Our Valentine’s competition last week got us thinking about how much we love the people that make up our northern soul! That’s why we’ve pulled together the top reasons why we love our city and ultimately, why you should too!
1. Manchester is the second most popular city to visit in the UK. Well, we know we’re always battling for the title with Birmingham, but Greater Manchester has recently come out top in a wide variety of opinion polls aimed at deciding which city follows London as the most popular city to visit. So technically, we are undoubtedly the capital of the North! And when things get back to some form of normality we just know the city will be bustling once again.
2. We’re big on our food! The city’s diverse cultural landscape means that the world cuisines are right on your doorstep. The Arndale and Arndale Market is home to many exciting options such as Bobo Tea for delicious bubble tea, Panchos Burritos, Asian inspired street food from Viet Shack and Nigerian specialities from Onej. If you fancy something a little less exotic, and more to suit your sweet tooth then you must try local delicacies such as Manchester Tart, Eccles Cakes or Bury Black Pudding, which all hail from our wonderful region. Try Hansford’s Bakery in the Market to see what they’ve got on offer, or the market’s butchers for your Black Pudding!
3. The musical heritage is second to none. The Stone Roses, Oasis, The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays. Need we say more?! Once restrictions have eased, a wander past the old Hacienda building and over to the cobbles of Castlefield is high on our list!
4. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll have certainly heard of Manchester! Not only are rival football clubs Manchester United and Manchester City on our doorstep, but we also have the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, the Olympic-sized swimming pool at Manchester Aquatics Centre and even a whole area named Sportcity just a stone throw from the Arndale, which is a legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
5. We exercise girl power! ‘Votes for Women’ was born here. That’s right – Emmeline Pankhurst was one of Manchester’s own. Her campaign for women’s rights laid the foundations for the breadth and tolerance of our modern society. We look up to Emmeline every day for the way she changed the world as we know it!
(@linders1983 – Instagram)
6. You might remember Vimto as a childhood favourite drink. What you might not know is that the soft drink was originally created in our home town in 1908 as a health tonic! The Vimto sculpture is also close by next to the University of Manchester campus and is worth a visit even now if you live in the city centre and want to mix up that daily walk.
7. Alan Turing, who also has a sculpture in Manchester, created the world’s first computer in our wonderful city. You can now find it compressed in many forms, including the MacBook, on our mobile phones and even in our smart TV’s. Manchester really is the place!
8. And last but not least, Manchester has the UK’s largest inner-city shopping centre. The Arndale is home to 200+ of your favourite brands and stores. We can’t wait to welcome you all back into the city when it’s safe to do so. And it’s certainly safe to say that we’ve seen our fair share of first dates, get-togethers, and big family days out. Whatever the reason for your return visit – a gift, a treat or just a good time, this is the place to be.
