Britain’s bleakest city has been named but locals have come out fighting as they point to its "bright lights and vitality”.
A study to find the most “miserable” city in the UK which has the least amount of sunshine has revealed Bradford in first place.
Beating Blackpool and Aberdeen into second and third, Bradford was deemed to be the gloomiest city and locals have been quick to rubbish the claim.
Research from Betway into the country’s sunniest spots took into account factors like the average number of daylight hours in the year, as well as the months of the year with most sunshine.
The study also took into account the average annual temperature, the number of beaches and distance to the nearest beach, average annual rainfall and how windy the area is.
Each city was scored out of 70, with Bradford achieving a disappointing 11.7 points.
The Yorkshire tourist board were quick to respond and pointed out the highlights of Bradford.
"The vitality of Bradford is hard to ignore. The bright lights of the Alhambra Theatre welcome visitors to see internationally renowned shows such as Hamilton," the tourist board told the Express.
"Van Gogh Live recently toured in Bradford bringing the stunning art and light show to thousands of visitors.
"Bradford is the world’s first UNESCO City of Film, a centre of Victorian heritage and the curry Capital of Britain.
"It isn’t hard to see why Bradford was recently selected as the UK’s City of Culture for 2025. For inspiration, culture and heritage, visit Bradford."
On Trip Advisor reviews of Bradford have been positive.
One user said: "The UNESCO World Heritage site of Saltaire which is a village in Bradford is a fantastic destination to visit. But there are many areas of urban deprivation as there are in many places."
Another said: "I lived there for over 30 years and saw it wax and wane but it is now definitely on the up again!"
Blackpool was a close second behind the West Yorkshire city, with an overall score of 12.4 out of 70.
The Lancashire seaside town, famed for its ballroom, the Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Blackpool Tower, was found to be the rainiest town in the country, with 1,324mm on average per year.
The resort was also the seventh windiest place in the UK, with an average wind speed of 21.73km/hr.
The rest of the list has Belfast in fourth, followed by Sheffield, Glasgow, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Newport and Swansea.
But on a more positive note for Yorkshire, the white rose county has been named the top UK holiday hotspot for 2023, according to Sykes Holiday Cottages’ latest Staycation Index report which surveyed 2,000 British adults.
Known for its picturesque coastal towns and rolling dales, Yorkshire covers an area of huge variety which is becoming increasingly popular amongst tourists.
