EDINBURGH has come third place in a ranking of the UK’s top 25 locations for the creative industries, with Glasgow not far behind in fifth.

Both cities scored highly for concentrations of creative businesses, creative professionals and millennial populations, according to the survey from property firm CBRE, which also pointed to factors such as a high level of education and access to world-class universities. The pipeline of graduates from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics was said to be a big draw for tech companies keen to ensure they are close to the best talent pools.

Edinburgh, which was beaten in the rankings by only Manchester and Reading, has built a global reputation for its tech industries, having produced so-called tech “unicorns” Skyscanner and FanDuel in recent tears. Skyscanner was acquired by China’s Ctrip in a £1.4 billion deal in November. Glasgow meanwhile recently opened the Tontine Building, which has attracted tech tenants such as CodeClan, the digital skills academy.

CBRE’s Audrey Dobson said: “Evidence shows that regional cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow have a critical mass of talent necessary to compete successfully in the creative sector. Additionally the return to urban living is easier to achieve in regional centres such as Glasgow and Edinburgh.”

CBRE identified the top 25 locations based on the ingredients needed for the creative industries to thrive.