Manchester has been named as one of the best top 10 cities in the world for sport, according to a prestigious 2023 ranking.
But was there really ever any doubt?
More than two decades on from hosting the Commonwealth Games all the way back in 2002, our city continues to be recognised as a sporting powerhouse, and to prove this, Manchester has come in at number five on the BCW Top 50 Global Sport Cities ranking for 2023.
Not only is it the only UK city, apart from London, to make it into the coveted top 10, but it’s also jumped up a few places its ranking in eighth place in 2022.
Some of the city’s world-class facilities, including the National Cycling Centre and National Squash Centre were all noted as going toward it clinching eighth place on the list, as well as the thriving visitor economy strengthened by sporting attractions like National Football Museum, Emirates Old Trafford, and both football stadiums.
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On top of this, the recent renovation works at the National Cycling Centre and the Aquatics Centre were noted, as were the dozens of other sporting projects said to be either in development or underway across the city region that are expected to be complete by 2025.
Paris, New York, Barcelona, and Tokyo are some of the other global cities to have made the 2023 list.
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The National Aquatic Centre in Manchester / Credit: British SwimmingManchester Velodrome and Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground / Credit: National Cycling Centre | Emirates Old Trafford
Manchester City Council says it’s “very proud” to have received this recognition after the investment that’s been put in to place the city on the international sporting map.
“Hosting the Commonwealth Games cemented Manchester’s reputation as one of the leading cities for sport and two decades on participation in sport has grown, we have widened access and encouraged residents to lead more active lifestyles, connecting sport with health and well-being,” said Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member Skills, Employment and Leisure.
“The long-term benefits of sporting regeneration are not just seen at a national level but regional and local level as well as we continue to see capital investment in our sporting infrastructures, and major sporting events being held here.
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“We have continued to expand, extend and modernise many of our facilities.”
One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.
With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.
But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.
The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.
During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.
One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)
There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).
16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.
Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.
Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.
Clearly, the moral of the story here is , enjoy yourself… but just not too much.
Featured Image – The OurWhiskey Company (via Pexels)
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More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner
Emily Sergeant
More than 12 million Brits would argue that your Christmas dinner needs a side of Yorkshire puddings, a shocking survey has revealed.
The survey in question carried out by retailer Next – which polled a total of 2,000 Brits about their Christmas dining and tableware habits – has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track when it comes to, what we can all agree is, one of the biggest and heartiest meals of the year.
It turns out, Brits like a lot of unusual items on our Christmas dinner plate.
Some of the most obscure finds the survey is that two million people admitted to eating onion rings alongside their turkey and sprouts, and a further 5% (3.4 million) Brits like tucking into a bit of seafood on Christmas Day.
A surprising 4% (2.7 million) of people admitted that they like to add ketchup to their Christmas dinner plate – with mac and cheese, chips, and sweetcorn also making the top 10 list.
More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner / Credit: Rumman Amin (via Unsplash)
If all of that wasn’t mad enough as it is, one of the most shocking stats from the survey is probably the fact that a whopping 1.4 million respondents even said that they wouldn’t consider it a Christmas dinner without the addition of baked beans.
But when it comes to Christmas dinner, there’s probably one debate that’s bigger than them all, and is still yet to be decided – do Yorkshire puddings belong on your Christmas dinner plate or not?
Well, 12.7 million Brits believe that they do, and we reckon a good chunk of that number is us northerners.
The UK’s top 10 non-traditional Christmas food items
Yorkshire Puddings (19% – 12.7 million)
Bread sauce (5% – 3.4 million)
Seafood (5% – 3.4 million)
Ketchup (4% – 2.7 million)
Mac and cheese (3% – 2 million)
Onion rings (3% – 2 million)
Chips (2% – 1.2 million)
Bread (2% – 1.2 million)
Sweetcorn (2% – 1.2 million)
Beans (2% – 1.2 million)
A new survey has revealed has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track for Christmas dinner / Credit: Lisa Baker (via Unsplash)
While previous research has shown that the most common items on a British Christmas dinner are roast potatoes and gravy, these latest stats reveal there are some people out there who just like to do things a little differently.
But no matter how you like to eat it, a delicious Christmas dinner is always going to be something to celebrate, right?
Emily Sergeant -
23rd October 2023 
