High energy bills, changing working practices and the cost-of-living crisis are putting the nighttime economy in towns and city centres across Greater Manchester under pressure.
But a new report suggests nightlife is evolving rather than dying in many areas, with fewer pubs and bars - perhaps due to fewer young people drinking alcohol - but more restaurants.
And policy consultancy Public First says there's huge variations in fortunes around the country, not least in the North, as its new Night Out Index ranks Brighton top based on the number of licensed bars, restaurants and clubs per 10,000 people. READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community On the list of over 100 major towns and cities in England and Wales, Manchester is 10th in the country with 16.5, with Stockport 47th on 11.6, Bury 51st on 11.2 and Wigan 58th on 10.7. For politics news and analysis from Greater Manchester and across the North sign up to The Northern Agenda newsletter at www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk. But at the bottom of the table Salford is 109th with a score of just 6.1, Oldham 100th at 7.4 and Bolton and Rochdale 94th and 93rd with scores of 7.7 and 7.9 respectively.
In the last ten years the biggest improvements to nightlife have been in Leeds, Liverpool and Halifax, with Sheffield, Manchester and York also in the top 10 in this measure.