Anyone who’s been lucky enough to spend a match day in the city centre could probably tell you this, but now it’s official.
Manchester has been named the best place in the UK to watch Euro 2020.
After a year of postponement due to the pandemic, European football’s flagship tournament finally kicked off last month with 24 countries going head to head in a battle to take home the coveted trophy – and now, nearly four weeks later, just three teams remain.
Italy booked their spot in Sunday’s final after beating Spain in a close call that went all the way to penalties last night, and this evening, England look to do the same.
All eyes will be on Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad at 8pm as they take on Denmark in the second semi-final at Wembley.
But until that result’s decided, Manchester has claimed a victory of its own.
Thanks to timely research led by mobile reseller Buymobiles, 28 of the UK’s major cities have been ranked based on a number of different factors, including the average cost of a pint, venue ratings, and a ‘footy-mad’ score determined by Google Trends – and Manchester has unsurprisingly clinched the top spot.
Top 10 Places to Watch Euro 2020 in the UK
Manchester
Liverpool
Edinburgh
Newcastle
Glasgow
Leeds
Belfast
Southampton
Aberdeen
Sheffield
28 of the UK’s major cities have been ranked based on a number of different factors / Credit: Buymobiles
Overall, the North West proved to the best region to watch this summer’s championships, with Liverpool taking the second spot just behind Manchester.
Scotland also proved extremely successful based on the metrics measured, boasting two cities in the top five and three in the top ten, and with Newcastle, Leeds, Belfast, Southampton and Sheffield all making up the rest of the top ten, there seems to be quite an even split geographically throughout the UK, which means you’re never too far away from a great Euro 2020 experience.
But if there’s anywhere you’d want to be, it’s in Manchester.
Manchester is a city that’s obsessed with football and it’s a sport that’s so ingrained in our culture, so it’s not hard to see why we’ve taken this title.
As you’d expect, there’s plenty of venues that have been going all out for the Euros this year.
There’s plenty of venues that have been going all out for the Euros this year / Credit: Oast House | Euro 2020
The semi-finals and grand finale of Euro 2020 may be being held at English football’s home ground of Wembley Stadium in London, but if you’re not able to make the trip down south, there’s certainly no shortage of pubs and bars in Manchester city centre that are putting on a good show.
Whether England make it to their first final of a major tournament since 1966, or they bow out at the final hurdle, you won’t want to miss Euro 2020 drawing to a close.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on the Three Lions last minute?
We’ve picked out 20 of the best spots to watch Euro 2020 in Manchester city centre here.
Featured Image – 4theFans
UK News
A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.
And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.
That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.
With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.
Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.
Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…
Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.
Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.
Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.
Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.
Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.
In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?
That being said, instead of tucking you into a lovely motor vehicle, this time we’re letting you nestle down in a converted and cosy shipping container just outside of Greater Manchester.
Titled Hous Viridis, which is simply Latin for ‘green house‘, this unique staycation is covered from floor to ceiling with sage green paint.
The living area and bathroom at ‘Hous Viridis’, where you can stay in a converted shipping container (Credit: Hous Viridis)
The green doesn’t stop there either, as there’s an array of potted plants and shrubbery throughout this 960 square foot property.
There are four distinct sections inside this quirky staycation property, including a kitchen, living and dining area, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Whether you’re after a romantic getaway, a trip with friends or even a mini family gathering, you can have it all at Hous Viridis as it sleeps up to eight people.
This shipping container turned glamping pod has plenty of amenities to stop you from getting cabin fever, including a 50-inch TV, American-style fridge freezer, Nespresso coffee machine and, of course, the secret to turning almost anyone into a good cook: an air fryer.
The outdoor space at Hous Viridis, which is a converted shipping container less than an hour from Manchester (Credit: Hous Viridis)
It also has its own vintage cocktail cabinet with a selection of glasses and a handful of recipes; the only thing you need to bring is the alcohol.
If inside this shipping container ever gets a little bit too stuffy, there’s an outdoor area which boasts everything from a hot tub to a fire pit and a hot stone pizza oven.
‘The Hous’ even has a herd of adorable pygmy goats which they keep as pets, and if given enough notice, you can get access to the paddock if provided permission from your hosts.
You might also unintentionally bump into an animal or two, as this staycation spot is a wildlife haven home to rabbits, hares, birds of prey and more.
You may be wondering after hearing all this good news if there’s a catch, and the Hous Viridis website gives you one warning: the weather…
“Being in Yorkshire, we can experience all four seasons in one day, so pack for all weather eventualities”. To be honest, since we’re from Greater Manchester, if this is the only downside, you can count us in.
Whether you’re after winding down in the Yorkshire or want to experience sleeping over in a converted shipping container, you’re sure to have a memorable stay.
You can find out more information about Hous Viridis and enquire about bookings right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
7th July 2021 
