Manchester has once again been named as one of the world’s best cities in Time Out’s annual list, beating the likes of Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Sydney.
Our humble hometown placed in 15th place in Time Out’s 50 Best Cities In the World survey for 2024, thanks to its vibrant restaurant scene, its comedy circuit, and its cultural powerhouses.
While New York cinched the top spot this year (fair enough), Manchester gave us plenty of reasons to be proud.
Time Out writers praised its music history, its sporting prowess, and its night time economy, and celebrated famous local legends like Tyson Fury, Steve Coogan and Caroline Aherne.
The only other UK cities to also feature on the list were London, Glasgow and our neighbours in Liverpool (who did creep in ahead of us in seventh place, but we’ll gloss over that bit…).
ADVERTISEMENT
Time Out has surveyed thousands of locals, asking people about the quality and affordability of the food, culture and nightlife scenes in their city and how their city makes them feel.
They were also asked about which other city they would most like to live in.
ADVERTISEMENT
The survey responses were then combined with more than 100 Time Out writers and editors who were also polled on cities across the globe.
The end result is a list of the best cities in the world right now, with the top 10 named as New York, Cape Town, Berlin, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Liverpool, Tokyo, Rome and Porto.
According to Time Out’s finding, 96% of Mancs say their city makes them happy.
ADVERTISEMENT
For Manchester, the list said: “Few cities have achieved more than Manchester. Countless incredible bands, two globe-conquering football teams, and one world boxing champ, thanks to local lad Tyson. But Manchester doesn’t stand still.
Manchester happy hours – 10 Tib LaneMusu in Manchester serves high-end sushi
“Since Ancoats’ Mana bagged a Michelin star in 2019, the food scene has soared, leading to astonishingly inventive meals at the likes of Erst, 10 Tib Lane and MUSU. The underground clubbing scene is unrivalled, thanks to the progressive (and semi-lawless) feel of Hidden, The Loft and The White Hotel. Meanwhile, The Peer Hat, Eagle Inn and Aatma prove that alternative music isn’t dead, just more experimental than ever.
“Most excitingly, the live comedy circuit harks back to the golden age of Caroline Aherne and Steve Coogan, full of uncompromising northern voices, and refreshingly light on nepo babies. Our hot tips: scathing working-class wit Rachel Fairburn, twisted club comic Chris Cantrill and menacing-hearthrob-slash-viral-video-sensation Tom Lawrinson, to name but three.”
It continued: “It’s no coincidence that Chanel held its 2023 fashion show here, mere weeks after the UK’s landmark arts hub Factory International [Aviva Studios] opened its doors. The balance of cultural power has finally shifted up North, making Manchester one of the most vibrant and fast-growing cities in Europe right now. And the rain isn’t that bad. Honest.”
Grace Beard, Travel Editor at Time Out said: “Time Out knows cities like no-one else, and that’s thanks to the opinions and insights of our global network of local expert journalists on the ground in cities around the world.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Our annual survey lets us keep a finger on the pulse of city-dwellers to create a global snapshot of city living right now.
“Every city that made the list did so because locals rate it highly – so whether a city ranked at one or fifty, it’s still one of the greatest amongst the thousands of cities around the globe.
“This year, the top cities are not only incredible places to visit and go out in, with world-class restaurants, culture and nightlife, but they’re also great places to live, with strong community spirit and an undeniable vibe.”
UK Government announces £100 fines for ‘antisocial behaviour’ on public transport
Emily Sergeant
The Government has today announced plans to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport.
In a bid to crackdown on loud music, littering, vaping, and other threatening behaviour on buses and trains, guidance was issued by the Government today for local authorities to prosecute and even issue fines of up to £100.
For many, playing audio out loud on public transport – also known as ‘loudcasting’ – has become one of modern life’s most irritating parts of the daily commute, but now, a new national campaign is aiming to encourage rail passengers, in particular, to ‘share the carriage, not the noise’ to improve the journey experience for all.
This will include reminders of the rules in place on the rail network and, if a passenger refuses to stop when asked by authorised rail staff, they can be removed from the train at the next station or face fines up to £1,000.
On buses, however, the powers for authorities were already made possible by the Bus Services Act 2025, meaning all local transport authorities in England are able to set and enforce their own rules.
