A new study has revealed the weird and wonderful habits of Britain’s gravy lovers, and it’s lifted the lid on just how much we actually love the stuff.
With autumn apparently marking the start of what is unofficially known as ‘gravy season’ across the UK, a new study by Schwartz – the world’s largest producer of herbs, spices, and seasonings – has revealed that the average Brit makes their way through three gravy-doused meals each week, which apparently adds up to a whopping 156 meals with gravy over the course of the year.
Almost a third (30%) of Brits consume gravy the most between September and November, with this figure then rising to 58% in winter – which is probably where the ‘gravy season’ title comes from.
A staggering 73% of Brits would consider themselves a fan of the brown stuff, according to the new survey, and 39% even proclaim to ‘love’ it.
A new study has revealed the weird and wonderful habits of Britain’s gravy lovers / Credit: The Manc Group
But for many, gravy doesn’t solely need to be consumed at home or in front of the table, as shockingly, the survey has revealed that 13% of Brits love gravy so much that they’ve eaten it in the car, 11% claim to have carried it around with them in a flask, and a sixth (14%) have even taken it on holiday with them to make sure they get their fix.
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So strong is the nation’s love of the sauce that a third (32%) claim they’d rather have gravy than a pint of beer, while 29% would opt for it over a glass of wine, and one in five (20%) would even choose it over chocolate.
Thought those were some crazy stats? It only gets more bizarre, as the survey has revealed that one in ten (10%) Brits claim to put gravy on ‘everything”, with 11% claiming to prefer it poured on a pizza than a roast, and 10% preferring to pour it over pasta.
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Some Brits even like to kick-off their day with the brown stuff, and enjoy it poured over pancakes (6%), and even over cereal (5%).
73% of Brits would consider themselves a fan of the brown stuff / Credit: The Manc Group
It’s not all obscurities though, as when it comes to more traditional pairings, roast beef was named the dish most frequently paired with gravy (48%), closely followed by roast chicken (48%), and roast turkey (45%), with Yorkshire puddings (45%), and sausages and mash (44%) then rounding out the top five.
Unsurprisingly Sunday was revealed as the nation’s favourite ‘gravy day’ – with 47% of people citing it as the day they’re most likely to enjoy it.
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What is pretty surprising though, is that going against the long-standing assumption that northerners are the UK’s biggest gravy advocates, Oxford was actually revealed to be the UK’s so-called ‘gravy capital’ – with 41% of residents claiming to ‘love’ gravy.
In fact, people from Oxford apparently love gravy so much that a quarter (26%) of them tuck into meals with gravy more than 10 times a week.
The average Brit apparently makes their way through three gravy-doused meals each week / Credit: The Manc Group
The survey also revealed quite a lot of regional differences when it comes to gravy pairings, with us Mancs apparently opting for a classic portion of chips as our preferred way to soak up the gravy goodness.
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Featured Image – Greggs (Supplied)
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A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
Emily Sergeant -
25th November 2022 
