Manchester has been named one of the ‘friendliest’ cities in the UK

A new study has crowned Manchester as one of the ‘friendliest’ cities in the UK.

With reviews playing a huge part in the success of small businesses – especially in the hospitality and tourism sector – business insurance expert MoneySuperMarket has analysed more than 100,000 reviews of customer-facing businesses in over 100 cities worldwide to discover where the UK’s ‘friendliest’ places are.

Their new research reveals which cities nationwide attract the highest number of reviews that particularly highlight friendly staff and excellent customer service in their venues and attractions.

For each city, the reviews were analysed for mentions of friendly staff and excellent service.

Cities were then ranked by the percentage of reviews containing these markers – with the highest percentage earning the top spot for friendly customer service.

Manchester came in at a very respectable ninth place in the whole of the UK, with just over 50% of reviews mentioning friendly staff and service.

Other northern cities in the top 10 include Leeds at number six and Liverpool at number two, while looking at the global rankings, the UK dominates for friendliness – with four cities making the top 10, more than any other country in the world. 

According to MoneySupermarket, the even spread of cities across the UK suggests that excelling in customer service is a national trait, rather than a local one.  

Read more:

• Local suburb named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live
• ‘Powerhouse’ Manchester named in top 10 global cities for music in 2026
• Two towns around an hour away from Manchester named ‘most affordable’ places to buy your first home

European cities make up seven of the top 10 spots, suggesting that hospitality and friendly service are deeply embedded in the continent’s culture.  

Featured Image – Manchester City Council