Travel expert reveals the UK’s best staycation venues that rival trips abroad
Demand for holidays in the UK has been rising significantly over the course of the past few weeks, as Brits increasingly come to realise there’s actually a hell of a lot more to our homeland than we previously thought.
We should be on holiday right now. That’s what we keep telling everyone.
But, here we are.
Instead of striding into the airport at the crack of dawn, ordering a pint in the terminal (a rare isolated setting where it’s actually acceptable to sip lager at 7am) and leaving our stresses on the runway as we climb in the the clouds, we’re sat at home – staring longingly at our calendars, imagining what could have been.
As a nation, we spend a great portion of waking life looking to get out of the country – so being told to sit tight on our own island has been causing more than a touch of cabin fever.
It wasn’t until last week that we finally got some sweet relief.
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The Foreign Office confirmed they would be waiving their warning on avoiding non-essential international travel from July 6.
As lockdowns ease in Europe, overseas flights have started to take off again, and some countries have vowed Brits will be permitted to enter without being subjected to quarantining.
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It’s promising news. But understandably, some still aren’t comfortable with the idea of mingling in a crowded cabin of recirculated air at 38,000 feet. Even with masks.
Insurance companies are also reluctant to offer cover whilst pockets of coronavirus continue to erupt – a trend many experts expect to see long into the future as separate societies blend again.
Demand for holidays in the UK has been rising significantly over the course of the past few weeks, as Brits increasingly come to realise there’s actually a hell of a lot more to our homeland than we previously thought.
Charlotte Craig, owner of award-winning travel agency Paper Plane in Manchester, can vouch for that.
“A lot of people don’t travel in the UK,” Charlie tells The Manc.
“They’ll go down to London for weekends to see friends or visit their parents in the countryside, but a lot don’t travel within UK hotels as often as abroad.
“This has massively opened people’s eyes as to what’s possible.”
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According to Charlie, “the world and his wife” have settled on Cornwall as their UK holiday destination for 2020, and many locations in this neck of the woods are already fully-booked or have their hosts (who usually rent out their properties for summer) still inside enjoying their properties for themselves.
But whilst a trip to the Cornish country might be the default setting for domestic breaks in Britain, it isn’t necessarily the best.
Charlie says there’s a raft of incredible hotspots elsewhere – some of which are just a short drive from our doorsteps…
Certain places in the UK appeared to be tailor-made for reuniting with lapsed friends.
We’ve spent more than 13 weeks separated from pals dotted around the country. But there’s seemingly a number of superb spots in which to arrange a memorable rendezvous with the old gang.
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Suffolk, for instance, is a solution some might not have previously considered.
“Most people in the UK want a holiday where you’re not too far from the coast and have a pool… but those places are becoming more and more difficult to find,” Charlie explains.
“But I’ve had a few customers who’ve absolutely loved Sufflolk – which has a gorgeous coastline and isn’t as busy as going down to Cornwall. It’s also a slightly shorter drive – about 4.5 hours from Manchester.”
There are more than a few places in which to kick back with mates on the Eastern coast – but there’s one that comes highly recommended.
“Wilderness Reserve in particular is full of spectacular standalone properties and farmhouses,” Charlie tells us.
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“You can get a chef in if you want, there’s a pool on site, you’re in a massive forest area with bikes you can use, and it’s only 15 mins to the coast.
“It’s the perfect five-night stay with mates you’ve not seen for a few months or years.
“It’s all your own space for you to do as you like with.”
For some, the great appeal of holidaying abroad is the prospect of clapping eyes on untamed landscapes and treating your palate to fresh food and drink.
As it turns out, you can do both just a few miles south.
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“There’s a wonderful spot in Hampton in Arden – towards Birmingham – that does a three-day package for midweek or weekend including wine tasting and farm to table food,” Charlie explains.
“It’s all authentic and feels like a real luxury experience.
“We might not be able to go to the Tuscan Vineyards right now, but you can still do wine tasting in a beautiful garden in the UK.”
As an added extra for booking Hampton Manor with Paper Plane, you’ll get a personalised cocktail each at the Maker’s Table, followed by cream tea included in your stay.
Britain is brimming with cortisol right now. The past few weeks have placed an unimaginable amount of pressure on our minds and bodies – heightened further by the forced cancellation of our cathartic getaways.
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According to Charlie, though, there are places to get royally pampered in the UK – soothing the senses without the pressure-filled preamble of passport control.
