A new study by credit card brand Aqua has named Southend-on-Sea as the best city in the UK for a beer garden trip, citing high sunshine hours, low rainfall and relatively affordable drinks. Manchester ranks as the worst overall.
The research compared major UK cities using factors such as the average price of a pint and soft drink, May temperatures, sunshine hours, rainfall and the number of beer gardens per 100,000 people.
Top-ranked destinations
Southend-on-Sea leads the ranking with 241 average sunshine hours in May, the highest of any city analysed, and low rainfall at 41.55mm. A pint costs £4.75 on average, while a soft drink is £1.40.
Portsmouth places second, recording one of the warmest May temperatures at 12.8°C, rainfall of 43.26mm and an average pint price of £4.70. Soft drinks cost £2.04 on average.
Blackpool ranks third with 218 sunshine hours, one of the cheapest pints at £3.50 and 43 beer gardens per 100,000 people.
The top 5 cities are
- Southend-on-Sea – Pint £4.75, soft drink £1.40, May temperature 12°C, sunshine 241 hours, rainfall 42mm, 15 beer gardens per 100,000 people
- Portsmouth – Pint £4.70, soft drink £2.04, May temperature 13°C, sunshine 222 hours, rainfall 43mm, 35 beer gardens per 100,000 people
- Blackpool – Pint £3.50, soft drink £1.88, May temperature 12°C, sunshine 218 hours, rainfall 54mm, 43 beer gardens per 100,000 people
- Dudley – Pint £4.75, soft drink £1.50, May temperature 12°C, sunshine 200 hours, rainfall 57mm, 57 beer gardens per 100,000 people
- Kingston upon Hull – Pint £3.25, soft drink £1.50, May temperature 12°C, sunshine 200 hours, rainfall 48mm, 15 beer gardens per 100,000 people
Cheapest and most expensive pints
Bradford and Kingston upon Hull have the cheapest pints at £3.25, followed by Sunderland and Blackpool at £3.50. Preston averages £4.00.
Northampton averages £4.25, while Swansea, Nottingham, Coventry and Luton each average £4.50.
London and Reading have the most expensive pints at £6.50.
Beer garden availability
- Dudley has the highest number of beer gardens relative to population, with 57 per 100,000 people and 113 in total for a population of 199,059.
- Blackpool with 43 per 100,000 people and 63 total
- Portsmouth with 35 per 100,000 and 88 total
- Wolverhampton with 34 per 100,000 and 76 total, tied with Northampton
- Swindon with 33 per 100,000 and 61 total
Lowest-ranked cities
Manchester ranks last, with the lowest sunshine hours in May at 175 on average and only five beer gardens per 100,000 people despite having 155 in total. A pint costs £5.50 on average.
Glasgow and Aberdeen also rank among the bottom three due to lower May temperatures and fewer beer gardens per capita.
Budgeting advice for summer
Scott Yule, Commercial Director at Aqua, said: “As the weather gets better, Brits tend to make more plans to see friends and family, and to enjoy the variety of events and places the UK has to offer. But more plans can also mean more spending, and without a clear budget in place and open communication with the people around you, it can be easy to overspend and stress about money. Creating a summer fund and automating your savings on payday may be a good way to head into the warmer months with a little extra money and less financial stress. Even a small amount each month can add up quickly, and you’ll be able to build a nice pot to spend on dinners out, festivals, or any summer plans that bring you joy.”
The study, published on 30th March 2026, also recommends setting a clear budget, communicating openly about spending, automating savings, seeking free activities or deals, and drinking responsibly.
A seasonal tradition
The findings highlight how beer gardens remain a popular British tradition, shaped by weather, affordability and availability. The data is based on pricing, population figures and historical May climate averages across the cities analysed.1