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Manchester crowned one of the most popular city break destinations in the UK

It also ranks in the top spots for city break destinations across Europe too.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th July 2020

Manchester has been ranked as one of the most popular city break destinations in the UK, according to a recently-conducted survey.

Of course it has – Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the world, if you ask us.

Is it the city’s renowned sporting history? Booming nightclub scene? Or simply just its welcoming and easy-going locals that make it so attractive to visitors? Whichever way, Manchester is often confidently mentioned in lists of the country’s ‘must-visit’ cities among tourists.

In fact, it’s been crowned as the top city break destination in the North of England for 2020.

A recently-conducted survey by Manchester-based luxury aparthotel company CitySuites has seen our city beat out the likes of Liverpool and York for top spot in the North, but how popular is Manchester when compared with other attractive city break destinations in the UK, and even with the rest of Europe?

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Whilst London and Edinburgh have taken the top two spots in the UK, Manchester comes in at number three.

The most popular city break destinations in the UK
(Based on searches made in the UK) 

Using Google search data obtained from Keyword Finder tool, the top 10 list has been devised using a number of analyses based on the phrase ‘hotels in X’, with X being the most searched for cities across the UK, and the term ‘hotels in Manchester’ was reportedly searched for an average of 74,000 times each month.

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Other popular UK cities such as Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff also featured in the top 10 list.

When it comes to the rest of Europe though, how will Manchester fair? Well, it’s not budging – it’s sitting firmly at that number three spot, having been searched on average of 74,900 times across the UK.

The most popular city break destinations in Europe
(Based on searches made in the UK) 

Surprisingly, or maybe not that surprisingly at all to us Mancs, the search term ‘Hotels in Manchester’ actually receives more searches in the UK each month than terms such as ‘Hotels in Amsterdam’ and ‘Hotels in Paris’, which could suggest that city breaks in Manchester are much more desirable amongst us Brits than those overseas at the moment.

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These search figures certainly align with the rise in staycations reported across the UK amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

For more information on top city breaks in 2020, you can visit the CitySuites website here.

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Lauren Laverne says she has ‘so much to be grateful for’ after getting the cancer all clear

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

BBC presenter Lauren Laverne has been given the all clear following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

The 46-year-old star announced back in August that the cancer was detected ‘unexpectedly’ during a screening test, but revealed that it was luckily caught ‘early’ and that she was therefore expected to make a full recovery.

Laverne – who currently presents for BBC’s The One Show, as well as for BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and on BBC Radio 6 Music too – thanked the “incredible skill and kindness” of the medical team treating her at the time of her diagnosis, as well as her family and friends who she said had been “extraordinary every step of the way”.

She also urged anyone avoiding a test or putting off a medical appointment to “get yourself checked out” as soon as possible.

Lauren Laverne asks for 'good vibes' after revealing cancer diagnosis. Credit: Instagram, Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne asks for ‘good vibes’ after revealing cancer diagnosis / Credit: Lauren Laverne (via Instagram)

But now, several months after revealing to her thousands of fans that she had been diagnosed with cancer, Laverne has taken to Instagram once again to share the news that she has been given the all clear and that she now has “so much to be grateful for and excited about”.

“Just a quick update from me to say that, after taking some time off to get better, I’ve had the all clear and will be back to work on your TV this Tuesday with the wonderful The One Show team,” Laverne wrote on Instagram yesterday.

“I want to say a huge thank you to the brilliant medical teams who took such great care of me, to the thousands of people who sent me such beautiful and encouraging messages, my friends and the acquaintances who took the time to support me after going through cancer themselves, and most of all to my family.

“It’s been a difficult time, but one that has taught me so much about what really matters.

“I can’t say I suddenly regretted never having hiked the Inca Trail, more that I now see more beauty in ordinary things than I could have imagined, and feel more than ever that the small things in life – the connections we make and care we take with each other – are the big things really. I have so much to be grateful for and excited about, and that is thanks to everyone mentioned above.”

Laverne also sent “loads of love” to anyone going through cancer treatment or supporting a loved one through it.”

Read more:

She also revealed that she’s been working on some new Desert Island Discs episodes, which will air soon on BBC Radio 4, and that she will also be returning to BBC Radio 6 Music in the new year too.

Featured Image – Lauren Laverne (via Instagram)

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Rúben Amorim outlines the three key things Manchester United need to work on

Danny Jones Danny Jones Ruben Amorim first pre-match press conference Man United

Rúben Amorim has conducted his first full press conference as Manchester United manager and has outlined the three key things he wants to address when it comes to his new team.

Amorim officially joined Man United on Monday, 11 November after being given a ‘now or never’ which meant he had to leave his former club Sporting CP in the middle of the season.

Replacing Erik ten Hag, who was sacked less than 24 hours after a 2-1 defeat to West Ham and had overseen a run of bad results, the contract extension he was given in the summer ultimately proved obsolete and now the Portuguese head coach must lift his new side from a measly 13th in the table.

That being said, speaking to the media in his first full pre-match presser ahead of his maiden Premier League outing against Ipswich Town this weekend, Amorim has already highlighted three key areas in which he wants United to improve as a matter of priority.

What did Amorim say in his first full Man United press conference?

Although the 39-year-old coach – who is only three years older than resurgent centre-back Johnny Evans – started off by assuring that his main focus at its core is to win the next match (and the one after that, as the football cliché goes), he boiled the current squad issues down to a troublesome trio.

In his eyes, a lot of it just comes down to pure physical effort.

Improve possession

First and foremost, Amorim was quick to point out that United “lose the ball too often” and simply have to retain it more throughout the 90 minutes.

Although they have enjoyed spells of greater control in games, their average possessions stats in the Premier League not only under ten Hag but Ole Gunnar Solskjær and even short-lived interim boss Ralf Rangnick never flirted too far above 50-53%.

While that might sound like the signs of nothing more than a well-contested game, the club need to be looking at much higher numbers if they want to start being a dominant force again.

Track back more

The second area he said that the team desperately needs to improve in is the distances covered per match, especially when it comes to running back towards their own goal and tracking back during defensive phases.

Addressing it in a rather matter-of-fact manner, he told reporters: “We have to be better at running back, I think that is clear for everybody [to see].” He told Gary Neville something very similar in his other recent interview with Sky Sports.

He said it with a smile on his face but it’s clear that he knows there is a narrative surrounding United in recent years that they just don’t work hard enough, both on and off the ball. Having played mainly in the middle of the park for Belenenses, Benfica and SC Braga, running is a non-negotiable.

Focus on the ‘details’ first

Lastly, Amorim said he believes one of the big things he can do for these players is to help them fine-tune the small things. He added that although there is a feeling that fans want there to be “a lot of change” and pressure to make “big” decisions, he reiterated that “it’s the small things.”

The former utility player knows a thing or two about playing in lots of positions and going back to the opening point of his press conference in which he discussed getting the team to believe in “one thing”, he believes that the minute differences can contribute to changing how they approach the game.

There is understandably lots of talk surrounding his trademark 3-4-3 formation and whether these details refer to tactical tweaks, we will see, but he insists that so long as they put in the effort and pay attention to the little stuff, those on the pitch will start to play in the same way that he wants them to.

You can watch his press conference ahead of the Ipswich away this Sunday in full down below:

Amorim was also happy to casually call out those who ‘don’t believe in’ his new players in his first press conference as Man United coach.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BeanymanSports (via YouTube screenshot)

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