After what feels like a debate that’s been dragging on for a lifetime, with just about everyone from your Grandad and Auntie, to even a ‘professional tea taster’ chucking their opinion into the mix, actual proper research has revealed what everyone in Manchester already knew anyway.
That us Mancunians make the best cups of tea, and everyone else is just doing it wrong.
It’s as simple as that.
Now, we know that talking to Brits about brews is a very delicate business, because simply put, Brits love a brew, and it was even found last year that we’ve been buying tea more than ever during lockdown – with an additional £24 million spent on the stuff in a four week period.
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Basically, we’ll pop the kettle on at any chance we get, but this new research has confirmed that if you’re going to want anyone to pop the kettle on for you, it’s us Mancs.
So, how has this obvious conclusion come about then? Well, it’s all about strength.
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A survey of 2,000 UK adults – commissioned by watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches – found that the time an average person leaves their tea to brew is just one minute and ten seconds, but experts actually advise leaving the teabag in for between four and five minutes to make sure you “unlock all its flavour”, and it was found that just one in 50 – or 2% – of UK tea-drinkers actually follow this guidance.
In fact, Brits are three times more likely to remove the teabag in under 10 seconds (6%), than they are to brew for the recommended length.
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Across the UK, us Mancunians make the best brews, with 5% of us listening to the experts by waiting at least four minutes for their drink – which is the most of any city – and we also have the longest average brewing time too, at one minute and 26 seconds.
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As the only northern representatives on the top five list, Manchester is joined by other places such as Nottingham and Norwich.
And then at the other end of the spectrum, Bristolians were found to make the weakest tea – also known as the worst – with an average time of just 47 seconds.
So you really can’t argue with that.
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The UK cities making the strongest tea are:
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Manchester – 1 minute, 26 seconds
Southampton – 1 minute, 20 seconds
Nottingham – 1 minute, 14 seconds
London – 1 minute, 14 seconds
Norwich – 1 minute, 10 seconds
UK average – 1 minute, 10 seconds
The UK cities making the weakest tea are:
Bristol – 47 seconds
Birmingham – 56 seconds
Newcastle – 59 seconds
Glasgow – 59 seconds
Leeds – 1 minute, 2 seconds
The age of the tea brewer was also found to be a factor too, with millennials having the strongest tea (1 minute, 17 seconds), while baby boomers brew up the the weakest cup (1 minute, 6 seconds), and it also appears that tea is gradually becoming less popular, as each new generation is drinking less of it.
While 91% of over 65s say they enjoy a brew, this drops to 85% among Gen Z, with a steady decline in between.
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On a slightly more shocking and controversial note though, when it comes to whether to add the milk first or last, 30% of Mancunians are most likely to opt for the milk-first method apparently, with us only being beaten to the top spot by 31% of Londoners.
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What’s that all about?
Do you agree with that claim Manchester?
Wading in on the findings, Danny Richmond – Managing Director at Tic Watches – said: “The length of time that someone brews their tea for is an incredibly personal thing and everyone is different, but our study showed that many people are not following the expert suggestions for brewing,
“But as long as it tastes good to you, that’s the only thing that matters.”
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Icelandic airline offering incredible Northern Lights holiday experience including hotel, breakfast and tours
Danny Jones
Icelandair, the nation’s principal airline and proud flag carrier is offering an incredible package to holiday-goers this winter by giving them a chance to book their flights, hotel, breakfast, multiple unique tours and the opportunity to see the Northern Lights all in one affordable deal.
With the Northern Lights being one of the most magical tourist attractions in the world, its popularity only increases by the year and, as a result, so does the cost of going to see it.
That’s where Icelandair come in: the flight operator is offering Brits an amazing new package centred around the legendary natural light display at a discount. Trust us, you seriously want to consider snapping up this one whilst you can.
From this week, Icelandair is offering UK travellers a special package deal which includes a three-night holiday with return flights, a hotel room with breakfast and three unique and unforgettable Icelandic tours for just £459 per person.
(Credit: Icelandair)
This deal will see holidaymakers board an Icelandair economy flight from either London, Glasgow or Manchester Airport to the nation’s beautiful capital of Reykjavik, with a complimentary 23kg checked bag allowance, plus a 10kg in hand luggage allowance, your choice when it comes to where you want to seat, seat, on-board refreshments and a personal in-flight entertainment system.