Authorised officers – including transport safety officers and the police – will be responsible for enforcement, rather than bus drivers themselves, and they will be tasked with a three-step approach to deal with incidents. They will need to:
Engage with the person
Explain the rules and their impact on other passengers
Take enforcement action if they refuse to comply
“We’ve all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone,” commented Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
“It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey, so we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.”
Ben Plowden, Chief Executive at the Campaign for Better Transport, added: “Antisocial behaviour is not just irritating, it can be a real deterrent to people using public transport – especially people with different accessibility requirements.
“If these new powers are properly and visibly enforced, they should help everyone feel safe and comfortable on public transport and enjoy the ride.”
Featured Image – Northern
Travel & Tourism
A spectacular Chinese garden has opened at RHS Bridgewater, and it’s a must-visit
Daisy Jackson
RHS Bridgewater has opened the Yangzhou Scholars’ Garden, the centrepiece of a spectacular Chinese garden.
At seven acres, the Chinese Streamside Garden is the largest, most comprehensive, and most authentic classical Chinese garden in all of Europe.
It’s taken more than eight years to complete, and has utilised landscape architects and specialist craftspeople from China, using traditional techniques rarely seen outside the country.
This has been combined with the contemporary British garden setting of RHS Bridgewater to create a new must-visit attraction in Greater Manchester.
It’s also be designed to be as beautiful in each season as the last, with spring magnolias and cherry blossom, all the way through to dazzling autumn colours from acers and gingkos.
The Chinese garden is the result of an ambitious international collaboration of fundraising, design and craftsmanship between Yangzhou City, China Flower Association, Yangzhou Classical Garden Construction Company*, the City of Salford, Greater Manchester’s Chinese community and the RHS.
Inspiration comes from the historic scholars’ gardens of Yangzhou in Jiangsu province in East China, embodying the classical Chinese principle that gardens are places of philosophy, learning, reflection and seasonal observation.
The landscape features rock, water, planting, and timber structures, with each step revealing new views and perspectives.
There are four interconnected pavilions surrounding a courtyard and pond, each dedicated to one of the four traditional scholarly arts – chess, music, calligraphy and painting.
Pavilions are dedicated to traditional scholarly arts – like chessTimber structures and water feature heavilyEvery step reveals a new viewFootpaths weave through the Chinese garden at RHS BridgewaterThe space has taken almost eight years to completePlants have been chosen for their year-round beautyCredit: The Manc Group
Key features include traditional hand-crafted mortise-and-tenon joinery, Chinese Fir timber sourced from FSC-certified forests, kiln-fired tiles and handmade brickwork from China, intricate stone carvings, and detailed stone mosaic and poetic inscriptions.
More than 200 trees and shrubs representing 56 species and cultivars have been selected for their seasonal beauty and cultural significance, with planting conveying traditional messages of good luck, health, happiness and love.
Marcus Chilton-Jones, Head of RHS Garden Bridgewater explained: “The opening of the Yangzhou Scholars’ Garden is a landmark moment for RHS Garden Bridgewater, for Greater Manchester and the UK.
“This remarkable international collaboration has created not only a beautiful garden, but a lasting symbol of friendship, cultural exchange and shared learning.”
Tracy Snell, Curator at RHS Garden Bridgewater said: “It’s a garden full of meaning and intricacies.
“Importantly, it can be enjoyed throughout the seasons – from spring magnolias and cherry blossom to restful summer greens and the vibrant autumn colour of acers, ginkgos and euonymus.
“Chinese scholars’ gardens were created as places to slow down, reflect and reconnect with nature.
“Visitors will discover something new around every corner, and I can’t wait for people to experience the sense of calm and wonder the garden creates.”
Mr Gerry Yeung, Chinese Streamside Garden Founding Committee member added: “The opening of the Yangzhou Scholars’ Garden is a proud and historic moment for everyone who has helped bring this vision to life and the result of many years of dedication, generosity and shared ambition from people in both China and Greater Manchester.
“We hope visitors will enjoy discovering this special place and, through it, gain a deeper appreciation of the rich traditions, artistry and values that have inspired Chinese gardens for centuries.”
Daisy Jackson -
23rd January 2024 
