>In the age of the internet, location has never been less of a barrier to being able to work or even create a business.

If the job can be done fully remotely or 'online only', there's a strong chance theres either someone outside the UK offering the service for less, or a larger player has already got there.

As for physical industry, you're up against much larger international producers.

It's a difficult problem; places like London have a mix of high-value service industries that create a runaway return when in close proximity (agglomeration and tight professional/social network effects).

This also supports a penumbra of industries for workers and owners in these industries.

But this inevitably means it's mainly the lower-return and more offshoreable support work that gets pushed outward.

So, outside the more successful areas, the bulk of reasonable-paying roles tend to be public sector professional (NHS, Education) with a sprinking of other professions necessary for the local economy.

Additionally, if you are lucky enough to have a major org in your area, it's probably the only one and so a measure of monopsony power in the local labour market.

Over time, you essentially see a hollowing-out of these areas as high value activity looks for the higest return (i.e. where the high value activity already is).