South Yorkshire is experiencing a significant economic transformation, driven by growth in creative industries and defence manufacturing. The region, historically dependent on steel and coal, is now home to Netflix hit Adolescence, the UK’s largest podcast festival Crossed Wires, and a new BAE Systems weapons factory in Sheffield.
Niall Shamma, chief operating officer of Warp Films, which produced Adolescence, said: “It feels like we’re on the cusp of something really exciting.” The drama became Netflix’s second most-watched show ever, boosting local confidence. Dino Sofos, founder of podcast producer Persephonica, noted that the success marks a shift from nostalgia-driven pride to contemporary achievement.
Labour Mayor Oliver Coppard acknowledged past failures to articulate a vision after deindustrialisation, but now senses optimism: “You can feel it. It’s palpable.” Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently pledged to turn former coalfields into a “modern industrial heartland in manufacturing and defence,” while Defence Secretary John Healey opened the new BAE factory producing howitzers for Ukraine.
Economist Jim O’Neill, who advises Coppard, called the turnaround “inspiring” and compared it to Manchester’s rise a decade ago. However, he warned against over-reliance on defence spending, noting that “the mood can change so dramatically.” The region also hosts Sheffield Forgemasters, which makes steel for submarines, and a supplier of F-35 parts near Meadowhall, though protests have targeted the latter over its use by Israel.
Coppard will next week unveil plans for the Don Valley corridor, the UK’s first investment region, aiming to create thousands of jobs and homes. The former Orgreave site, scene of the 1984 miners’ clash, now hosts Rolls-Royce, McLaren, and Boeing’s only European manufacturing plant. Success will depend on retaining young talent and improving public transport, which remains a challenge.
