Bradford has been named one of the ‘most desired’ places to live in the UK for 2024, according to a new study.
Granted, it's not Leeds. But Bradford is close enough, and apparently it's just been crowned one of the 'most desired' places to live in the whole of the UK.
Whether you’ve landed a new job, you’re craving better weather, or you’re just looking for a change of pace, we all know there’s loads of reasons to relocate to a different city – but which locations are the most desirable of them all?
In a bid to figure this out, the home insurance team over at Compare the Market decided to do a bit of research and devise a list.
Image: UnsplashImage: Wikipedia
To do this, they looked at the average monthly Google search volumes for terms relating to living and moving to different locations.
And Leeds made it into the top 10.
UK’s top 10 most desired places to live in 2024
London
Derby
Stoke on Trent
Birmingham
Liverpool
Wolverhampton
Bradford
Manchester
Newport
Sunderland
London ranks as the number one most desired city to live in the UK, and is followed closely by Derby,Stoke-on-Trent, and Birmingham, with our fellow Northern neighbours Liverpool rounding out the top five.
Manchester and Sunderland are some of the other Northern cities featuring in the top 10.
“Relocation is an exciting adventure, but careful planning is key,” explained Anna McEntee, from the home insurance team at Compare the Market, as the top 10 list was revealed this week.
Sharing tips for anyone looking to relocate in the future, Anna continued: “Make sure to thoroughly research the area you’re interested in, and consider factors like commute times and proximity to schools and amenities. You should also set a realistic budget that includes hidden costs like moving fees, potential repairs, and home insurance.
“Additionally, you may want to consider extending your home insurance coverage with accidental damage insurance or apartment insurance to make sure your property and belongings are protected from any unforeseen events.”
The Merrion Centre is set to welcome one of the UK’s fastest-growing specialist music retailers.
K-pop fans, you're going to love this one.
Soft launching on Friday 22 May, K-pop Korner Leeds will open initially as a pop-up store, becoming the brand’s fourth UK location and its first in the north of England.
Recognised as the UK’s leading dedicated K-pop retailer, K-pop Korner stocks official K-pop albums, signed albums, light sticks and rare collectibles imported directly from Korea.
Not only that, but the brand has developed a strong national following through fan events, trading days, concerts and exclusive product launches.
The Leeds opening follows the success of K-pop Korner’s existing stores in London Waterloo, London Euston and Nottingham, with growing demand from fans across Yorkshire and the north driving the expansion.
Anastasia Tsappis, Director of K-pop Korner, said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring K-pop Korner to Leeds and finally create a dedicated space for fans in Yorkshire and the North of England. Community has always been at the heart of what we do and we’re looking forward to building a welcoming environment where fans can meet, discover new merchandise, celebrate their favourite artists and enjoy special events together.
“Our community has been asking for a more accessible location outside London and the Midlands for a long time, so Leeds felt like the natural next step. The Merrion Centre stood out because of its vibrant atmosphere, fantastic city-centre location and strong connection to entertainment and youth culture.
“We want the opening to feel like more than just a store launch. It’s about celebrating K-pop fandom and creating memorable experiences for the local community. We’re especially excited to see fans come together for our opening events and experience the energy and excitement that makes K-pop culture so special.”
Inside Pardon Me – Leeds’ newest neighbourhood record bar inspired by Japan
Clementine Hall
Farsley is now home to an ultra-cool record bar with coffee, cocktails and an unbeatable sound system.
Tucked away in the beautiful Sunny Bank Mills, Pardon Me is a record bar built around 'music, atmosphere, and detail'.
It's been launched by Scott Rapson, who grew up in the Scottish Highlands and fell in love with music around the time of the arrival of hip hop in the early 80s.
He then spent time travelling for raves, and visiting venues like Glasgow’s Sub Club and London’s Plastic People, giving Scott an appreciation for how 'music can shape a room, not just fill it'.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Scott and his partner Laurie have then spent the past three years travelling, visiting listening bars across Europe to shape the foundations of Pardon Me.
Listening bars, also known as hi-fi bars, originated in 1920s Japan - and you can really see the Japanese influence within the space and it's super cool interiors.
Images: The Hoot Leeeds
Bartenders here create a small but perfectly formed menu of cocktails and pour natural wines from Wayward Wines in front of a wall of vinyl, while a collection of Scott's records play as a soundtrack to your evening.
The sound system Scott claims is one of the "best in the North East", which he says has a "real sense of depth and balance to it" with a "coverage that stays incredibly consistent across the room".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Whether it's for coffee during the day, or drinks into the evening, they want Pardon Me to be a place to spend time, looking out across Sunny Bank Mills.
Pardon Me is open Thursday - Sunday, and you can find out more about this wonderful new opening here.
Emily Sergeant -
6th June 2024 
