clutching their funding applications with little more than a rejection letter and a confused shrug.
Initial briefings around The Great North could suggest a similar trajectory. Focus is again on innovation hubs, digital corridors, and “high-growth clusters”, all of which typically favour businesses already well-connected, tech-focused, and in urban centres. The result? Money flows to the same names on the same lists, while independent traders in Hebdon Bridge or manufacturing firms in Barrow are told they “don’t meet the criteria”.
If your business isn’t a groundbreaking startup, doesn’t fit into a tech-friendly investment category, or happens to be based outside the hot zones, you’re likely feeling cold.
This echoes the fate of many during the City Deals and Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) era. When Sheffield secured a “devolution deal” in 2015, much of the media attention celebrated infrastructure improvements and large-scale contracts. But many smaller enterprises found themselves watching diggers and cranes appear without any tangible benefit to their own growth or hiring prospects.
The frustration is palpable. One Lancashire-based logistics firm stated: “We’ve been here for 35 years. We employ locally, train apprentices, and invest in our community. But we’re not trendy enough. No AI. No fintech. So we’re invisible.”
Sound familiar?
One of the unspoken truths of initiatives like The Great North is the accompanying ecosystem of consultants, strategy boards and non-executive posts that spring up like mushrooms after rain. The money, ostensibly earmarked for transformation, often trickles away into strategic reviews, steering groups, and glossy prospectuses.
A 2021 review of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund found that millions had been absorbed in “administration and planning” costs. Jobs were created, but often in the realm of project management and not on factory floors or high streets – so frustrating!
The cycle is depressingly familiar: a new programme, new titles, new roles for the same revolving door of policy professionals and political allies. Meanwhile, businesses outside the magic circle are left asking, “Where’s our share?”
This is not to say The Great North is destined to fail. Done properly, it could lift regions long neglected. But it must resist the urge to prioritise polish over purpose. And this is where you need people who aren’t afraid to think outside of the box and prioritise businesses that have potential.
Lessons could be learned from the Preston Model; a community wealth-building strategy that focused on local procurement, co-operatives, and retaining wealth within the city. It may not have been headline-grabbing, but it delivered tangible results for ordinary people and businesses.
There’s also a powerful case for sector-specific investment in manufacturing, agri-tech, and local supply chains; not just the shiny, pitch-deck-friendly ideas of urban innovation hubs.
The question isn’t whether The Great North will invest. The question is who it will invest in and whether it will correct the imbalances it claims to address, or simply deepen them.
We’ve seen this dance before. What’s needed now isn’t another press launch, but a genuine commitment to grassroots inclusion. Otherwise, The Great North will become just another slogan carved into the granite walls of Whitehall, while the real North waits for a train that never quite arrives.
Photo by Nick Fewings
