A travel YouTuber has come under fire from locals after claiming that two Greater Manchester towns were among “the worst places to live in England”.
The Learning Canteen – which has 2.2K subscribers, and usually amasses tens of thousands of views per video – describes itself as a channel that focuses on creating “interesting and informative videos on travel, education, business, and lifestyle” and is known for posting a wide range of and top 10 list-style videos and round-up videos.
And it was in one of those list-style videos that Oldham and Rochdale were named among the worst towns to live in the country.
In the video, which is titled ’10 Worst Places to Live in England’ and has been viewed nearly 60,000 times, Oldham came in ninth place, while Rochdale – which was described as “bleak” – ranked third.
Other northern towns on the list include Middlesbrough, Blackpool, and Bradford.
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In the description of the video in question – which has a voice over by who is believed to be a Canadian narrator – the channel claims that the list represents their personal opinion, which has been “formed out of careful research and inputs from friends and acquaintances.”
Of Rochdale – which they pronounce ‘Rockdale’ – the narrator says the town has received “negative reviews by most of those who had been there.”
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They quoted one Rochdale resident as saying: “leave fast, or stay forever.”
Oldham town centre / Credit: Jody Hartley
Then turning the spotlight onto Oldham, the narrator describes it as “another not-so-good town in the north”, before bizarrely complaining that there’s not a “single tower to boost the town’s image” and adding: “You certainly won’t have a hard time agreeing that this is one of the worst places, even in the UK.
“The Office of National Statistics once announced it as Britain’s most deprived town [and] according to one resident, Oldham looks as though the government has been performing nuclear testing in the area.”
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This wasn’t the end of the criticism for the two towns either, as a later but similar video posted to the channel – this time titled ’12 Worst Towns in the UK’ – also named Oldham and Rochdale on the list once again, in 11th place and a tragic 1st place, respectively.
As expected, given the towns’ harsh rankings on both videos, local residents have a few things to say – and understandably, they aren’t happy.
Over on Facebook, one clearly-offended person said: “So a guy from Canada decides that Oldham is the second worst place in the country based on that there isn’t a high rise tower in the area”, adding that “Oldham isn’t the best but is certainly not the worst, shouldn’t even be top ten.”
“I could name 20 places that are worse than Oldham,” they concluded.
The incorrect pronunciation of the towns also drew quite a bit of criticism too, with another Facebook user commenting: “The video would be more interesting if the guy talking could actually pronounce the areas that he’s slagging off correctly.”
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But one Oldham resident chose to remain a little more optimistic by claiming that: “It’s not the best place to live but it certainly isn’t the worse place.
“The people who live in Oldham are the most friendliest people that you will ever meet.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons | Geograph
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Manchester Airport launches HUGE January sale with up to 40% off travel essentials
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport is kicking off the new year with a huge January sale, and there’s loads of savings to make the most of.
2026 is here, and with January often being considered one of the least-favourite months of the year, many people will be dreaming of their next holiday and planning when they’re next going to jet off on their travels, which is why Manchester Airport has decided to launch a big January sale – with up to 40% off on travel ‘essentials’.
Unfortunately, we wish it was… but one of those ‘essentials’ isn’t actually the flights themselves.
While you won’t be able to bag a couple of quid off the flight to your next holiday, tourists will be able to save on a range of other travel services instead, as after all, the journey is just as important as the destination.
We’re talking savings on parking places, airport lounges, FastTrack security checks, and even a private terminal to fly from.
When it comes to parking, you can get 15% off T2 Multi Storey West and T2 Meet & Greet, and 25% off all other parking locations for arrivals until 30 April 2026, as well as 15% off all parking locations for arrivals from 1 May until 31 August 2026.
To make your airport experience that little bit more stress-free, you can now get 40% off FastTrack Security for all arrivals until 31 December 2027.
You can get 20% off T1 & T3 Escape Lounges, and 10% off T2 Escape Lounges for all arrivals until 31 March 2027, and if you want to add some luxury to your airport experience, then you can even get 30% off at aether when you spend £400 or more on travel between 1 April 2026 until 30 September 2026.
Many of the offers just mentioned cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and are subject to availability too, so make sure you don’t get caught out.
Fancy booking a trip then? You can find out more information about Manchester Airport’s January Sale 2026, and book online here.
Featured Image – Ivan Shimko (via Unsplash)
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A much-loved Manc grassroots venue is hosting a live screening of The Traitors final
Danny Jones
A beloved grassroots venue here in Manchester city centre is holding a big screening of this year’s The Traitors final.
Consider already there with bells, whistles and a big hood on.
Yes, following the return of The Traitors mainline show this month, not to mention even more versions of the show landing on the BBC in 2026, we’re expecting record-breaking numbers of viewers for this year’s highly anticipated ‘Grand Final’.
With that in mind, Manc favourite arts and entertainment venue, Fairfield Social Club (FSC), will be playing The Traitors season four final on the big screen.
You do not want to miss this, and we don’t just mean the episode: we’re talking about the unparalleled and often unhinged vibes at Fairfield.
Having been to plenty of live events at FSC over the past 18 months or so, from live viewing parties and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia quizzes to nights out with other social clubs and community organisations, we can personally vouch for their hosting chops.
As for this particular watchalong, they’ve promised they’re “going all in for The Traitors Finale 2026, live on the FSC big screen with a full crowd, big reactions and plenty of drama.”
With the team set to deliver a full pre-show Traitors quiz with plenty of prizes up for grabs, and even free drinks for anyone who turns up in a cloak or top-notch Claudia Winkleman fancy dress, there are so many reasons to make this gaff the place you choose as your venue for the final.
We’ll also be making sure to attend their upcoming Lily Allen line-dancing show, because we’re still obsessed with West End Girl.
Like with The Traitors final, don’t worry, they’ve done this dance MANY times before.
Honestly, this place never disappoints when it comes to variety or enjoyment.
As if any of the above wasn’t already convincing enough for you, tickets are just a fiver, and they also include a welcome drink. Doors will open 6pm, and seating plans are simply first-come first first-served.
Not only is that a great deal across the board, but it’s also probably one of the cheapest drinks you’ll find in town these days…
If you fancy joining in the chaos and inevitable chorus of gasps when the Grand Final goes live, you can grab your tickets for the conclusion of this season’s Traitors at Fairfield Social Club right HERE – and we promise you that it will sell out fast.
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2021 
