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A recent study by train company LNER has identified the top 10 vegan-friendly cities in the United Kingdom, with Brighton taking top spot.
Utilizing a comprehensive analysis of Google search data, listings of vegan restaurants on HappyCow, and the availability of vegan takeaway options on Deliveroo, the research scored the 20 largest UK cities on a scale of 100.
Brighton came out on top, followed by Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
Richard Judge, LNER’s Head of Customer Experience, said in a statement: “For those looking to explore vegan options in the UK this year, our research features some of the most vegan-friendly hotspots and our local restaurant recommendations, ensuring you have a true culinary journey to remember.”
Brighton is the UK’s most vegan city
The research placed Brighton at the summit with a score of 86.9 out of 100. This was largely the result of its high number of vegan restaurants and takeaways relative to its size.
Manchester followed with a score of 64.9, while Bristol ranked third at 59.9. Previous studies have ranked Bristol as the most-vegan friendly city in the UK.
Other cities scoring highly included Edinburgh (54.5), London (39.4), Glasgow (33.9), and York (33.0). Liverpool (25.5), Cardiff (23.7),and Reading (22.8) completed the top 10.
Brighton leads the way in per capita offerings, with 7.9 vegan restaurants and 8.3 vegan takeaways per 100,000 people. Despite ranking fifth, London has the highest total number of vegan restaurants (178) and the vegan takeaway options (48). London was previously crowned the most vegan-friendly city in the world by a separate study.
Veganism on the rise
Another of the study’s key findings was a significant increase in veganism across the UK. Since 2021, the average number of searches for vegan restaurants has surged by 82 percent.
Notably, Glasgow and Edinburgh have witnessed a doubling in searches for vegan restaurants over the past two years.
Judge added: “Our research has shown that searches for vegan terms have increased by more than 80 per cent since 2021, revealing a growing interest in veganism in the UK. On LNER trains, customers can enjoy a wide range of vegan options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
Sustainable food and travel
As the climate crisis grows, sustainable living is becoming ever more important to many people. Taking a train instead of a car for medium-length distances can cut your emissions by around 80 percent.
Likewise, choosing plant-based food rather than meat and dairy can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Studies have shown that switching just 30 percent of meat for plant-based alternatives would save enough water to fill 7.5 million swimming pools every year.