For your accommodation, you’ll be staying at the four-star Hotel Island Spa and Wellness Resort, located right near the centre of Reykjavik and treated to breakfast every morning for two adults sharing a room. And then you get to make the most of what the country’s incredible landscape.
Onto the main event of your holiday: Icelandair’s Northern Lights experience is a breathtaking three-to-four-hour tour that allows you to see the glory of the incredible natural phenomenon with your own eyes.
As for the FlyOver Iceland tour, this unique experience is the ultimate flying ride which utilizes state-of-the-art technology to give you the exhilarating feeling of flight. During this virtual journey, you’ll experience the more remote but no less spectacular areas of Iceland through motion, wind, sound and even scents.
People wait their entire lives to experience the Northern Lights. What’s stopping you?
Last but not certainly least, you have the lava show, which is one of the top-rated attractions anywhere in Scandinavia, receiving numerous awards for innovation and educational value. You literally get to watch as they recreate a volcanic eruption and allow you to safely experience hot lava in close proximity.
Once again, all this is yours to enjoy from just £459 per person. We believe the phrase you’re looking for is ‘value for money’.
Available right now until 4 October 2023, you can book to travel to see Iceland and the Northern Lights from November 2023 right up until March 2024.
You book your flights HERE and find out more information about this incredible package via the Icelandair website.
This Greater Manchester area has just been named one of the best in the UK to raise a family
Emily Sergeant
We all know Greater Manchester is home to a wide range of neighbourhoods and residential areas to suit every need.
But one area, in particular, has just been named among the best in the UK to raise a family.
Fresh off the back of two of our region’s towns being highlighted as places that first time buyers should consider looking at to get onto the property ladder, and not long after another two local towns earned themselves a place within the top 20 ‘most desirable’ in Britain, Greater Manchester has now got another title to talk about with pride.
After the team at home security experts ADT decided to do some research into the best places in the country for those looking to raise a family, Trafford has made it into the top 10.
The Greater Manchester borough has earned seventh place on the list after a number of factors were analysed for the research – including the quality of the local schools, the general safety of the area, and the number of parks within walking distance.
The top 10 most family-friendly areas in the UK
Rank
Area
Crime Rate Per 1,000 People, Year ending March 2023
Burglary Rate Per 1,000 People, Year ending March 2023
Average number of Parks, Public Gardens, or Playing Fields within a 1,000 m radius
Percentage of Oustanding and Good Rated Schools and Colleges
Median House Price, Year Ending Dec 2022
Cost of a single bus fare, adult
Family Safety Score /10
1
Waltham Forest
82
3.2
6
82.8%
£520,000
£1.75
7.23
2
Kirklees
111
3.5
6
77.6%
£181,000
£1.60
7.12
3
Havering
76
2.9
4
89.5%
£445,000
£1.75
6.99
4
Bexley
65
2.4
4
81.3%
£425,000
£1.75
6.96
4
Bromley
69
3.1
6
79.7%
£529,000
£1.75
6.96
6
Wirral
96
2.6
6
77.8%
£200,000
£2.00
6.80
7
Trafford
88
4.4
5
83.2%
£193,000
£2.00
6.72
7
Newcastle
124
3.7
8
81.6%
£178,000
£2.00
6.72
9
Hounslow
88
4.2
5
83.2%
£478,000
£1.75
6.64
9
Hillingdon
80
3.6
5
80.5%
£485,000
£1.75
6.64
Waltham Forest in London takes the top spot for the most family-friendly area in the UK, according to the research, as it ranked within the top 15 for both the lowest crime and burglary rates, and also ranked seventh for schools – with 82.8% having a “good” or higher rating from OFSTED.
Kirkless in West Yorkshire took second place, followed by Havering, Bexley, and Bromley all rounding out the top five.
As well as Kirklees placing second and Trafford being in the seventh spot, the Wirral and Newcastle-upon-Tyne are also fellow northern representatives within the top 10.
Trafford has been named one of the best areas in the UK to raise a family / Credit: ADT
Sadly, on the other end of the spectrum, the least family-friendly area in the UK was found to be Birmingham, according to ADT’s research, as despite the average house price being £221,000, with a crime rate of 141 per 1,000 people, and a family safety score of just 2.5/10, the Midlands city takes the bottom spot.
On a more positive note though, when it comes the postcode area with the lowest crime rate in the UK, the North West is representing once again, as this has come out as CW12 3 in Cheshire East.