But it arguably doesn’t get much better than a title like this.
For a long time now, the city has been cementing itself as a tourist hotspot, with new hotels popping up left, right, and centre, and integrated transport systems being introduced to make it easier to get around.
And it looks like all that has paid off, as Manchester has now been named one of the best cities in the whole of Europe for 2025, thanks to a new ranking by Resonance Co.
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Manchester has been named one of Europe’s ‘best’ cities / Credit: Josh Taylor | Chris Curry (via Unsplash)
This year, the global placemaking company’s research encompassed 128 cities across Europe with metropolitan area populations of 500,000 or more, and evaluated each of them based on 30 performance indicators and perception metrics derived from surveys of more than 7,500 respondents across 10 European countries.
Once each of these performance indictors had been evaluated, every city was given its own ‘Place Power Score’ to determine its ranking.
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A city’s ‘Place Power Score’ examines three core dimensions – liveability, which takes into account things like housing affordability, healthcare access, green space, air quality, and cycling infrastructure; loveability, which encompasses culture, nightlife, culinary scenes, and more; and prosperity, which includes business environment, talent density, GDP per capita, airport connectivity, and more.
While Manchester may have missed out on both the top 10 and top 20, considering it’s a top 100 list, our city has claimed the respectable 36th spot, beating out mega cities such as Venice, Nice, Athens, and loads more.
In fact, 18 British cities are included in the top 100.
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Our city has ranked alongside 17 other British places / Credit: Mangopear Creative
Explaining why Manchester has been ranked, Resonance Co said in its city description: “You’ll be hearing a lot more about Manchester this decade, as the historic engine of English industry shifts into high gear across both culture and development.
“While the UNESCO City of Literature continues to shape global music – with 2024’s opening of the 23,500-seat Co-op Live arena, and a festival lineup that includes Beyond the Music and Worldwide Music Expo – Greater Manchester is also writing a new chapter in urban reinvention.
“A newly centralised ‘single pipeline for growth’ coordinates £1 billion of planned annual investment across six targeted Growth Locations, aiming to deliver tens of thousands of homes and jobs at a pace unmatched in the UK since the 2012 London Olympics. Among the boldest is the Western Gateway, anchored by the regeneration of Old Trafford around Manchester United’s stadium, projected to generate over 90,000 jobs.
“The Central Growth Cluster includes innovation districts like Crescent Salford and Victoria North. These ambitions build on an £80-billion economy that’s grown 50% since 2000 and now leads the nation in FDI outside London.
“Add a mature devolved governance model and transformative transit investments – like bringing commuter rail into the Bee Network – and the city’s Top 10-ranked airport and 15th-most Instagram Hashtags start making sense.”
Which city took the title of the best city in Europe though? Well unfortunately, we have to give it to the southerners on this one, as London took the top spot.
But at least it’s an impressive win for the UK, if nothing else.
Featured Image – Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
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Subjects for first vocational equivalent to A-Levels revealed ahead of introduction next year
Emily Sergeant
The subjects for the first vocational equivalent to A-Levels have been revealed ahead of their introduction into the curriculum next year.
Claiming that too many have been ‘held back’ by a system that didn’t ‘value every route to success’, the Government has now announced that young people will be able to take the very first V-Levels in subjects like education, finance, and digital in 2027, as part of landmark reforms to close the skills gap and help them secure well-paid jobs.
V-Levels are described as being ‘transformational’ new qualifications where learning is designed around real jobs and the skills that employers actually need.
They combine study and real‑world work experience to achieve the final outcome.
As mentioned, the new qualifications will be introduced next year for 16‑year‑olds, providing a year of study before progressing to V-Levels, T-Levels or A-Levels – with the initial subjects being Education and Early Years, and Digital.
The first subjects for the vocational equivalent to A-Levels have been revealed / Credit: EasyPeasyAI | JESHOOTS (via Unsplash)
A separate two‑year, employment‑focused route will also be available for those aiming to move straight into work or an apprenticeship after education.
Students who want to specialise in technical, sector-focused studies will also have more options, as T-Levels will soon be expanded to include subjects such as Sports, Fitness and Exercise Science, and Care Services.
These further changes to T-Levels will refine content and assessment, and allow providers more scope to tailor industry placements, to ensure that more young people can access them.
“Our bold reforms will end the snobbery in post-16 education, supporting young people with real choice and real opportunity to build secure, future‑proof careers,” commented Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, as the V-Level subjects were announced.
“Not only that, but it will give parents much-needed confidence in a system that values every route to success, as we continuing driving forward our mission to ensure two‑thirds of young people are in education, training, or apprenticeships by 25.”
Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, added: “We are pleased that a third qualification pathway will sit alongside A levels and T levels in the future.
“The changes announced to T levels today are also very welcome and should make it easier for more young people to study a T level and for schools and colleges to offer them.”
Featured Image – The Labour Party (via Flickr)
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Salford man jailed after pointing loaded gun at police and members of public while on the run
Emily Sergeant
A man from Salford has been jailed for more than a decade after he pointed a loaded gun at police officers and members of the public while he was on the run.
Jay Conway, of Leicester Walk in Salford, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (6 March 2026) where he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and assault of an emergency worker, as well as also pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs.
His sentencing comes after officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Salford Challenger team were patrolling Albert Park in plain clothes on Tuesday 20 May 2025.
They spotted a man riding an e-bike and wearing a balaclava, and attempted to detain him there and then, but despite their best efforts, he fled the area, brandishing what officers believed to be a pistol in the process.
The suspect – which was later identified as Conway – stole a bike and cycled on to Great Clowes Street, where a neighbourhood officer heading towards the incident attempted to detain him but he resisted. The officer deployed his Taser but he drew the pistol for a second time, pointing it at police and also at a member of the public.
Conway then dropped the firearm – which police later confirmed as a viable, loaded pistol – and a mobile phone, and fled for a second time.
Thanks to a ‘fast-paced and thorough’ investigation by specialist GMP teams, involving forensic analysis of the phone and CCTV which identified Conway as the suspect, he was arrested by armed officers the following day in Whalley Range.
“Nobody – a police officer or a member of the public – should be confronted by a gun,” said Detective Superintendent Simon Moyles, following Conway’s sentencing.
“These were frightening incidents and Conway is clearly a dangerous individual who is rightly serving a prison sentence. We need to commend and recognise our officers who showed immense bravery in trying to stop Conway.
“Guns have no place on our streets and the work we are doing in Salford, and across Greater Manchester, in relation to firearms incidents continues.
“If you know anyone who is using, or possesses, an illegal firearm, we urge you to get in touch with us as, for each firearm we recover, that’s potentially a life saved.”
Emily Sergeant -
8th May 2025 
