The Coolest Cities within the UK

Our new analysis reveals the best UK cities, analysing elements reminiscent of variety of report shops, tattoo studios and the common age of residents.

Whereas everybody’s definition of ‘cool’ might differ, the UK is house to many cities with thriving subcultures, impartial meals spots, artistic power, and grassroots music scenes that provides a spot its personal distinctive vibe. However which cities within the UK are the best of all?

To search out out, the staff at Betway On line casino has analysed 40 UK cities, rating them based mostly on key elements related to being cool. These embody the common age of residents, variety of veggie, vegan and gluten-free eating places, in addition to hidden gem foods and drinks places, variety of report shops and upcoming music occasions, and the variety of tattoo studios.

The place are the highest 10 coolest cities within the UK?

Serving to to settle the controversy as soon as and for all, learn on to search out out which locations have earned their place in our rating of the UK’s 10 coolest cities.

The highest 10 coolest cities within the UK

*All metrics besides common age have been listed based mostly on the variety of locations and occasions per 10,000 individuals. The desk consists of the uncooked variety of locations and occasions.

1. Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove takes the crown as the best metropolis within the UK, the place you’ll discover luggage of different spirit alongside healthful seaside allure. Regardless of having one of many highest common resident ages within the high 10 (43.3), town attracts free-thinkers of all ages. Its vibrant tattoo scene and inclusive meals tradition – that includes 401 veggie, vegan, and gluten-free eating places (14 per 10,000 residents) and 33 tattoo studios (over one per 10,000 residents, the very best focus within the rating) – showcase this eclectic spirit.

The seaside metropolis additionally has the very best variety of upcoming music occasions per 10,000 individuals (30), and the third highest variety of report shops total (20, or 1 per 10,000 residents, making it a real haven for music lovers. From vinyl searching in The Lanes to uncovering quirky indie cafés, Brighton actually has rather a lot to supply various locals and vacationers alike.

2. Norwich

Norwich lands in second place, a metropolis the place medieval allure blends with fashionable indie tradition. While having a compact metropolis centre, there are a whopping 257 veggie, vegan and gluten-free eateries – 18 per 10,000 – making it the very best metropolis within the rating for having essentially the most inclusive locations to eat per resident.

Music and humanities thrive right here too, supported by a number of live-event areas and a rising artistic neighborhood. There are 20 upcoming music occasions per 10,000 individuals, and an honest variety of report shops to browse in (eight total). Whereas Norwich could also be small in comparison with different cities on the record, its persona is something however.

3. Edinburgh

In third place is Edinburgh. Beneath its iconic skyline, dominated by the fort and historic closes, lies a vibrant cultural scene. The town boasts a powerful variety of veggie, vegan and gluten-free eating places (17 per 10,000 residents, the second highest focus within the examine), in addition to loads of hidden gem foods and drinks spots to discover amidst its historic streets (3 per 10,000 individuals).

Edinburgh’s artistic id is equally sturdy, with 19 report shops celebrating each style possible and a thriving tattoo tradition with 33 studios to select from. Add in a gradual stream of music occasions all year long (over 400 upcoming occasions), and you’ve got a metropolis the place heritage and modern creativity intertwine seamlessly.

4. Manchester

Manchester secures fourth place total – and takes the crown as the best metropolis within the north of England. Because the birthplace for legendary artists reminiscent of Oasis and The Stone Roses, its musical legacy runs deep. Right now, that heritage continues to be thriving, with Manchester internet hosting the very best variety of upcoming music occasions of any metropolis within the examine (1,675 in complete, or 28 per 10,000 residents – the second-highest focus total).

Past music, Manchester’s cool issue extends to its booming inclusive foodie scene with 11 veggie, vegan and gluten-free eating places per 10,000 individuals. The town additionally has 22 report shops to browse in, and 24 tattoo parlous, every contributing to its unmistakably artistic spirit. And with a mean resident age of simply 38 – the second youngest within the rating behind London (37) – Manchester buzzes with youthful power, driving its full of life arts, nightlife, and numerous meals scene.

5. Glasgow

Glasgow rounds out the highest 5 – securing a second spot for Scotland among the many UK’s coolest cities. The town presents a powerful collection of veggie, vegan and gluten-free eating places (772 in complete, or 12 per 10,000 residents), making it a welcoming vacation spot for all types of meals lovers. And with 21 report shops and 37 tattoo studios total, Glasgow is a hotspot for anybody drawn to various tradition.

The town’s music scene is equally vibrant, with a whopping 1,302 upcoming occasions (20 per 10,000 individuals). And with iconic bands like Easy Minds, Franz Ferdinand and The Fratellis originating right here, it’s no shock that music is woven deeply into town’s id, serving to it to really feel unmistakingly cool.

The UK’s coolest small cities

Not all the UK’s coolest cities are sprawling metropolises. A few of the most vibrant cultural hubs are smaller, usually ignored cities the place creativity and various cultures thrive. From historic streets to buzzing meals scenes, these smaller cities show that coolness isn’t about measurement, it’s about persona.

The highest 10 coolest cities within the UK with populations under 200,000

*All metrics besides common age have been listed based mostly on the variety of locations and occasions per 10,000 individuals. The desk consists of the uncooked variety of locations and occasions.

Wanting simply at cities with a inhabitants of 200,000 or much less, Norwich comes out high (additionally coming in second place total). Tutorial rivals Cambridge and Oxford comply with intently, every boasting sturdy cultural credentials: Cambridge hosts 17 music occasions per 10,000 individuals, whereas Oxford impresses with 14 vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free eateries per 10,000 residents.

Southend-on-Sea comes fourth with seven report retailers and 13 tattoo parlours serving its smaller inhabitants. Regardless of having the oldest residents on common, with a mean age of 45, Exeter shines with a full of life scene of 21 upcoming music occasions per 10,000 individuals, proving that smaller cities can have simply as a lot buzz as their bigger counterparts.

Every metropolis boasts its personal distinctive mixture of creativity and persona that units it aside – and whereas “cool” can imply various things to completely different individuals, there’s no query that these cities supply various cultures that basically set them aside.

Methodology and sources

To search out out that are the UK’s coolest cities, we created a seedlist of the 40 most populated cities in line with the ONS, then ranked them based mostly on the next metrics: 

• Common age – Plumplot

• Variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free eating places – Tripadvisor

• Hidden gem eating places/cafes/bars and bakeries – Tripadvisor

• Variety of report shops – recordstores.love 

• Upcoming music occasions – Songkick 

Variety of tattoo parlours (inside 5 miles) – Yelp