A lot of us are partial to a tipple of two over the festive season, but it seems Manchester is taking the term ‘Merry’ Christmas to a whole new level.
But one thing’s for sure, we probably won’t be feeling too ‘merry’ the morning after.
A banging headache, waves of nausea and the room spinning around you – we’ve all been there the day after a heavy night of drinking, and it shows with the over 168,000 people searching for “hangover cure” every year in the UK alone, but even though pubs and bars around the country currently have their doors closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, sales of alcohol in supermarkets have jumped by 22%, which suggests that more of us than ever are drinking at home.
To see which places are likely to fair the worst this Christmas, health supplement company YourZooki has taken to Google search data to find out how many people in each UK city were searching for the term “hangover cures” per year, and Manchester has come in at number three on the top 10 list.
With over 3120 annual searches, this is equal to 7.88 Mancunians searching for hangover cures per 1000 of the population.
Here’s the full top 10 list:
Rank
Location
Overall Annual Searches
Searches per 1,000 of city population
1
Newcastle
1,680
8.73
2
Leeds
3,840
8.43
3
Manchester
3,120
7.88
4
Brighton
1,080
7.77
5
Glasgow
3,840
6.49
6
Belfast
1,680
6.11
7
Edinburgh
2,520
5.14
8
Bristol
3,120
5.05
9
Portsmouth
600
4.32
10
Aberdeen
840
4.27
Well then.
It certainly sounds like we’re set to feel a little worse for wear over the coming weeks.
To help these the citizens of city hangovers though, YourZooki has also enlisted the help of nutritionist Amanda Callenberg, who has provided her top tips to curing a hangover.
Amanda says: “With Christmas being a time for celebrations and indulgence, many of us consume a bit too much alcohol over the festive period, often leading to unpleasant hangovers with symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea and vomiting – which none of us wants to experience over Christmas time.
“Although alcohol is perfectly safe to enjoy in moderate amounts, it does contain the toxic chemical ethanol – a diuretic which means it helps our body to get rid of fluids – and when we become severely dehydrated, our bodies can’t remove these toxins, so they stay circulating in our bodies.
“It is this dehydration that causes such classic hangover symptoms.
“The best way to avoid a hangover over the Christmas period is to know your limits and limit how much alcohol you drink in one sitting, however, we all know how hard this can be when there is an unlimited supply of prosecco in the kitchen, so other ways you can lessen, and possibly speed up your hangover recovery are:
Eat a balanced meal before you begin drinking: Include fat, protein, and carbohydrates as food in the stomach slows down the absorption of alcohol – this shouldn’t be hard over Christmas.
Hydrate: Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it causes higher levels of urination leading to dehydration, so you should drink plenty of water, before, during and the day after drinking, to keep yourself well hydrated. Aim to drink a glass of water between drinks and have at least one big glass of water before going to sleep.
Replace lost nutrients: Load up on lots of fresh fruit and vegetables the next day to give yourself a vitamin boost and replace the vital electrolytes and nutrients lost due to excess urination. Supplementing with water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and the B vitamins may also be helpful to make sure you’re replacing the vitamins lost from increased urinary excretion. Being depleted in Vitamin C can cause tiredness and fatigue, a weakened immune system, and difficulties concentrating.
Have a hearty breakfast the following day: Alcohol can inhibit glucose production causing low levels of blood sugar, so make sure you have a good hearty breakfast the next day, or a snack before bed to maintain your blood sugar levels.”
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Catterall vs Eubank at AO Arena: will confidence or cocksureness pay off?
Danny Jones
The official press conference between Jack Catterall and Harlem Eubank got a touch heated in Manchester today, and not necessarily for the reasons you’d think.
Although there was certainly a bit of covert bite between the local lad and Eubank (nephew of Chris Eubank Sr.) most of bickering came as a result of an exchange between the latter and promoter and boxing manager, Sam Jones.
Who knows how much of the needle between entourages is genuine and what is simply for show, but there was plenty of jokes made about minced words, stuttering, wearing shades in doors and dodging on multiple levels. Catterall himself remained quiet and calm throughout.
Harlem’s backers firmly believe there is a lot more “skill” in his corner than can be said of his Chorley-born counterpart ahead of this weekend.
Nevertheless, the Manchester regular may have stayed largely modest throughout – as has always been his way – but he still had plenty of confidence and his own team reiterated that there he’ll prove “very difficult to beat.”
He even went on argue that he is “levels above him”, rubbishing any talk of a potential knockout risk.
On the other hand, they did admit that he “can’t afford an 8 or 10-rounder” at this point in his career and a need him to put in a performance.
Meanwhile, Harlem could not have been cocksure of himself and was happy to play into the Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn’s hands in terms of the stereotypical ‘arrogant’ back-yourself kind of boxer vs the quiet, understated, underdog.
Insisting that he wants to “become a world champion” and even squeezing in a dig at fellow Brit, Conor Benn – who will be facing his cousin Eubank Jr. in a rematch this September – labelling the 28-year-old an “alleged drug cheat”.
There was even more excitement over in the ‘Small Talk’ studio set up inside the AO Arena, as recently retired MMA fighter, ‘Meatball’ Molly McCann, had an announcement of her own.
The Catterall vs Eubank press conference had another big bonus up its sleeve.
Over in the ‘Small Talk’ studio over to the side, confirmation from Eddie Hearn that Molly McCann, was announced as the latest Matchroom signing.
It was said that she expects to undertake her first seven or eight fights within the space of year, telling media that “this was always the plan” and despite “lots of offers” from different promotions, “There’s no other place [she’d] rather be.”
Hearn went on to state that he can see her competing for a title “within months”, adding: “I truly believe she’ll be a world champion.”
Featured Images — The Manc Group/press shots (supplied)
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Jet2 and Greggs is offering Mancs the chance to win a luxury holiday for the price of a sausage roll
Thomas Melia
Jet2 has teamed up with Greggs to announce a new competition where you can win a holiday for the price of a sausage roll.
If you didn’t know by now, ‘Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday’, and as the British budget airline launches its latest collaboration where you can win a holiday for the same price as a sausage roll, we’d say that’s pretty accurate.
Fancy laying down in the scorching heat and baking yourself just like a trusty Greggs sausage roll? Well it’s a good thing these two iconic companies have teamed up then, because now you can do just that.
Jet2 and Greggs are giving away a three-night all-inclusive holiday to Marbella for the same price as everyone’s flaky-pastry favourite priced at £1.30.
In a video shared to social media, internet personalities Charley Marlowe and Luke Hamnett announced this brand-new offer in an extremely on-brand way.
The video sees the pair taking on very different roles, quite literally, as Hamnett dresses as a sausage roll while Marlowe tries her hand as a cabin crew member.
This exclusive campaign sees you in with the chance of winning a three-night all-inclusive holiday to the luxury Spanish destination, staying at Iberostar Selection Marbella Coral Beach from 2 October – 5 October 2025.
Jet2 and Greggs is offering a luxury holiday for the price of a sausage roll / Credit: Laura Barry (via Unsplash) | Greggs
On top of this, you’ll also get a handful of Jet2 and Greggs co-branded goodies sent to your door before take-off, and there may even be a present or two in your hotel room as well.
I think it’s safe to say there certainly will be carbs in Marbs.
Emily Sergeant -
18th December 2020 
