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.
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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.
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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.
But at the other end of the scale Rochdale was judged to have seen the biggest decline, with Burnley, Bradford and Oldham not much better.
The Night Out Index suggests regional variations in nightlife vibrancy are more nuanced than a simplistic North-South divide, or even a rich area-poor area divide.
And it says other factors will feed into the quality and vibrancy of the night time economy such as how affordable a night out is in terms of prices charged and local incomes, the quality of the late night establishments and crime rates in an area.
Mike Crowhurst, Director at Public First and head of its Levelling Up practice, said: “Our Night Out Index is a reminder that ‘levelling up’ is about the quality of life people enjoy, as well as how they work, travel and learn.
"Local leadership and investment in arts, culture and hospitality have helped make some of our Northern towns and cities much more attractive places to live, but others have fallen behind.
"As the nighttime economy evolves, action is needed to arrest the growing divides between our towns and cities and ensure people across the country have access to a great night out.”
Since 2012, the number of pubs & bars in the UK has fallen by 10% while the number of licensed clubs has declined by 28%, says Public First.
In total this represents a decline of about 7,000 establishments across the country. However, the number of licensed restaurants has increased by 30%, amounting to 8,700 new options for eating out. The report notes that one driver of this shift is the growing share of young adults abstaining from alcohol.
The report says: "Much like discussions about the future of the High Street, there is a risk that the policy debate on the night time economy focuses on trying to achieve a past ideal – for example taking us back to the number of pubs that a town or city historically had.
"Much as that would be agreeable in the eyes of many (author of this piece included!), it may not be feasible given the fundamental changes in how a growing share of the British public likes to spend its evenings. Fewer of us drink than in the past.
"And there are now more alternatives to traditional evening activities, from escape rooms to dessert parlours to greater options for home entertainment with the rise of streaming services.
"Much as we need to reimagine high streets for an age in which people increasingly shop online rather than in store, local night time economies need to evolve to reflect changing consumer tastes."
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