“I’m desperate for a massage at the moment and I know I’m not the only one,” laughs Charlie.
“There’s a place just outside Ripon called Grantley Hall where you can enjoy complete relaxation.
“It’s a very classic building that’s been converted into a hotel. It’s ideal for spa lovers.
“Another great thing about this place is that their protocols are brilliant for COVID. They’ve got a spa and they’re working on slots so people can use areas at specific times. You’ve also got outdoor hot tubs, pools, saunas and steam rooms.
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“They’ve got the Shaun Rankin restaurant there and also an Asian restaurant which reminds me of Tattu in Manchester.
“A lot of my friends have booked to go and want to head back again. It’s 90 minutes from Manchester; an easy one-night stay or equally suitable for a long weekend.
“There’s lots of really nice walks around there, too.”
Ramblers and explorers have been dealt a big blow by having their trip-of-a-lifetime to far-flung foreign lands delayed.
In the meantime, however, there’s an enormous amount to discover in the British countryside. And you can even enjoy a bit of luxury whilst you’re at it.
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“The Cotswolds, I could talk about forever,” says Charlie.
“But there’s one particular place I really love called The Fish Hotel.
“They have these hilly huts with private hot tubs on the deck. There’s loads of spots in the surrounding area to go for nice walks and enjoy being in nature, but you can enjoy a bit of privacy and luxury as well.
“Some people don’t feel comfortable in larger spas, and this is a nice alternative.”
Families, in particular, may want to remain in Britain in the summer.
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Thankfully, Charlie says the options for couples and kids in the UK are plentiful.
“For families, I’d really recommend the Lake District,” she says.
“There’s a spot called Another Place which is perfect for couples with kids.
“I’m also a big believer in the Yorkshire Dales. There’s some gorgeous places there that have proven very popular in the past four weeks; more so than hotels.
“The Malabar, too, is really good for family holidays.
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“You get your own barbie, there’s tonnes of fields around and it’s very popular with families for birthdays and stuff.
“If you’ve got your own place, you’ve got the cooking facilities and that type of thing so you don’t have to worry about anyone else using them.”
Summer festivals have been wiped off the calendar almost entirely in 2020.
But you can still enjoy the good old Glamping experience regardless.
Just an hour away from Manchester is Gisburne Park – a popup glamping location which offers family-friendly holidays during the week and an adult-only space on weekends.
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Based in the Ribble Valley, Gisburne Park is tucked away inside a thousand acre private estate – with fully-furnished tents (double beds, king-sized duvets and electric power) alongside dining areas, BBQ pits and a swimming pool.
Jet-setting will technically be possible again in a matter of days. But if you aren’t quite ready to battle your way through busy airports, you can relax in the knowledge that Britain has more than enough to offer – no matter what sort of getaway you’d been hoping for.
“The UK is going to be massively popular this summer,” Charlie informs us.
“We cover every type of trip abroad at Paper Plane, but if a staycation is what you’re looking for, you can have a truly wonderful holiday here at home.”
Learn more about booking a staycation with Paper Plane Travel by visiting their website.
Feature
The most-read Manchester stories of 2025, from Primark Home to Peter Kay’s sass
Daisy Jackson
It’s been another one of those years in Manchester where a lot of weird stuff has happened – big closures no one saw coming, celebs getting in spats online, and major new openings.
Here at The Manc we’ve done our best to bring you the biggest stories from the North West, and you’ve all lapped it up.
As we come to end of 2025 we’ve been looking back at the stories that caught everyone’s attention this year, from beautiful properties to crazy shopping trends.
Did you remember all of these?
10. Olly Murs says no
Olly Murs addressed his abrupt exit from the stage ahead of his Manchester gig
Olly Murs was back on tour this year, selling out arenas (I know, who’d have thunk it?!) across the country.
But poor Olly got off to a bit a rough start and had to walk off stage after just six shows in Glasgow, then going on to cancel his Manchester gig too.
He did look pretty bereft about the whole thing, to be fair to him.
9. Tommy Robinson getting ‘kicked out’ of Hawksmoor
Back in the summer, acclaimed steak house Hawksmoor had to publicly address a quite viral video which showed far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants because staff felt ‘uncomfortable’ serving him.
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff had complained but that it is ‘not a political organisation, but a group of restaurants’.
Its CEO wrote: “We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
Who do you think was in the right here?
