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 in 2024, all that could be set to change, as some new statistics are seeming to show that grooms might not need to travel quite as far for their one last hurrah.
That’s because, according to dedicated stag party planning platform, StagWeb, some of the UK’s biggest cities are set to be popular places this year instead – and Manchester is right near the top of the list.
That’s right, Manchester is apparently set for “a huge influx” of stag parties in 2024.
StagWeb’s recent search data has identified that our city is set to be a more popular choice than classic stag party hotspots like Newcastle, Cardiff, and Dublin this year.
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Manchester is apparently set for an ‘invasion’ of stag parties in 2024 / Credit: PickPik | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
Back in 2023, Manchester didn’t even feature in the Top 10 most popular UK destinations for stag parties, but this year, it’s a different story, as the city has claimed the fifth spot on the list, and is only right behind Bristol, Edinburgh, Brighton, and fellow North West city Liverpool.
The spike in stags heading to the Manchester is said to be due to the city’s “ever-growing party reputation”, according to StagWeb, but also a move away from traditional stag do destinations – which has been appearing as a trend in recent years.
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Luke McFarlane, who is StagWeb’s Manchester specialist, said our city is “one of the most up-and-coming stag cities in the country”.
Top 10 most popular UK destinations for stag parties in 2024
Bristol
Liverpool
Edinburgh
Brighton
Manchester
Newcastle
Cardiff
Bournemouth
Birmingham
Nottingham
He explained that it’s due to “the variety of nightlife and activities on offer”.
“You can party on a budget,” he continued, “plus it has the opportunity to go big if people want to, so it’s got something for everyone.
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“There’s a massive range of unique activities available too – from the insanely-popular Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Experience, to wrestling schools, and things like the National Football Museum to keep the guys occupied.”
Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores
Emily Sergeant
Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.
And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.
After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.
All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.
Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.
Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.
Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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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.”
Emily Sergeant -
19th January 2024 
