About Derby
Derby - Bidding to be City of Culture 2025
Derby has been at the forefront of industrial Britain from the world’s first factory at the Silk Mill to the Midland Railway, Rolls-Royce and Infinity Park.
Derby fostered artists – Joseph Wright – and philosophers – Erasmus Darwin – who promoted liberal, enlightened ideas.
This pioneering, industrious, outward-looking spirit has pulled people from all over the world to live in Derby, and will help us address the critical challenges we face, such as climate change, technology and automation, inequality and migration.1
1 Drawn from The Derby Story, with thanks to Derby Museums and Art Gallery
Derby in figures
Derby is England's most central city.
Derby is a city of 30 square miles, home to 257,000 people.
Derby is a City of Sanctuary with 180 nationalities and over 70 languages.
Derby has a World Heritage Site and is home to the world’s first factory.
Derby City has a retail catchment of over 800,000 people.
25% of Derby’s population are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Developing our manufacturing strengths.
The city has the 2nd highest number of manufacturing jobs in the UK.
Building on innovation.
Derby is the 4th in list of patent generating cities in UK.
Culture is the number one reason for leisure visits to Derby.
6 million people live within one hour’s travel time of the city.
Derby is a young city with 40% of the population under 30.
Derby has a strong sign-language using community.