As wedding restrictions have finally began to ease and the UK’s nightlife gets back on its feet, hen and stag parties are on the hunt for a wild weekend away.
Whilst European getaways were popular before the pandemic hit, this year the fun is more likely to take place in a thriving city or town, a little closer to home.
To find out where this year’s hens and stags are celebrating, STEVEN STONE Engagement Ring Specialists used Google Search Data to reveal the most popular hen and stag hotspots around the UK for 2021.
With 28,170 searches for terms relating to ‘hen parties’, Liverpool can expect plenty of glamorous ladies heading to the city this year as it’s crowned the UK’s hen party capital.
From the top 20, Leeds and Manchester have seen the biggest increase in searches since January 2021, when the road map for our lockdown lift began to roll out.
Cardiff faired pretty well for both Hen and Stag parties – more so for the men. We wonder if the reason why is a certain programme made right here in Wales (see foot of the page).
TOP 20
| RANK | HEN PARTY HOTSPOT | NO. OF ANNUAL SEARCHES | AVERAGE MONTHLY INCREASE IN 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LIVERPOOL | 28,170 | 80% |
| 2 | BRIGHTON | 18,000 | 62% |
| 3 | BATH | 11,450 | 113% |
| 4 | GLASGOW | 10,370 | 63% |
| 5 | YORK | 7,330 | 98% |
| 6 | MANCHESTER | 9,830 | 134% |
| 7 | EDINBURGH | 8,080 | 36% |
| 8 | NEWCASTLE | 6,620 | 36% |
| 9 | BRISTOL | 5,400 | 120% |
| 10 | CARDIFF | 4,470 | 100% |
| 11 | LEADS | 3,450 | 135% |
| 12 | BELFAST | 4,350 | 118% |
| 13 | BLACKPOOL | 4,180 | 79% |
| 14 | CAMBRIDGE | 2,070 | 61% |
| 15 | CHESTER | 2,320 | 62% |
| 16 | CORNWALL | 2,300 | 21% |
| 17 | NOTTINGHAM | 2,080 | 72% |
| 18 | LAKE DISTRICT | 1,410 | 21% |
| 19 | NEWQUAY | 1,260 | 31% |
| 20 | SHEFFIELD | 770 | 19% |
When it comes to the lads, it seems stags are planning to travel up north for a night out in Newcastle. With 11,260 annual searches and 4,870 since January, the Geordie gem is growing in interest, with an increase of 114%.
Interestingly, Newcastle is the eighth most popular location for hen parties, with just 6,620 annual searches.
With a thriving nightlife and an abundance of attractions, it’s not surprising to see Liverpool in second place. Whilst the term ‘Stag do in Liverpool’ received over 50% less searches than ‘Hen do in Liverpool’ it still takes the crown for the most popular location overall.
TOP 20
| RANK | STAG PARTY HOTSPOT | NO. OF ANNUAL SEARCHES | AVERAGE MONTHLY INCREASE IN 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NEWCASTLE | 11,260 | 114% |
| 2 | LIVERPOOL | 10,460 | 109% |
| 3 | EDINBURGH | 8,580 | 116% |
| 4 | BRISTOL | 6,590 | 185% |
| 5 | CARDIFF | 5,860 | 107% |
| 6 | MANCHESTER | 4,870 | 169% |
| 7 | BATH | 4,860 | 72% |
| 8 | BRIGHTON | 4,740 | 119% |
| 9 | GLASGOW | 4,660 | 73% |
| 10 | CORNWALL | 3,360 | 37% |
| 11 | BLACKPOOL | 3,200 | 72% |
| 12 | NEWQUAY | 3,140 | 28% |
| 13 | NOTTINGHAM | 2,990 | 92% |
| 14 | LEEDS | 2,520 | 119% |
| 15 | YORK | 2,170 | 167% |
| 16 | LAKE DISTRICT | 1,190 | 53% |
| 17 | BELFAST | 1,110 | 67% |
| 18 | CHESTER | 1,410 | 138% |
| 19 | CAMBRIDGE | 710 | 329% |
| 20 | SHEFFIELD | 650 | 183% |
You can see the fully study here: HERE which features the Top 20 stag do locations and % increase in searches.
If you’re set to get wed and still need to buy your wedding rings, take a look at the collection of platinum, yellow gold, and white gold rings, alongside the wedfit engagement rings from STEVEN STONE
We wonder if this classic Gavin and Stacey scene is the reason Cardiff is so popular? I’ll have a pint of wine please……