You knew it, we knew it, but now it’s official – Manchester has been named the most popular city to live in the UK. Of course we Forward Rollers had no doubt that our beloved city was the best in the country, but it was great to have our own opinions confirmed last week when Manchester claimed the top spot for the UK in The Economist’s ‘Global Liveability Index 2018’.

This year Manchester climbed 16 places up the league table, putting us ahead of popular cities Liverpool and Birmingham - even the desirable Capital (London ranked 13 places behind Manchester!).

Now this may come as a surprise to some, but us Mancunians can confirm it is the best city to live in for so many reasons….

Coming from a small town in Cheshire, I myself moved to Manchester for University and it wasn’t long before I realised that I wouldn’t be able to leave the cool, vibrant and interesting city after I graduated.

One of my favourite things about Manchester is its food and drink scene, including all the lovely, independent coffee shops and cafes, not to mention its fine dining!

One of the best areas around Manchester, that attracts both residents and tourists from far and wide, is The Northern Quarter. NQ is not only a cool area to go for food and drinks but in recent years has also become a key part of the city’s nightlife scene.

Manchester’s also loved for its appealing characteristics; its culture and architecture - such as the beautiful Manchester Town Hall, which some say slightly resembles Hogwarts in Harry Potter. The city is also great for shopping and you can’t talk about Manchester without mentioning our music.

Manchester has been graced with many of the biggest musicians on the planet, a lot of who were born here. The likes of Oasis, The Stone Roses and The Smiths to name just a few! The city is also a hub for lots of up and coming bands, who want to showcase their music at some of our amazing venues to get their name out into the industry. Great examples of up and coming artists that have started off in and around Manchester are The Courteeners, Blossoms and the 1975. A city filled with pure musical genius that’s for sure.

As well as music, Manchester is home to a vast amount of sporting talent – Football being the main one as Manchester is the capital of football; home to world class teams that are supported across the globe.

On the subject of talent, Manchester has two Universities in the city centre and also one in Salford, where students from both the UK and internationally come to study – with many staying here to further their careers.

As Manchester has continued to grow into a hub of opportunity, many people have moved to the city to be a part of one of the many thriving industries we have here; retail, fashion and tech to name a few. Our city is home to some of the biggest brands, and coolest agencies, in the country and we’re lucky enough to work with many of them here at Forward Role.

Forward Role is the North’s largest marketing and digital recruiter. From our HQ in Manchester city centre, we help innovative businesses to attract the brightest talent. So if you’re thinking of moving to the UK’s best city to live in, or you live in Manchester already but are seeking a new and exciting role, pop in for a coffee to chat to us about some of our latest opportunities.