An interesting new study has seen Manchester named as one of the best cities in the UK for sober students.
There’s no denying that the stereotypical student experience has a bit of a reputation for its hardcore drinking culture, but nowadays, recent studies and trends have shown that there’s an ever-growing number of young people who are opting to stay away from alcohol – especially when they’re studying at university.
It obviously makes sense then, that when it comes to picking which university to spend their next three years at, drinking culture could be something that some students are keen to consider before sticking an application in.
So, which universities actually offer the best environments for sober students then?
In a bid to get to the bottom of this, student housing provider, This is Fresh, has carried out a new study and analysed the 20 UK universities, which are home to the largest numbers of students, to find out which have the highest number of societies where drinking is not part of the specified culture
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The numbers of pubs and bars in the area, and the support services available for students who may be struggling with the drinking habits and their mental health, was also taken into consideration during the study.
Manchester has been named the best city in the UK for sober students / Credit: Pixabay
And Manchester has claimed the joint top spot on the list.
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Tying with the Scottish capital of Glasgow, the University of Manchester has been named the best city in the UK for sober students.
While it may be a little surprising, especially due to the fact that both of these universities are in cities where drinking culture is generally a focal point, these two institutions were actually found to be the most well-equipped for students looking for activities that don’t involve alcohol, and on top of this, they’ve also been commended for providing a wide range of support services for those who may want to reach out for help with their drinking habits.
Top 10 universities in the UK for sober students
University of Manchester
University of Glasgow
University College London
King’s College London
University of Edinburgh
University of Leeds
Nottingham Trent University
University of Nottingham
University of Bristol
Coventry University
Sure, drinking culture may be big in Manchester, with a total of 1912 bars that are accessible from the university’s campus and student hub areas, but there’s also plenty of support for sober and sober-curious students too, to counteract this.
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The University of Manchester was found to have 415 sober societies, and 33 support services available to students.
University College London (UCL), King’s College London (KCL), and the University of Edinburgh round out the top five, while the fellow Northern city of Leeds also features in the top 10, as does Nottingham, Bristol and Coventry.
Featured Image – University of Manchester
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UK’s best and worst parcel delivery companies named following new research
Emily Sergeant
Some eye-opening new research has revealed the best and worst parcel delivery companies in the UK ahead of Christmas.
With the festive season fast approaching and many already in the process of Christmas shopping, Citizens Advice has released its annual parcel league tables, ranking the UK’s five major delivery companies in order from best to worst based on their overall performance.
From chasing missing parcels, and battling arduous complaints systems, to even having accessibility requests ignored, Citizens Advice found through its latest research that more than a third (37%) faced issues with their most recent delivery – which works out to roughly around 15 million people, a new record.
The research – which was carried out in a ‘snapshot’ one-month period – reveals that the rate of parcel problems remains at the highest levels seen in half a decade.
Now in its fifth year, the charity’s league table looks at the top five delivery companies by parcel volume and measures their performance against criteria to determine who is the best.
The criteria each company is measured against includes customer service, delivery problems, and how well they meet accessibility needs, such as people needing louder knocking or longer to answer the door.
This year’s parcel league table shows Royal Mail scored the highest with 3.25 out of five stars overall, while Yodel slips to the bottom with just two out of five stars.
UK’s top 5 parcel delivery companies
Royal Mail – 3.25 out of 5 stars
Amazon Logistics – 3 out of 5 stars
DPD – 2.5 out of 5 stars
Evri – 2.5 out of 5 stars
Yodel – 2 out of 5 stars
Citizens Advice found through its new research that accessibility was the worst performing area overall, and this is despite Ofcom’s new condition requiring firms to give disabled consumers the opportunity to report their accessibility needs.
There was also customer service failures, with almost half (47%) of the people who had a problem with their initial delivery going on to have further issues trying to resolve the problem.
Research found that the most common problems customers faced with their last delivery include the driver leaving before they had time to get to the door (29%), their parcel being left in an insecure location (24%), and parcels arriving late (24%).
The UK’s best and worst parcel delivery companies have been named / Credit: Evri (Press Picture)
“Ofcom has passed the parcel of responsibility for long enough,” commented Dame Clare Moriarty, who is the Chief Executive of Citizens Advice.
“We’ve been doing the work of the regulator for five years now by holding parcel companies to account and speaking up for consumers who are bearing the brunt of persistently poor service.
“Our league table has tracked parcel problems from warehouse to doorstep. We continue to see millions of people chasing lost parcels, having their accessibility needs ignored and hitting a brick wall when they try to complain.
“The question now is whether the regulator will take tougher action to improve the parcel market once and for all.”
Featured Image – Amazon (Press Picture)
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Tesco unveils Britain’s favourite Christmas meal deal – is yours on here?
Thomas Melia
Supermarket giant Tesco has announced brand-new data revealing Britain’s favourite Christmas meal deals.
But has yours made the cut?
Of course, Christmas is famed for its food, especially the Christmas dinner, but nowadays, the days leading up to the big day have also become filled with foodie feasts, and nothing proves this more than the popularity of the Christmas meal deal – something which Tesco, arguably, knows how to do better than anyone else.
Tesco has been actively tracking the nation’s everyday eating trends all year long, and now that the festive season’s here, shoppers favourite Christmas meal deals have been announced.
It seems meal deal lovers are eager to get into the Christmas spirit, with the best-selling main being the Tesco Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich.
Tesco has unveiled Britain’s favourite festive meal deal / Credit: Tesco plc | The Manc Group
This roast dinner-inspiredbutty has been purchased over 2.5 million times between October and December 2024, and it was so popular, in fact, that it was chosen almost three times as often as this year’s runner up – Tesco Jingle Brie Sandwich.
To pair with this much-loved sandwich is the classic Mccoy’s Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, which are championing the snack category overtaking last year’s champion, Egg Protein Pot, which finished third this year.
And if you’re wondering what beverage Brits are pairing with their lunchtime combinations, it’s none other than Coca-Cola 500ml.
This will come as no surprise to any avid meal deal fans, as this drink has worn the crown as the nation’s favourite drink, not just during Christmas but the whole of 2024 itself.
Tesco top 10 festive meal deal mains (October – December 2024)
1.
Tesco Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich
2.
Tesco Jingle Brie Sandwich
3.
Tesco Yuletide Half ‘N’ Half Sandwich
4.
Tesco Christmas Wrapped Up
5.
Tesco Festive Chicken & Trimmings Sub
6.
Tesco Ho-Ho-Hog Wrap
7.
The Gym Kitchen Chicken Bacon & Stuffing Sandwich
8.
Tesco Cracking Currywurst Sub
9.
Tesco Finest Festive Chicken & Bacon with Gravy Mayonnaise Dip
“Turkey isn’t just for the big day, our customers love bringing festive flavours to their lunchtimes even as early as October,” commented Sarah Bryer, who is the Product Development Manager for Tesco Meal Deal.
“With the crowd-pleasing Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich back again, this year’s line-up of Meal Deal mains has something to suit both traditionalists and those looking for something new with the addition of our Honey Ham, Red Leicester and Festive Chutney Sandwich, Finest Brie and Bacon Brioche Bagel, and Tesco Plant Chef Festive Feast Wrap.“
Emily Sergeant -
9th January 2024 
