That iconic Ian Brown quote, as comical as it may be, is one that’s hung over the city for years now, and could have a lot to with why rising numbers of Mancunians are said to be scoping out the property market in the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe, but according to several industry experts, the hit ITV drama The Bay probably has a lot more to do with it.
Recent data collated and published by leading property search website Rightmove has revealed that searches for homes in Morecambe surged by 71% in the space of just a week, with the town recording a bigger seven-day increase in searches than anywhere else in Britain.
The average asking price of a home in Morecambe is currently £151,607, which is 6.4% more than a year ago.
The Lancashire town is known for its five-mile stretch of sandy beach and promenade, and streets lined with cafes, restaurants and hotels. Its seafront is home to an Eric Morecambe statue overlooking the bay – which has becoming a popular tourist attraction – as well as a renowned art deco-inspired hotel, The Midland, which has also been used as a location in the past for another popular ITV show – Agatha Christie’s Poirot.
It was also revealed last November that plans for the Eden Project North – part of a wider project aiming to “re-imagine Morecambe as a seaside resort for the 21st Century” – had taken a big step forward following a £70 million funding bid.
And now, with the return of the ITV show The Bay shining a light on the Northern town once again thanks to its second series, which hit screens a few weeks back, it’s easy to see why people are flocking to Morecambe.
The first series of the show drew in an average of 7.2 million viewers across six episodes alone.
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Estate agents in Morecambe also believe the recent surge in property popularity is due to the fact you can bag yourself a range of properties sizes for pretty reasonable prices, which is prompting people who live in expensive cities to think about moving.
Speaking on the recent interest, Laura Fort – at Ibay Homes in Morecambe – said: “The Bay has certainly put Morecambe on the map in recent weeks.
“We’re already seeing lots of people moving here from Manchester and London, [which is] probably because you can get a real bargain and buy a four-bed house for about £150,000.”
It’s not just interest in properties for sale that has seen a recent hike either.
Searches for homes to rent were also up 22% over the same period, presumably from the show’s fans looking for a getaway by the ocean, with renting in Morecambe typically costing around £612 per month.
The recent surge for properties in Morecambe, however, is said to be part of a wider national interest in coastal living that has been identified as of late, with parts of Devon and Cornwall also seeing a jump as people re-evaluate their lifestyles due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Rightmove data, the top 10 UK locations with the biggest weekly percentage increases in buyer searches are:
Morecambe, Lancashire – 71%
Looe, Cornwall – 59%
Ilfracombe, Devon – 43%
Saxmundham, Suffolk – 34%
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland – 32%
Motherwell, Lanarkshire – 24%
Callington, Cornwall – 23%
Prudhoe, Northumberland – 22%
Camborne, Cornwall – 21%
Newquay, Cornwall – 20%
ITV / The Bay / Ben Blackall
Tim Bannister – Director of Property Data at Rightmove – said: “People are watching TV shows such as The Bay and then scrolling through Rightmove on their devices to see what’s available.
“The same is true of Devon and Cornwall.
“There’s a number of Cornwall-focused lifestyle shows on TV at the moment and it’s hard not to get swept away dreaming about a life in the South West.
“We already know that rural and seaside areas are rising in popularity, so it’s a trend that bodes well for sellers in these locations.”
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The Bay continues on ITV this Wednesday 3rd February.
Property
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and more near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a million-pound Victorian-style mansion that has 10 bedrooms and its own personal swimming pool just outside of Greater Manchester.
Just like the childhood nursery rhyme, “There were three in the bed and the little one said… there’s another seven beds, roll over!” or at least that’s how they remember it in this character property.
Located in Warrington, less than an hour away from Manchester city centre, this property is a semi-detached Victorian property built in 1860, with 10 bedrooms and its own private swimming pool, all spread across four floors.
As soon as you enter the foyer, your eyes are drawn to the sleek silver chandelier before you notice the grand staircase, which feels like a piece of living history.
