It’s that time of year again. The moment that the ‘worst places to live’ in England are officially revealed – thanks to a poll that generates unprecedented patriotic debate amongst social media audiences.
Website ilivehere publish an annual list of the country’s most unpleasant towns and cities – all of which are voted for by the unfortunate souls who’ve had to wake up in them every morning.
The tongue-in-cheek survey invariably stirs up some strong responses right across the nation, and as many as 125,681 people voted for their worst place to live in England in 2021 – rushing to condemn the dullest, dreariest parts of the country often forgotten about by government because of what side of the map they land on. Just saying.
Last year, two towns in Greater Manchester made the ‘top’ ten. But this time around, things are looking a little better for our region (even if it definitely didn’t feel that way during the previous twelve months of isolation and tiers).
John S Turner / Geograph
Here’s the definitive list for 2021 (according to 125,000+ ‘Ilivehere’ voters):
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Peterborough
Huddersfield
Liverpool
Bradford
Hull
Wakefield
Luton
Jaywick Sands
Torquay
Halifax
As for the winner, who else could it be?
Peterborough has yet again retained its title as the Worst Town in England.
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That’s three years in a row it’s had the ‘honour’ of doing so – but if it helps, we don’t think it’s THAT bad?
Many Mancs will surely be a little smug to see Liverpool so high up, whilst Yorkshire also fared rather badly; with Huddersfield, Wakefield, Bradford, Hull and Halifax all making the cut.
Jaywick Sands and Torquay – seemingly two of Britain’s most miserable-looking seaside spots – made up the top ten.
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Jaywick Sands – Duncan Graham / Geograph
But people in Greater Manchester shouldn’t get too smug.
Whilst Rochdale and Oldham have dropped out of the top ten from 2020, they both still appeared in the larger list of 50 worst places to live in England.
Oldham ranked 17th and Rochdale came in 23rd.
Neighbours Wigan also came in at 20th, with Bolton 29th.
That’s four of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs in the Top 50 this year.
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Not great. But I’m sure we can all agree it could have been much, much worse.
The inflatable floating obstacle course you can splash around on near Manchester
Daisy Jackson
There’s a giant inflatable floating obstacle course less than an hour from Manchester, where you can slide, jump, and fall straight into a lake.
At Wild Shore Delamere, you can tackle obstacles like monkey bars, the ninja-jump, the tyre run, and a giant 3.8 metre-tall inflatable tower, all floating on the surface of the picturesque lake.
The adventure hub opened back in 2019, offering families a chance to play on Delamere Lake, or try new watersports right here in the North West.
Let’s head to that inflatable Aqua Park – even as a full-grown adult, this is one of the silliest afternoons you can imagine.
Squeeze yourself into a wetsuit then launch yourself into the lake, ready to clamber all over a course that is essentially a gigantic floating bouncy castle.
The trickiest part is managing to stay on your feet as you slip and slide your way around the course in your 50 minute session – but really, where’s the fun in staying on your feet?
Monkey BarsThe Ninja JumpThe Tyre RunThe Figure EightFeatures of the Aqua Park at Wild Shore Delamere
While you’re on the lake, you can also try other activities like the Ringo, which whips you up and down the water on a huge inflatable, while the operator seems dead-set on flinging you off.
As well as the inflatable Aqua Park, there’s the Aqua Chimp ropes course for the more gymnastic types, plus wakeboarding, paddle boarding, and open water swimming.
Wild Shore Delamere has also added a new sauna this year, which overlooks the water – you can enjoy contrast therapy, switching from the warm sauna to the lake itself.
Wetsuits and life vests are included, so all you need to pack is a swimsuit, towel, and a bit of reckless abandon as you crash beneath the surface.
Paddle boards at Wild Shore DelamereThe sauna and cold plungeThe RingoAqua Chimp
Family behind Salvi’s launch new concept, weeks after iconic restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Just weeks after the closure of its iconic, 16-year-old Italian restaurant in the Corn Exchange, the family behind Salvi’s have revealed a brand-new concept.
And this time, the reins are being handed over to the next generation.
Salvi’s founder Maurizio Cecco has helped to shape Amò, but it’s all the brainchild of his daughter, Sienna.
Sienna will run the business out of a unit up on Deansgate Mews, serving fresh pasta dishes, pizza sandwiches, tubs of tiramisu, and two-for-£10 spritzes.
The deli aspect of the original Salvi’s has been carried over to Amò too – you’ll find shelves almost to the ceiling filled with Italian pasta, wine, olive oils, pistachio spreads, and more.
Sienna has grown up in restaurants, with her parents launching Salvi’s when she was just two years old.
She said she wants the space to be a livelier, fresher version of the Italian restaurant that has been so loved by Mancs for so many years.
Sienna outside AmòFresh pasta dishesInside Amò by Salvi’sTheir viral frozen crema di caffeLemon granitaInside Amò by Salvi’sTiramisu pots
Amò, which is Neapolitan slang for ‘my love’, will have loads of fresh Italian dishes, including arancini, gnocchi, and hearty pasta plates.
At lunchtimes, guests can order from a £10 lunch menu, with dishes changing daily depending on the best produce the kitchen can get – it could be a pizza sandwich with proscuitto and tomato, a spicy pasta, or a gnocchi bake, always served with your choice of soft drink.
With its position on Deansgate Mews, Amò basks in the sunshine at lunchtimes.
And while it’s definitely a different concept to the original Salvi’s, Amò looks set to carry the family’s Italian food legacy into its next generation.
The Manc -
6th January 2021 
