Uxbridge is a large town on the edge of West London and near to the county boundary of Buckinghamshire. The town's name comes from a bridge named after the Wixan clan, a 7th century tribe who settled here.

It is situated in the borough of Hillingdon, which is the second biggest of the 32 boroughs in London and is home to an estimated 250,000 people.

Key industries and employers

The town is a big draw for keen shoppers, with two large retail centres called The Chimes and The Mall Pavilions, in addition to an Art Deco department store named Randall's. Uxbridge houses the main offices in Europe of a number of prestigious companies, including Apple, Xerox, Cadbury, Canon, Unisys and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The Coca-Cola Company also has offices in the town centre, and the area is home to Brunel University and Uxbridge College.

People in employment in Uxbridge work in the main as administrative staff, in secretarial roles, sales and customer services. The 44.6 hectare RAF Uxbridge site was approved for redevelopment by Hillingdon Council in 2011 and its owners plan to build houses, shops and schools there. Recruitment agencies will prove to be a valuable resource in connecting with the right employers in Uxbridge.