Grand Theatre research names Blackpool as one of the UK's funniest towns and cities

The research, commissioned by Blackpool’s Grand Theatre, analysed the UK’s funniest places according to the number of comedians and comedy venues by population.

With post-lockdown comedy gigs and tours launching across the UK, the national comedy scene is buzzing with anticipation once again, but which towns and cities are the best for comedy?

The study analysed 80 UK towns and cities looking at the number of comedy venues and the number of notable comedians born in or around each place. This data was then weighted by population (per 100,000 residents) and each place ranked.

Lincoln came out on top, with a ‘funny score’ of 82.9, with Blackpool claiming sixth place on the list, with a score of 45.3.

Andrew Howard, head of marketing at Blackpool Grand Theatre said: “Comedy shows are such a great way to bring friends and family together and build memories through laughter. I’m sure we will see more shows coming on sale over the months ahead as more famous faces take to the stage with new material – I think after the last year we’ve all had, we need to look back lightly on some of the softer moments, and more importantly; ahead to a busier social life once more.

“I’m also really pleased to see Blackpool has made the top 10, as comedy is one of our most popular categories all year round.”

The study gathered population data was gathered from Urbistat, which gives a breakdown of UK population per city and town. Using the 80 most populated towns and cities in the country, researchers counted up the number of comedy locations per town and city with the help of list.co.uk. They then compiled a list of 300 well-known UK-based comedians and recorded the part of the UK they were born in using data from Wikipedia. This gave the top location for comedy venues and the total number of comedians born in parts of the UK.

The Grand is welcoming a host of comedy’s biggest names over the next few months, including Jason Manford, Katherine Ryan, Ed Byrne and Julian Clary. For more information, visit blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Comedy hotspots in the UK

Rank Town/City Funny score

1. Lincoln 82.9

2. Oxford 71.7

3. Manchester 51.6

4. Hull 47.4

5. Gloucester 46.5

6. Blackpool 45.3

7. Newcastle-u-Tyne 44.4

8. Glasgow 44.2

9. Reading 42.5

10. York 41.6