New research has revealed that more people in the UK have been looking to get engaged over the past year than the twelve months prior.
Despite the fact that large and extravagant wedding celebrations have seemed like a thing of the past due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions of the past year, Google search data has shown that engagement-related searches have risen by 17.85% across the country to 3,897,680 between April 2020 and March 2021, which is an increase of just over 590,000.
From low-key private proposals, to giant gestures at massive public events and more, every engagement is a special moment, and every proposal has to happen somewhere – but where in the UK are the most people getting engaged?
Manchester is one of those places, apparently.
Online jewellery retailer, Jewellery Box, has determined “the UK’s engagement capitals” by comparing the number of engagement-related searches to the population in each city to discover the cities with the highest percentage of people interested in taking that next step and where you’re most likely to get engaged in 2021.
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According to the findings, around 7.35% of the Manchester population is looking to get engaged in 2021, which places the city at number 12 on the list of engagement capitals.
Visit Manchester | Unsplash / Alekon Pictures
Coming in at number one is the historic north eastern city of Durham, with 12.28% of a population of just under 100,000 searching for engagement related terms in the past twelve months, and other fellow northern cities Liverpool, Newcastle and Kingston Upon Hull have also landed a spot on the list.
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When it comes to the cities that have had the biggest rise in lockdown love, Manchester is sadly nowhere to be seen this time around.
Despite being one of the smaller cities in the country, St Albans has had by far the biggest increase in engagement related searches during the past year, from 1,620 searches to 3,880 during the past year.
There was a 29.95% increase in Preston, 25.05% in Wakefield, and 22.33% in Bradford.
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You can have a look at the full findings from the research into the UK’s most popular engagement cities on the Jewellery Box website.
Featured Image – Unsplash / Andre Jackson
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Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
5th May 2021 
