TikTokers on how Manchester became an 'influencer heaven'

Image source, BBC/@vibewithruw Image caption, Ruwaydah posts reviews of Manchester cafes, restaurants and date spots to TikTok and Instagram By George Sandeman Published 1 minute ago Towers of luxury apartments loom over waterside bars beside Deansgate-Castlefield station. On hot sunny days, the area is packed. "Everyone is always there during the summer," Ruwaydah says. "It's like influencer heaven." She began making TikTok videos about her favourite places in Manchester six years ago, after moving into one of the city's sky-scraping apartments. It seems the city is having a moment. Its economic success is being celebrated , its former mayor might become prime minister , and its influencers, like Ruwaydah, are showing the world why they think this is such a great place to live. 'Nothing is too far away - I walk everywhere' Content creators like her have an audience hungry for recommendations - everything from food and drink to advice on apartments and dance classes - because Manchester has a young and growing population. For Ruwaydah, the city's compactness is another big reason why her videos have become so popular. "I can walk everywhere in 30 minutes," the 33-year-old says. Much of her content is recorded as she goes about her daily life, whether that's meeting friends or going out with her toddler. If she finds a cafe or bakery along the way she likes the look of, she'll try their coffee or cake and make a video about it. Because she "never feels like anything is too far away", it encourages her to post on TikTok more often - another reason she thinks her online audience has grown since moving to Manchester from London. Image source, BBC/@vibewithruw Image caption, Thirsty? Ruwaydah can recommend plenty of coffee shops and bars to try out The fact there are so many businesses and shops now in Manchester city centre is a result of efforts by local leaders to rejuvenate it many years ago, says Paul Swinney, chief economist at The Data City. He points specifically to efforts that started in the 1990s, when the council was led by Sir Howard Bernstein , to revamp the city centre with the aim of attracting new money and white-collar jobs. "There was a lot of investment that went into clearing out old buildings, converting them, and constructing new buildings for office space." With new facilities and a tram network to help people get around, national and international businesses began setting up outposts in Manchester, says Swinney. This influx of new employers and their employees marked the city's shift from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-driven one, he explains, including sectors such as finance, law, and the creative industries. To house the new office workers, towers of luxury apartments were built. Bars, restaurants and cafes - like those Ruwaydah reviews - were established to entertain them. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Insta