There's a new tax on anyone who stays in a Manchester hotel - this is why

Manchester is a city of firsts. The atom was split in 1917 at the University, the world’s first free library opened in 1653, and McDonald’s opened its first UK drive-through in Fallowfield in 1986.

There’s another first to add to the list: the first UK city with a tourist tax. From April 1, overnight guests in city centre hotels and aparthotels will pay £1 per night per room.

Officially called the ‘City Visitor Charge’, the projected £3 million in annual takings will be used to fund a new organisation — the Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID).