Welcome in valleys awaits ad agencies

This week, the Diary dipped into the delights of the 1997 edition of the Regional Marketing Pocket Book – published on behalf of the Advertising Association.

The work is a treasure trove of information about the regional quirks of this land of ours.

Did you know that in Scotland, there is one dentist for every 2,745 citizens, whereas the men and women of East Anglia only have one dentist for every 8,419 of their number? Or that the Northern Irish spend the highest proportion of their household expenditure on new clothes and shoes?

However, one fact stood out like a beacon. Merthyr Tydfil is the cheapest place to live, coming in at 15.9 per cent below the national average. London is, of course, the highest at 19 per cent above the country’s average.

In these cost-conscious times the Diary waits with interest to see which advertising agency will be the first to relocate to this veritable tax haven.