Newly-conducted research has revealed that Manchester is the best city for a summer break in the UK in 2021.
With international travel restrictions likely to remain in place by the time summer comes around, many Brits will be looking to explore the sights on our shores instead, and while a holiday in Blighty is usually spent by the coast or in the countryside, it’s also a brilliant time to visit a new city.
If you’re stuck for a bit of staycation inspiration though, Staybridge Suites has ranked 15 cities across the country based on their summer amenities, including rooftop bars, percentage of green spaces, riverside activities and lidos, outdoor pools, open water swimming areas.
Each city was then given a score out of 10.
And Manchester has come out on top, with a score of 7.5 – was there ever any doubt?
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When it comes to Manchester’s standout summer features and activities for tourists, Staybridge Suites has said that as well as being home to the most rooftop bars outside of the capital, the city also has a vast collection of both bars and restaurants lining the River Irwell and the Bridgewater Canal.
There’s also plenty of water-related activities too, with the Helly Hansen Watersports Centre offering canoeing, sailing and windsurfing.
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You can also take part in open water swimming in and around the city centre as well.
But where should us Mancs be looking to head to for our city breaks instead then? What other UK cities have earned themselves a spot in the new rankings?
Newcastle and Bristol tied for second place, both with a score of 7.
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It may not boast as many rooftop bars as Manchester, but Newcastle still offers a number of spots along the Tyne for visitors to enjoy a drink, and the North East also has some amazing areas of countryside, including ancient forests in Hareshaw Linn and quaint villages like Haydon Bridge – which is home to Hadrian’s Wall and has a National Park on its doorstep.
Bristol is also described as a hub of summer fun, as it has a large selection of outdoor pools to relax by, including the historic Bristol Lido.
On the other end of the spectrum, London and Leeds were at bottom of the summer city rankings, each with a respective score of 3, as while the capital has lots of outdoor space, lidos and rooftop bars, the size of the city means it isn’t the best place to enjoy the heat, and similarly, Leeds may also have a large percentage of green space in the city (21.7%), but the lack of nearby lidos and outdoor swimming opportunities mean it scored low in the overall ranking.
The Best UK Cities To Visit in 2021
Manchester – 7.52
Newcastle & Bristol
Liverpool – 6.5
Nottingham – 5.5
Belfast & Glasgow – 5
Leicester, Edinburgh & Southampton – 4.5
Birmingham, Sheffield & Dundee – 4
Leeds & London – 3
Speaking on the new rankings, Lisa Crocker – Regional General Manager from Staybridge Suites – said: “Once restrictions are lifted, it is likely that holidays will be restricted to the UK this summer [and] whilst the coast and countryside are the usual option in the British summer, our research shows that there are lots of amazing activities to enjoy in the UK”.
“Cities like Newcastle have perfect summer settings and breathtaking countryside a short drive away, offering the best of both.
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“Post lockdown, we are anticipating a big increase in people choosing self-catering accommodation options and the flexibility to feel safe in a home away from home”.
You can take a look at the full rankings and find more information here.
News
Police officer who sexually assaulted a child while on duty sacked
Daisy Jackson
A ‘morally reprehensible’ police officer who sexually assaulted a child while on duty has been sacked and barred from service.
GMP held an accelerated misconduct hearing with PC Dean Dempster, 35, and he has been dismissed without notice.
The disgraced officer admitted ‘sexually touching’ the six-year-old child in December 2023 and is set to be sentenced at a later date.
He was a response officer in Oldham at the time that the offence was reported, and was arrested by a supervisor when he returned to work the next day.
A senior officer has now said that Dempster ‘has no right to be in police uniform or in a position to serve the public’.
Another said it was ‘among the most distressing cases ever presented’ and a ‘despicable betrayal’ of police duties.
Dempster was convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl while responding to an incident on 29 December 2023.
He was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court in February and remained suspended since being charged at the end of last year.
