In news that should surprise absolutely no one, Manchester has been named one of the friendliest cities in the UK: the second most friendly, to be exact, but we already know we should be first anywayso we’re not going to split hairs.
Yes, that’s right, Manchester city centre and the surrounding area tied second for the friendliest city in Great Britain, according to the annual Condé Nast Traveller‘s Readers’ Choice Awards, dishing out a score of 94.12 when it comes to us Mancs making people feel welcome in the best city in the world.
The figure itself is a percentage representing the “overall average levels of satisfaction” for people who come to the city. I mean, who are we to question their metrics? All we’re saying is that for anyone dubious, at least now you have an excuse as to why weren’t number one this year.
Recognising the jewel of the North as “the world’s first industrial city and home to the UK’s first ever working canal”, they reinforced how Manchester has “come a long way since the 19th century, though it still retains its historical charm and nods to its heritage can be spotted around the city.” Hard agree.
As the entry goes on to state, they describe Manchester as “in and among the modern shopping destinations, an exciting arts and culture scene and [boasting] a foodie scene that is continually reinventing itself”, adding simply, “We defy you to be immune to this Northern city’s charm.
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They even gave a recommendation of the best spot to stay if you’re staying over: Whitworth Locke — a favourite of ours as well, to be honest. All the apartments are situated inside a historic cotton mill, painted in pastels and, as CN Traveler put it, “ready to take over as your own”.
There’s even a Foundation Coffee House site located on the ground floor and a cool little co-working space tucked away in the back as well.
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So, whether you’re just staying over or looking for somewhere to settle down where the people smile, you know where to look. And that’s just the city centre, don’t forget — wait until they hear about what the rest of Greater Manchester boroughs have to offer.
Now, if you were wondering not only what city we tied with but also somehow beat us, we will reluctantly be the bearer of sceptical news.
According to these lot, Liverpool and Belfast join us in second place; two great cities in their own right, no doubt (we’ll cheers to Irish hospitality, especially), but we’re still not having that they’re better than 0161.
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As for the city that took the gold medal, that coveted accolade goes to the Welsh capital of Cardiff. Again, a wonderful place, fair enough, but if this list were reduced simply to the friendliest cities in England you might as well have just crowned Manchester as champion.
We look forward to next year when these guys see the error of their ways and rightly hand us the top spot — then we can sit back and relax. Fortunately, we’ve got plenty of places to do so around here.
First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Danny Jones -
6th October 2023 
