 In 1965, 8,000 people were employed in 900 firms but by 1985, this had reduced to 4,000 people in 600 firms.The average life of a firm in the 1980s was 2.8 years which meant that the leasing of space in flatted factories was impractical.A report by consultants Segal Quince Wickstead noted that since 1981, the council had provided a lot of support for businesses in the area and improved the environment.