New research has revealed which UK towns and cities are home to the best pub culture, and it’s no surprise that Sheffield's made the cut.
With St Patrick’s Day merely days away at this point and summer also firmly on the horizon, it’s about to be a big time for British pubs and the humble beer garden – but which towns and cities across the UK have the best ‘pub culture’ there is to offer? Where are you guaranteed a top-tier night out or day drinking session?
Well, in a bid to get to the bottom of that, the travel experts over at Big House Experience decided to do some important research.
By analysing thousands of data points across every UK postal town area, researchers created a comprehensive index awarding each location a ‘Pub Culture Score’ out of 100.
Image: The Sheff
And Sheffield secured a coveted place in the top ten.
Coming in at a very respectable number seven, scoring a ‘Pub Culture Score’ of 90.7, which is pretty impressive if you ask us, and is certainly an ode to the wide – and ever-growing – variety of watering holes, both new and historic, that we have dotted all over the city.
Other northern cities claiming a spot in the top 10 include Newcastle at six, and Manchester at four, while out of top 10 is where you’ll find Ripon and Chester, while other major UK cities like London, Glasgow, and Cardiff are all, unsurprisingly, featured too.
The UK’s Top 10 ‘Pub Culture’ Cities
Bristol – 100
Edinburgh – 99.5
Birmingham – 96.9
Manchester – 96.1
Reading – 94.2
Newcastle – 94
Sheffield – 90.7
Glasgow – 89.3
London – 87.5
Chelmsford – 82.3
When it comes to the number one spot though, that title goes to Bristol, as the West Country city scored full marks thanks to offering a total of 1,211 pubs across the entire postal area – which is the equivalent of almost 25 pubs per 10,000 people.
Following closely behind is the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, with a near-perfect score of 99.5, and Birmingham claims third place with a score of 96.9.
Do you agree with this list then? What other cities would you chuck into the mix? You can see the full research here.
A Sheffield pizzeria has been named one of the world’s best in a prestigious global ranking.
Forbici, the restaurant where all pizzas are served with a pair of scissors, is the only northern pizzeria to be recognised at last week's Best Pizza Awards 2026.
The awards took place in Milan, and are said to be the Michelin equivalent of the pizza world.
Forbici was named as creating one of the world’s best pizzas, with its master chef recognised as one of the top pizza chefs in the world.
It’s one of just two UK pizzerias listed in the coveted top 100 this year.
Images: The Sheff
Forbici opened in Manchester back in 2024, and has since expanded across to lovely Sheffield on Millennium Square back in March.
It was also once named by Marco Pierre White as ‘the best pizza’ he’d ever had - quite an accolade.
Biga pizza dough at Forbici is slow-fermented to create a light, risen crust, before being topped with quality ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and Italian produce.
It also has a lot of northern flavour, thanks to local specials like the Lancashire Hotpot – a pizza topped with crisps.
And all pizzas are served with scissors, inspired by the pizzerias of Naples, to be cut into quarters.
Master baker Davide Argentino is a fifth-generation baker from Napoli. While his family runs two bakeries on his behalf back home, Davide brings a true taste of authentic Neapolitan pizza to the UK.
Commenting on the recognition, Davide said: “It is a huge honour for Forbici to be recognised as one of the best pizzerias in the world.
“Baking has been in my family for five generations, so this is a really proud moment. In crafting Forbici’s signature dough we challenged convention pushing the fermentation process to the limit. Every bite reflects the patience, precision and expertise behind our approach.
“This recognition belongs to our entire team, whose passion, skill and commitment to the craft of pizza-making make Forbici what it is every day.”
A beach has popped up in the Sheffield city centre this week – and it’s completely free to visit
Clementine Hall
You don't need to book a seaside getaway to enjoy some beach vibes this week, as a giant pop-up beach has arrived right in the heart of the city centre.
To celebrate the opening of Summer Holiday, Tudor Square has been transformed into a sandy seaside retreat.
Located outside the Crucible and Lyceum theatres, the square is now packed with all the essentials for a classic day at the beach - from buckets and spades to deckchairs.
The free attraction is open from 11am until 7pm between Thursday 25 June and Saturday 27 June, with organisers encouraging people of all ages to head down and make the most of the sunshine.
Whether you're looking to snap a holiday-style photo, keep the kids entertained, or simply enjoy a laid-back afternoon in the city, the beach is open to everyone and there's no need to reserve a spot in advance.
Visitors are being reminded to come prepared for the warm weather by bringing suncream, hats, and plenty of water.
And if that wasn't enough, there's even more happening on Saturday 27 June.
A live DJ set from SlamBarz will provide the soundtrack to the day from 11.45am until 2pm, while a barbecue will be providing the goods from midday through until 6pm.
With sunshine, sand, music, and food all on offer, Tudor Square is set to become the place to be this weekend.
So grab your sunglasses and your bucket and spade, round up your friends and family, and head down to enjoy a slice of the seaside right in the middle of the city
Emily Sergeant -
14th March 2026 
