Merchants can see where in the UK their customers are with a new list of the cities that provide the best opportunities for tradespeople.

And Liverpool looks like the most lucrative city for merchants to expand into, as it is the number one city for their customers.

The research comes from bathroom hardware manufacturer Sanctuary Bathrooms. It analysed the average wages of plumbers, electricians, joiners, and painter decorators, alongside cost of living data, university Building course ratings and the percentage of workforce in trades for each city.

The data revealed that the best opportunities for tradespeople are concentrated in the North of England, with seven of the top ten cities located above the Watford Gap.

The top ten cities are:

1. Liverpool

2. Newcastle

3. Glasgow

4. London

5. Birmingham

6. Leeds

7. Nottingham

8. Cardiff

9. Manchester

10. Bristol

The rankings also revealed that:

•Leeds has the highest concentration of tradespeople in the workforce, making up 10.3% of the city’s working population.

•University College London offers the best Building degree course, with a rating of 99.2 out of 100.

•Glasgow offers the best rates of pay for tradespeople across the board, with electricians earning an average annual wage of £28,683.

James Roberts, Director of Sanctuary Bathrooms, said: “As a company with our roots tied into the trade sector, both through our employees and our clients, we wanted to look where to find the best opportunities for tradespeople in the UK.

“The results are a useful resource for those wanting to embark on a career as a tradesperson, and also highlight important hubs for related businesses to expand into.”

Read the full report here.