8. Drama Call’s tram-inspired trainers
Streetwear brands take their inspiration from a lot of different sources, but we were in no way prepared for Manchester-based label Drama Call’s spring drop.
The popular brand teamed up with adidas to release a shoe inspired by… a tram.
The Superstar II ‘Drama’ featured teal accents that paid homage to the city’s classic tram design – long before the yellow of the modern era, and Mancs went nuts for them.
7. The Victorian Villa
This Manchester house is so fancy, it actually appeared twice on our list of the top stories of 2025 – once when it first went on sale, then when it got re-listed later in the year.
And it’s not hard to see why. This Whalley Range home has some of the most beautiful interiors we’ve ever laid eyes on – we’re talking rich colours, vintage cinema seats, loads of gold, and a show-stopper of a kitchen.
What seemed to keep Mancs reading though was the fact that the house in Whalley Range could go for a whopping £1.75m.
6. The capybara keeper
New jobs simply didn’t come cuter than this in 2025, and when Chester Zoo posted an advert looking for a new keeper for its capybaras, you lot couldn’t get enough.
Responsibilities of the role included caring for the meerkats and capybaras as well as rodents, Xenarthra, Macropods, small carnivores, and the zoo’s free flight bat habitat.
Realistically, only a handful of people locally would have actually been qualified for this job, but that didn’t stop. us all having a nosey at the job description anyway.
5. Peter Kay’s sass
Peter Kay is a famously very private man and has rarely even been spotted in public in recent years, plus his social media presence has almost entirely been dedicated to promoting his record-breaking tour.
But the Bolton comedian had plenty to say after a ‘humiliated’ woman was kicked out of his gig at the AO Arena in Manchester.
Addressing the ribbing he gave the lady during the gig, where he compared her to Lisa Riley, Peter Kay’s statement said: “The lady who was escorted out did bear a striking resemblance to Lisa Riley, though I don’t see how that’s an insult.”
It’s no surprise that this was one of the biggest stories in Manchester in 2025, because we simply could not believe our eyes when Almost Famous announced its closure.
The burger craze of the mid-2010s may have died down, but this spot had always felt like a Northern Quarter OG with a loyal enough following to stand the test of time.
Alas, it closed its doors very suddenly back in January, shortly followed by its sister smash burger brand Super Awesome Deluxe, with a staggering outcry and a lot of fall-out locally.
Thankfully, a short while later it was rescued by the team behind PINS Social Club.
3. Primark Home arrived
Primark Home is opening this weekend at Trafford Palazzo
Did anyone really doubt that the arrival of a new ENORMOUS Primark store totally dedicated to homeware was going to go a little bonkers?
We practically had people banging down the doors to the massive Trafford Palazzo retailer (the first in Britain) when we were allowed in for a sneak peek before its official launch.
It’s a pretty impressive space – get a load of it HERE.
2. Big Night of Musicals
This event takes place basically every year and yet the lure of free tickets seems to catch everyone’s attention year-in, year-out.
The Big Night of Musicals sees the world’s biggest musicals all joining together on one stage at the AO Arena for a bumper night of live entertainment.
Tickets are free for National Lottery players and although the first batch are all gone, they usually release some more in the new year… watch this space.
1. Highland cows
The Highland Cow safari in the Peak District
One very adorable story ended up comfortably on top for The Manc audience this year – a lovely little feature on a Peak District farm where you can cuddle and groom Highland cows (sorry, coos).
Highland Cows of the Peak Experiences at Whirlow Hall Farm has loads of activities for all ages, from Highland Cow safaris to cow cuddling.
It’s an absolutely adorable experience and we’ll definitely be back next summer for more – read all about it HERE.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Feature
The best Christmas party food and picky bits from M&S this year
Daisy Jackson
Clear the tables, pop the oven on to pre-heat, and set the paper plates – it’s Christmas, and that can only mean it’s party food season again.
No one does silly little festive nibbles quite like M&S, with their Christmas party food range getting more and more extravagant every single winter.
2025 is absolutely no exception – expect the likes of cubed rice, snowman-shaped bao, tiny Yorkie puds and plenty more delicious madness besides.
We’ve been down in the aisles of everyone’s favourite posh supermarket to see exactly what concoctions they’ve conjured up this year, and did not leave disappointed.
This is not just party food, this is M&S Christmas party food.
A very Marbella Christmas
Have you ever seen a square paella before? No? You haven’t lived mate.
