Preston may be known for its long history, but now it is making its mark as a modern, vibrant city.
In the past, when travelling for business, the most popular accommodation choice has often been a hotel. However, more and more people are choosing serviced accommodation, and given that they are usually larger, available at a competitive price and are altogether a more flexible option, perhaps this is no surprise.
In Situ's serviced apartments in Preston, the business traveller will be able to cook their own meals and wash their clothes in these properties, thanks to washing facilities and fully equipped kitchens, giving guests everything they might want. Guests can expect corporate Preston apartments to have included access to free Wi-Fi too, which allows guests to live and work freely in spacious living rooms or bedrooms without having to leave their very own 'home away from home'.
We are very delighted to offer Preston luxury apartments both near the high street and on the outskirts. Business travellers visiting the area can opt to be within walking distance of bars, pubs and restaurants, while others may wish to be in locations that might be quieter and a little further away from the hustle and bustle.
Courtesy of such a large range of serviced apartments in Preston city centre and beyond, bookers can afford to have a personal preference and be picky when it comes to choosing the right place to stay.
With a population of almost 150,000, Preston is in Lancashire in the northwest of England. It’s 28 miles northwest of Manchester and 27 miles northeast of Liverpool, so it’s practically equidistant of the region’s two largest cities, whilst also being within an hour’s travel of each. With the excellent transport connections to both places, Preston could be said to be at the heart of things in the northwest.
Preston was granted city status in 2002 when it became the Golden City – England’s 50th city in the 50th year of the Queen’s reign. It now styles itself as The Third Big Northwest City. Preston is on the main rail line between London and Scotland, and also has regular rail connections to most other major English cities. The M6, M55, M61 and M65 all pass close to Preston, the city where the UK’s motorway network began.
The local government is one of the biggest employers in Preston. The city is the headquarters of both Lancashire County Council and Preston City Council. Defence giant BAE Systems also remains a significant local employer and continues to operate from several sites in the area. Other significant industries in the Preston area include wholesale and retail and healthcare and social care.
For part of the year at least, Preston is home to the 32,000 students of the University of Central Lancashire. The presence of one of the country’s largest universities was mentioned prominently in Preston’s bid for city status. The city has a higher proportion of residents aged under 25 compared to the national average.
The City Council claims to have delivered a significant boost to the local economy in recent years through the adoption of the Preston Model, an innovative community wealth scheme. Preston-based businesspeople might like to visit the websites of these organisations to see what support they might be able to offer:
Whether you are visiting the city for a small networking event or to relocate your company here, just remember there are many top-quality serviced apartments in Preston available that can cater for your corporate travel needs.
Another one of the key points of Preston’s bid for city status was its rich history. It is home to more than 750 listed buildings, with the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, the Guild Hall, the Lancashire Museum and St Walburge's Church all holding Grade I listed status.
Besides its remarkable architecture, the Harris is one of the region’s best museums and galleries. It houses a fine collection of Victorian oils and watercolours, alongside extensive collections of glass, ceramics, fashion and textiles and historic books.
The Preston Guild was first celebrated in 1397 and the Guild Fair still takes place every 20 years. This is where the saying ‘once every Preston Guild’ comes from, meaning something that happens very infrequently. The last Guild, back in 2012, drew 900,000 visitors over 10 days to see the torchlight procession, a food festival, the band the Human League and a Proms in the Park with Jose Carreras.
The best of the local green spaces are celebrated by the 30-mile Guild Wheel trail that encircles the city. Also, just outside the city centre, on the banks of the River Ribble, are the beautiful adjoining Avenham and Miller Parks, with their impressive water features and stunning Japanese gardens.
When it comes to eating out, one of the very best places is Angels, which is to be found in the Michelin Food Guide. It offers modern British fine dining via its tasting menus. The Mad Hunter offers a cheaper dining option, but its regular customers speak very highly about the quality of the food. It’s certainly an unusual dining experience, with boar, ostrich, crocodile and zebra all specialities of the South African-born chef. All in all, there's a lot of great ways to enjoy time whilst staying in the city, and we have many Preston luxury apartments available to ensure guests get to experience everything the area and the city centre offers.
Liverpool John Lennon International Airport is 30 miles from Preston, while Manchester International Airport is 33 miles away. The nearest airport of any size to Preston is Blackpool Airport, which is just 13 miles away, however, regular commercial flights no longer depart from here.
Get in touch with us and let us know which airport you'd prefer to be located to and we'll source some serviced apartments in Preston that can suit you and your travel plans.
Preston has a very large central train station, located on Fishergate, on the western side of the city’s main shopping area. Typically, there are two trains per hour to London Euston, with the journey taking around 95 minutes. There are also direct services to many other major UK cities, including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Finally, there are regular trains to tourist hotspots such as Blackpool and the Lake District; to other large towns in the north-west such as Warrington and Stockport; and to Crewe, where, as the old saying goes, you can change for pretty much anywhere!
Buses from Preston serve nearby towns such as Southport, Ormskirk, Lancaster, Morecambe, Accrington, Blackburn, Lytham St Anne’s, Blackpool, Fleetwood, Leyland, Chorley and Wigan.
The central bus station in the city is on Carlisle Street, which is on the eastern side of the main shopping area. Being a main transport hub in the city, there are naturally several corporate Preston apartments located nearby.