urbanbubble Landlord Insights

Manchester: The night-time capital of the UK

Written by Admin | Apr 4, 2023 11:00:00 PM

Manchester is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe, and gaining attention from across the world as one of the hottest places to live and work.

Following its recent inclusion in both Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel” and National Geographic’s “Best of the World” 2023 lists, Manchester has been singled out by yet another leading global publication. In a glowing article full of praise for the city, Manchester has been described by the Sunday Times as the “Night-time capital of the UK”.

Driven by affordable rents, a club-friendly mayor and a population with an average age of 31, the newspaper declared that right now the “city is mad for it”!

With its very own Soho House private members club set to open later this year where the area’s creative industry can mingle over a rooftop pool, this is a city which feels – and is - young, with a population of half a million and a median age of 31.

The Sunday Times hails Depot Mayfield, which is just down the road from Oxygen, as one of the city’s most popular hotspots, with an A-List crowd ranging from Gary Lineker to Aphex Twins.   By concentrating on music and football, Manchester has been a city which has its priorities set on the future. In his Night Time Economy Blueprint in 2019, mayor Andy Burnham announced his mission for the area to be “one of the best places in the world to go out, stay out, work and run a business between 6pm and 6am”.

It looks like the plan is working extremely well. 

Tech and media companies are subsequently setting up home in the city like never before, with notable big hitters Google, Amazon, Microsoft and the BBC all with bases in Manchester.  Its food scene has also taken off considerably, driven by the same affordable rents and early-stage gentrification that the Sunday Times compared to the explosion in creative hospitality that the East End of London enjoyed a generation ago.

“Manchester is this burgeoning thing, everyone’s on board,” says Sam Kandel, co-founder of the Warehouse Project. “They feel involved, and while the city is growing, the community here is still small enough. People feel a part of something and they’re proud. There’s something happening in Manchester and everyone knows it!”

Research for urbanbubble last month showed just how popular the city has become for renters with a continued lack of supply of properties in the city pushing rents to record levels. February 2023 saw only 381 lets, the lowest February since 2020 (342 lets) and down 15% compared to last year's 468 lets.

There’s no doubt that Manchester has one of the hottest and most sought-after rental markets in the UK right now. With demand for rental properties in Manchester so high – particularly in the luxury market - it is important that landlords are supported by a property manager that has the capability to deliver an exceptional level of service for both the landlord and resident.

urbanbubble has the knowledge and experience to provide landlords with an unrivalled property management experience suitable for such a world-leading city like Manchester. Switching to urbanbubble is incredibly easy, our team can take care of everything, and help you every step of the way. To find out more contact us today.