These angular rice bites are one of three Spanish-influenced picky bits in M&S this Christmas, alongside tiny tortillas and patatas bravas stacks (tiny potato rostis topped with tomato sauce and chorizo then served with a garlic sauce on the side).
Don’t be put off by the hot pink prawn curled up on the rice bed like a dog that’s been bought a bed two sizes too small…
A little fishy on a little dishy
Everyone knows that the M&S salmon and potato salad is one of their most elite items, so those hot smoked salmon rosti bites are going STRAIGHT in my basket.
If you like your fish dishes really bite-sized, there’s also the smoked salmon appetisers that look like they’ve been lifted right out of a 1960s cookbook.
And of course, tiger prawns wrapped in various shapes and sizes of pastry, too.
Jingle baos
If you’d told me three years ago that bao would become a staple on every posh Christmas buffet, I’d have sent you to the hospital.
But they’re back for a third year in a new novelty festive shape, and this time, M&S has gone to new heights.
Presenting – double decker bao in the shape of a snowman, complete with cosy green scarf and a veggie pad Thai filling.
Some of them look like they’ve been through the wars, don’t they?
Pam Shipman would buy these
If you’re not a Gavin & Stacey fan, just imagine the following section being read aloud by a flapping (ideally Essex) mother with a fresh blowdry and a waft of YSL Libra about her.
“Those, Bryn, are M&S mushroom vol-oh-vohnts.”
“A little goat cheese tart for you, Smithy?” (“Who you calling a tart Pamelarrr you minx!”)
Basically, these are the posh little nibbles your mums will gravitate towards to show off their hosting gravitas.
Merry Texmexmas
M&S always seems to lean over to the States for inspiration for its party food and this year is no different.
They’ve got a real Tex-Mex flavour going on in 2025, with Christmas party food including mini vegetable tacos filled with peppers and sweetcorn.
There are also those impossible-to-eat-why-are-you-sliding-everywhere miniature beef burgers, back to piss me off for another year.
Ee by gum it must be Christmas
‘Ey up! Has M&S recruited an actual Northerner to help put together the party food for Christmas this year?!
We all know the deal with British pub food – a little bit stodgy, very comforting, and incredibly filling. Okay, now picture that, but not remotely filling.
M&S has brought back a couple of its miniature bites inspired by classic British fare – pies that fit in the palm of your hand (beef and ale, or chicken and leek), and Yorkshire puddings so small they must’ve been baked in a cupcake tin. Cute.
The most important picky bit of the day
Whether or not to bother with breakfast on Christmas morning seems to be a bit of a hot topic – what’s the point in a bowl of cornflakes when you’re readying to slam the biggest meal of the year in a matter of hours?
Well, M&S is making sure the most important meal of the day infiltrates all the way through to party time with these two.
A stack of miniature pancakes and slivers of bacon, plus pint-sized ham and cheese croissants. Has anyone ever handed you a croissant on a dancefloor before? This might be the year.
Better than your mum’s turkey curry
Oh now we’re cooking with tandoor! Not one, but two picky bits inspired by Britain’s national dish – curry. And the most British curry of all, a chicken tikka masala.
For Christmas this year M&S has created the world’s smallest naan breads, which are topped with tikka chicken and pickled pink onions.
And in the other hand, there are spiced potato and spinach dosa rolls, which we have literally never seen on any buffet spread before ever, but sure.
Get it before it’s scone
If your hand impulsively twitches towards a Christmas sandwich every time you’re shopping for a meal deal, get a load of this – tiny mini turkey feast toasties. Yay!
These tiny square sarnies have got pulled turkey, stuffing, ham hock, Emmental cheese, cranberry sauce AND gravy in them, somehow. When did M&S unlock a cheat code to overcome sandwich physics?
There are also miniature mature Barber’s cheddar scones, with honey and mustard pulled ham inside. They sound like a sheer winner.
That’s not a hambush, it’s a charcutertree!
Oh, look who’s back to make a mockery of your flat cheese board again. It’s the Christmas Charcuter-tree. Sigh.
Real fancy people present their cured meat and cheese selection in the shape of a Christmas tree (obviously) and M&S have got a build-you-own kit available for £23 (that’s actually two quid cheaper than last year).
I can only begin to imagine the meltdown I’d have as another piece of salami refused to act like tinsel and unravelled onto the table.
The Manc -
30th June 2020 
