We’re waving goodbye August and saying hello to September, with the record-high temperatures of the summer already looking like a thing of the past and autumn on the horizon – and that, of course, unfortunately means it’s spider season.
According to experts, the giant “hand-sized” house spider is gearing up to rear it’s ugly head in households across the UK as it searches for somewhere warm to escape the harsh outdoor conditions.
Oh, and it’s also looking for a mate too and has been described as “sex-crazed”.
In what is bound to be bad news for Greater Manchester’s arachnophobes, it’s been confirmed that around the first or second week in September, there’ll be a rise in the number of large, male spiders wandering through homes, and females will tend to stay in places like underneath windowsills and webs.
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Of the 650 species of spider in the UK, most are too small to be able to bite, but the Tegenaria Domestica and Eratigena Atrica – also known as the giant house spider – are “generally quite large”, and according to The Wildlife Trusts, can be identified by its dark, hairy body and long legs.
It typically has a leg span of up to 7.5cm, and can run up to half a metre per second.
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Millions of ‘sex-crazed’ spiders to begin invading UK homes as mating season begins / Credit: Pxfuel
Professor Adam Hart – Entomologist at the University of Gloucestershire – said that we don’t really need to worry though as they are relatively “harmless”.
He also revealed that peak time for spotting spiders indoors is around 7:35pm.
He continued: “There’s nearly always a way to get in the house, they can also come in through things like towels that are left outside. Keeping your house tidy and keeping clothes off the floor may reduce places for them to hide, but it’s very difficult to keep them out.”
Whilst he did state that this is the typical time for spider mating season, he added that it won’t stick around for long and should come to end at the start of October.
So, what are some of the best ways to deter spiders from your home then? Lucy Askew – spokesperson for Hillary’s – has shared her six top tips on how to keep spiders at bay this autumn/winter:
Put conkers in the corners of your rooms.
Create your own natural spider deterrents using citrus juice, essential oils, and vinegar.
Seal the cracks in your home – especially near windows.
Keep your windows closed at night.
Maintain / keep on top of your cleaning routine.
Turn off your outside lights.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
31st August 2022 
