Jobs in Wells | Pictures of Wells

Wells in Somerset is an unspoilt market town located at the foot of the Mendip Hills, twenty miles south of both Bath and Bristol and can best be described as a ‘miniature’ city. Although the population, recorded in the 2001 census, is only 10,406 it has had city status since 1205, thereby making Wells the smallest city in England and second smallest in the UK – that accolade goes to St David’s in Wales with under 2,000.

Unspoilt and relatively unaltered for the past eight hundred years, Wells owes its city status entirely to its medieval cathedral that formed the centre of ecclesiastical power throughout the centuries in this part of England. And although much of the glory of Wells lies in the past, it is very much a city of the present day, a busy market town, and an educational and commercial centre.

Then and now
Being a cathedral city that has almost frozen in time, it naturally follows that there is a single dominant employer in Wells; tourism.

Employing over 750 people (approximately 17 per cent of the workforce) the tourism, retail and distribution sector is the main driver of economy in Wells with the city posing as a good launch pad for the nearby attractions in the Mendip Hills and northern Somerset, such as Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge. With a number of specialist and independent shops and choice restaurants in its centre, Wells does much to capture visitor’s attentions long after the initial fervour and enthusiasm of the cathedral has waned. But this is by no means the only key employment sector.

Indeed, manufacturing is surprisingly the second biggest employer with around 650-700 plying their trade with a number of organisations that are helping Wells to slowly move from being a rural market town towards a satellite community feeding Bristol and Bath.

The education sector accounts for around 11 per cent of all jobs in the area with Wells Cathedral School being not only a significant employer but it is internationally recognized for its specialist music courses. Whereas the health and social work sector provides employment for 500 people - 11 per cent of the workforce.

Wells is a popular location for business. Several well known companies are located in and around the city, with computer software development and electrical engineering being well represented in the various business areas around the city.

Key business districts
As we have previously stated, Wells is a small city and hence no real business district per se. Being a predominantly tourist based local economy most of the activities are located near around High Street and other places within the old city. Even then the city houses few business areas.

A new business park known as Cathedral City Business Park is due to be developed in the near future offering almost 16 acres of new business space. Apart from this major area there is Keward Business Park - a relatively new business park in Jocelyn Drive along with Stream Business Park, which is located in Southover Wells. Whilst Underwood Business Park located at Wookey Hole Road.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Wells.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Wells below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Wells or find out more information on the local area.