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market)
The ground floor hosts two of a whopping 10 bedrooms alongside a teal-toned farmhouse-style kitchen and that extremely impressive swimming pool with its own built-in projector.
In the kitchen, the focal point is the large wrap-around kitchen unit, which is accompanied by a variety of hanging lights and a big central island.
On the way to the swimming pool, there are a handful of lockers identical to those found in a leisure and as you enter the room, your eyes are drawn to the island-inspired feature wall.
Venture upstairs to the first floor and you’re greeted by five spacious bedrooms with one having its own en-suite while the rest share a main bathroom.
Each of these bedrooms follows a completely different design style, with the largest following a muted grey palette with pops of yellow thanks to the artwork and bed accessories.
The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
As you go upstairs again, you’ll find (you guessed it) even more bedrooms, three to be exact, with the standout
The stand-out of this second floor is the navy-walled bedroom with a vintage vanity unit, patterned floor-to-ceiling curtains and a similarly dark-blue rug to match its four walls.
Another flight of stairs and you’ve finally reached the top of this property, and there’s an LED-lined ceiling and a neutral bedroom colour scheme of greys, whites and everything in between.
There are various amenities nearby, including three schools and three train stations… for if you get fed up of strolling around your four-floored ten-bed, swimming pool-owning mansion.
Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
We know this property may not be in the price range and might not be affordable for a lot of readers, ourselves included, but we can dream, right?
You can check out this Victorian mansion and flick through even more pictures of this property – Snooping never hurt anybody? Official site HERE.
As always, make sure to check out The Manc‘s property page to check all the other stunning structures currently on sale/in progress across Greater Manchester and in the nearby North West.
No-phones nightclub Amber’s has announced it is relaunching its second room
Danny Jones
Manchester’s famous no-phones nightclub, Amber’s, is preparing for a relaunch of its second room, just over half a year on from the venue’s opening week.
The smash hit, semi-censored space, which enforces a strictly no-device policy to ensure those in attendance maximise their amount of in-the-moment enjoyment without any risk of distraction, has just announced that they will be reworking ‘Room 2’.
Confirmed just in time for the rest of summer ‘season three’, where plenty of people will be opting to rave instead of splash their cash on Oasis and/or festival tickets, the soon-to-be-refreshed space will partner with audio specialists to provide an experience set to rival the main room.
Sharing a post featuring blueprints for the fixtures and some of the top-end equipment, new-look second room opens its doors early next month.
Writing on social media, the venue wrote: “Amber’s is proud to announce the relaunch of Room Two, featuring a brand new custom soundsystem designed by Norwegian pro-audio specialist NNNN and OJAS, and installed by Neuron Audio Visual.
“The collaboration between Amber’s and NNNN is the first time that the Oslo-based company, which specialises in innovating the future of audio, has created a speaker system for use in the UK. Amber’s will be the first venue in the country to house the state-of-the-art system.”
“The partnership furthers our commitment to world-class sound and creating a truly unique club space in the heart of Manchester. Room Two also now boasts a brand new lighting system and has received bespoke acoustic treatment.”
Reacting to the news, plenty of punters and artists alike are already stoked to see what they have in store; promoters ABB Events simply said, “We can’t wait to test this out 26 September.”
Speaking to The Manc, a regular visitor of Amber’s Manchester told us: “Room Two at Amber’s always felt a little forgotten – a space with potential, but lacking the same pull as the main room. With this new Soundsystem they’re putting in, it finally feels like it’s getting the love it deserves.”
While we understand the urge to document those ‘unforgettable’ gig moments – that does kind of go against what we build them up to be, hence why the Amber’s concept has gone down so well.
Teasing a lineup of “the best in house, techno and groove”, Amber’s Room Two 2.0 will debut on 2 August, and regulars are buzzing for it.
As always, the headliner remains unannounced to keep that allure, as well as that further added feeling of anticipation and excitement.
Emily Sergeant -
1st February 2021 
