Greater Manchester dominates top ten UK Vaping Capitals, according to research

Greater Manchester dominates the list of Vaping Capitals of the UK, according to new research.

Wherever you go, you don’t have to walk far before you enter a sweet-smelling hazy cloud of vapour and feel as if you’re a contestant on Stars In Their Eyes.

Young people are vaping on the tram, your mate can barely construct a sentence without inhaling some of the battery-powered, synthetic cherry flavoured smoke, and every other stranger on the street is blowing out a cloud big enough to conceal an aircraft.

Replacing the old habit of cigarette smoking, it now seems as if vaping is taking over just about everywhere.

Online vape store Go Smoke Free, used GOV.UK’s Companies House advanced search feature to find businesses registered for the retail sale of tobacco products in specialised stores in the UK. 

It then compared the number of these active businesses to each town or city’s population size to construct a list of the top 10 UK Vaping Capitals.

Unfortunately, Greater Manchester dominates the list of the UK’s Vaping Capitals with four areas named.

According to the research, Blackburn is ranked as the UK’s vaping capital, with 27 registered vape retailers serving its population of 119,707 residents. When accounting for population size, this equates to 22.56 vape shops per 100,000 residents – the largest figure for any UK town or city.

Second on the list is Bolton in Greater Manchester, with 20.26 vape shops registered per 100,000 residents in the town. Bolton has 41 registered vape shops in total serving its 202,369 residents.

Manchester ranks third, with 110 vape shops in total. However, the city’s larger population ensures this works out to 19.84 registered vape retailers per 100,000 residents.

Further down the list, Middlesbrough ranks fourth. Located in North Yorkshire, Middlesbrough has 12.43 vape shops per 100,000 residents. The town has 22 registered vape shops serving its 176,991 residents.

Rounding out the top five is Salford in Greater Manchester, which has a total of 14 registered vape shops, equivalent to 12.03 shops per 100,000 residents.

And Stockport ranks sixth, with 10.91 vape retailers per 100,000 residents.

A spokesperson for Go Smoke Free said: “Disposable vapes have gained popularity in recent years, due to their convenience, portability and low cost, which has made them an attractive option for those who would otherwise have been unlikely to invest in a more complex vaping setup.”

They continued: “The new disposable vape ban should help to discourage children from taking up vaping, while encouraging adults to shift to more sustainable alternatives, such as refillable vapes.

“This study highlights which areas of the UK are most likely to be affected by the upcoming ban on selling disposable vapes. The Greater Manchester area boasts its fair share of stores catering to vapers’ needs, with Blackburn, Bolton and the city of Manchester claiming the top three spots.

“These cities could see a significant shift in their vaping culture, with the ban impacting consumer behaviour, and existing vape retailers adapting their offerings to cater to the new legislation.”

The list of vaping capital of the UK, according to Go Smoke Free, is as follows:

1. Blackburn 
2. Bolton
3. Manchester
4. Middlesborough
5. Salford 
6. Stockport 
7. Doncaster
8. Newport
9. Peterborough
10. Nottingham

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