Presiding over today’s hearing, CC Watson found PC Dempster’s conduct amounted to gross misconduct, saying: “This sexual assault occurred whilst the officer was on duty and where the victim was totally trusting and reliant on him performing his duties professionally, compassionately and with her welfare uppermost in his thoughts.
“It is this most egregious breach of trust of an innocent young child that is most upsetting aspect of this case and something that clearly amounts to an aggravating factor.
“I consider this case to be among the most distressing ever presented to me such is the despicable betrayal of all that is inherent in being a decent police officer.
“I have no hesitation whatsoever in dismissing PC Dempster from the service with immediate effect.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “Dean Dempster is not a police officer, he’s a child sex offender who has no right to be in police uniform or in a position to serve the public.
“We have no time for people like Dempster who should not be in GMP and does not represent us.
“This is why we’re increasingly using accelerated misconduct hearings to root out and boot out officers who are unfit to serve in our uniform, and this work will continue while ever they remain.”
Dempster has been added to the College of Policing Barred List by Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who described Dempster’s actions as ‘morally reprehensible’.
GMP used accelerated proceedings as part of its pledge to ‘root and boot’ officers unfit to serve the public.
The force is now writing to the Deputy Mayor of GM to appeal for Dempster to lose his right to a police pension.
Manchester City reveals details around the first Andy’s Man Club sessions at the Etihad Stadium
Danny Jones
Manchester City have released the first details surrounding their inaugural Andy’s Man Club sessions at the Etihad Campus.
One of the most important charities in the UK when it comes to male mental health and suicide prevention, Andy’s Man Club and even its logo alone have become a recognisable force for good over the past few years, and the significance of bringing it to such a big scale as City cannot be overstated.
The football club first announced the partnership back in February and has already been working closely with the non-profit organisation to promote better wellbeing amongst men, getting first-team stars such as defender John Stones to open up about his own experiences with mental health just last month.
With that in mind, the word is now out that Man City will be providing yet another location for groups to meet and crucially talk through Andy’s Man Club sessions, confirming details around their first meeting from next week onwards.
It's less than two weeks before @andysmanclubuk launches at the Etihad Stadium! 🩵👌
Before we open doors on the 13th May, our fans sat down to share their experiences 💭
Set to kick off in the East Stand of the Etihad Stadium from 7-9pm on Monday, 13 May, Man City will not only help deliver a vital outlet for men in the East Manchester area but become just the latest in a long line of teams to back the regular support group.
Joining over 180 clubs nationwide – including the likes of Altrincham FC, Ashton United and Bolton Wanderers, just to name a few in the Greater Manchester area – Andy’s Mans Club is currently helping well over 4,000 men open up and combat their struggles through peer-to-peer sessions.
Founded by a group of nine blokes from Halifax back in 2016 to create positive change in men’s mental health, Andy’s Man Club now helps gather men aged 18 and over across the country every week throughout the year.
In alignment with other partnered clubs Andy’s Man Clubs across the country, attendees will be asked to arrive from 18:30 (UK) ahead of the 19:00 start time.
We’re excited to be launching an Andy's Man Club at the Etihad Stadium next month 🩵
Ahead of the first session, John Stones sat down to find out what it is all about 🙌
The sessions are free with registration or ID required and, more importantly, there’s no pressure to talk if you don’t want to. The first step is easy: just listen.
Just because it’s being held at City’s ground doesn’t mean you have to be a season ticket holder, have an official Cityzens membership to attend or anything like that, you can simply arrive via the East Stand reception (Door F) and join the session.
Attendees will be greeted on arrival by trained volunteers from Andy’s Man Club who will guide them through the stadium. With the club now on board, group sessions will be running at the same time every week (except bank holiday Mondays) with the first dates scheduled for the following nights this month:
Monday 13 May
Monday 20 May
Monday 3 June
Monday 10 June
Well done to all those involved in bringing Andy’s Man Club to Manchester City and the East Manchester community. We hope the sessions will help those going along as they have done for thousands of others.