I live in the south of England. It's certainly not for Harrods! It's not even a very good shop for 'ordinary' folk. Proximity for London is important, for employment, culture, airports. Access to the south coast which has a great mixture of seaside towns, stunning coastline and great history.
Probably the weather is also an important factor.
The north is a few degrees cooler on average and has more rain. Some parts of the north are beautiful, more rugged, mountainous. Some of the cities declined with the end of manufacturing. England, like many countries is in a state of flux. The south is more affluent. There are many factors behind this, it would take a lifetime to understand them all.
YMMV