Every byte of data must ultimately be stored in a physical hard drive somewhere in the world. Data centres provide the physical infrastructure to do that; they are the heart of the digital sector. Data intensive companies will be more likely to base themselves near data centres to maximise the reliability of their services. Therefore, understanding where data centres are located gives a clue to where the digital infrastructure economy is likely to grow.
Information on data centres is not freely available. Different sources will tell you different numbers of data centres located in the UK. The total number of data centres from our source aligns with the total from multiple other sources. Where discrepancies in the number of data centres in the UK occur, it is likely due to some locations not being openly available.
As a business hub, it is not surprising to see a large number of data centres in Slough (19). Tower Hamlets (East London) has joint most (19), while Manchester (8) has the second most data centres. Data centres tend to be clustered rather than spread evenly across the country. This is due to energy availabiity and business demand for proximity to data centres. Many data centres are located along the 'knowledge corridor', following the route of international fibre optic cables, between Cornwall and London, and eventually mainland Europe.
Most major cities have several data centres, with notable abscences in the North West and East of England, and Wales. Increasingly, data centres are being created outside of the traditional 'knowledge corridor', where access to energy and water is more plentiful.