Let’s be clear. The ‘second city’ is an informal title and the choice is clearly a subjective one. So, obviously, the victor has to be Manchester.
Over the years, people have struggled to make up their minds as to which area is the UK’s biggest (culturally speaking) besides London. In the early 19th century, it was Dublin, then later Glasgow and Liverpool battled it out for the honour, both being major industrial cities at the time.
In 2015, research conducted by YouGov proved more people think of Manchester as the second city more than any other after we beat Birmingham to the top spot with 30% of the vote. But how does the land lie now?
B’ham has a strong claim – given the city-region is the second-largest in England, particularly in terms of its urban economy. Manchester is only the fifth largest by population.
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Progress in Manchester, however, has put the city in the spotlight in recent years and now it seems primed to take the crown, after being ranked as the second city in numerous polls since the 2000’s.
St. Peter’s Square in full spring bloom / Image: Adam Pester
When you ask people why, it really seems to come down to culture.
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Perhaps this is unsurprising, given the famous cultural exports of Manchester ranging from the suffragette movement to the Hacienda and the world’s first professional football league.
The city is also home to the longest-running soap opera in the world and has spawned a staggering 25 Nobel prize winners to date, as well as famous authors like Elizabeth Gaskell and Anthony Burgess.
According to the Trinity Mirror Data Unit, Manchester ranks ninth out of 50 cities for culture, with more music venues per 100,000 people than anywhere else in the country. It is also second for most libraries and cinemas.
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Birmingham, on the other hand, ranks 47th. Still, it beats us on Michelin stars with four more than Manchester (if you count Where The Light Gets In’s green award).
A birds eye view over the city of Manchester / Image: Adam Pester
The Midlands has also made some cultural strides in recent years with big club nights like Bigger than Barry and Moho, alongside arthouse venues like Yard and Ikon gallery.
It’s also started to get more food and drink independents popping up, as the dining culture moves away from big chains to a more local focus. Credit where credit is due.
Culture aside, there are other important factors to take into account such as universities, which are the lifeblood of many UK cities.
The University of Manchester currently ranks sixth in the country, whilst Birmingham sits at 87th. No competition to speak of there, then.
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And what about sport? Well, in 2020 Manchester ranked the 8th best sports city in the world by BCW Sport. It also successfully hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2002, whilst Birmingham failed in its bid to host the 1992 Olympics.
However, Birmingham does host the international athletics meetings and will be the centre of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
It also goes without saying that Manchester has two of the best football teams in the country, no matter if you’re red or blue. Yes, for a time Aston Villa were the best in England – winning their first division title five times before United or City – but since then Manchester has far out-stripped the Midlands teams in terms of titles.
Overall, it seems clear Manchester is the victor.
Even Birmingham’s own residents seem to agree, according to a study conducted in 2017 which discovered a massive 38 percent view the birthplace of Oasis, Corrie and The Stone Roses as the true second city. This figure increased to 44 percent when only 18 to 24-year-olds were asked.
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Even though Birmingham might be the most populous city outside of London and a bigger contributor to national GDP, most people believe Manchester is worthy of the second city title. After all, size isn’t the only thing that’s important.
Feature image / Adam Pester.
Art & Culture
Lily Allen to play smash-hit new album in full on first tour in seven years
Danny Jones
Lily Allen has returned with one of the best comeback albums the British music scene has witnessed in decades, and it’s been received so well that she’s set to play the record IN FULL on a new tour – her first in more than seven years – and, yes, she’s coming to Manchester.
The noughties popstar and daughter of fellow musician and actor, Keith Allen, isn’t just having a renaissance, the 40-year-old singer-songwriter is now riding arguably one of the biggest waves of popularity in her career following the release of her fifth studio LP.
West End Girl, released earlier this month, has not only gone down a treat with die-hard Lily Allen listeners but has earned her plenty of new fans too, as well as winning over numerous critics.
Notching multiple five-star reviews, a shout for album of the year from Variety, and even being labelled “one for the history books” by the BBC, the demand to see her back on the road was ready and waiting, and now the genre-hopping Hammersmith heroine is giving the people what they want.
Without giving too much away for those who haven’t listened to it yet, the deeply honest and no-holds-barred material dives into her divorce from ex-husband, David Harbour, of Stranger Things and Thunderbolts* fame.
Leaving no stone unturned, it’s a deeply personal, scorched-earth kind of album that has resonated with a lot of people, it seems.
We’re not going to say any more than that; just strap in, give it a go and thank us later. You can see the full list of her newly announced domestic tour dates, where she’ll be playing West End Girl in its entirety, down below.
Lily Allen UK live tour shows, including multiple Northern dates
Here’s a little taste of just one of the tracks from the acclaimed new album, which is already being heralded as her best to date.
So many great tracks on this album.
Honestly, there’s plenty more where that came from…
If you’re looking to hear the explosive 14-track diatribe from start to finish in person, she’ll be playing not just one but two nights at the Factory International’s Aviva Studios.
Tickets for all Lily Allen live tour dates, including her Manchester shows next spring, go live on Friday, 7 November from 10am – and given the reaction to the album itself, you can bank on them selling out fast.
Featured Images — Charlie Denis/press shots (supplied)
Art & Culture
A live Shaun the Sheep stage show and circus is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Brace yourselves, because one of the best fun-for-all-ages events is coming to Manchester: the official Shaun the Sheep stage and circus show is coming to Factory International.
This isn’t just one to keep the children entertained; we already know plenty of big kids who grew up on Shaun, Shirley, and the rest of the sheep are already thinking about grabbing tickets.
Created by Nick Park, the same man responsible for Wallace and Gromit, this live stage production and incredibly practical circus show of the beloved British cartoon is already critically acclaimed.
Now set to make its full European debut right here in our city, Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show teams up with leading performance company Circa to bring the TV show to life this winter.
‘It’s gonna be un-BAAA-leivable’.
Conceived not only by the award-winning minds at Aardman Animation, but the experienced performers at Circa, this ‘in the flesh’ (and wool) interpretation of the slapstick CBBC classic will not only delight younger audiences, but bring plenty of energy to keep the adults entertained too.
Promising a “live circus performance, simultaneously blurring the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus for a visual spectacle packed with wit”, you can expect acrobatics and circus skills.
Stunts will include the likes of tumbling, juggling, aerial hoop, aerial silks, trapeze, Spanish web and Chinese pole, just to name a few.
And, of course, there’ll be plenty of Aardman’s signature heartwarming comedy in W&G, Chicken Run, Arthur Christmas, Flushed Away and more.
Naturally, all the usual suspects will be on show to: Shaun, Bitzer, The Farmer and the rest of the Flock – and yes, in case the trailer didn’t give it away, they are people who are not just dressed up as adorable real-life lambs but bouncing, flipping and flying all over the stage.
Coming to Aviva Studios this festive period, it’ll be taking place in The Hall: one of the venue’s largest and most dynamic rooms, with the state-of-the-art building famously able to alter the size of individual stages and spaces depending on the event.
John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Circa and Aardman to present the European premiere of this fun-filled show at our home in Aviva Studios.
“Circa presents award-winning circus performances to audiences across the globe, and their collaboration with Aardman Studios creates a unique offering for families, circus fans and everyone who loves Shaun the Sheep“
Running from Tuesday, 11 December 2025 until Sunday, 4 January 2026, they’ve also ensured affordable admission from just £10; you can grab your tickets now.
Georgina Pellant -
10th June 2021 
