The North in Numbers

Ahead of the General Election on July 4th, we’re taking a look at one of the key policies from the 2019 Conservative manifesto.  Levelling up promised to boost Britain’s “left behind” areas, and helped Boris Johnson storm to victory as voters in former Labour heartlands turned to the Tories in droves.  You can find out more by listening to our episode from April 2022, titled “Levelling up: what it...

Annie Gouk, a journalist who writes local news stories based on statistics for regional papers up and down the country, looks at the data on dog attacks, speaking to experts to try and unpick what’s behind the increase, as well as what needs to be done to tackle the problem. Official NHS figures show that in the year to March, there were 9,277 hospital admissions where the patient had been bitten...

It’s that time of year again - kids are back in the classroom, and applications for next year’s school places are opening. It can be a fraught time for many parents, with the quality of education, location of the school and a child’s friendship group all needing to be taken into consideration - and competition for secondary school places has become particularly fierce.  The latest figures from the...

A tsunami of fly tipping has been sweeping the North, with a spike in cases during the pandemic accelerating a trend that has been creeping up for years. The latest figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reveal nearly 310,000 incidents of fly-tipping were recorded by councils across the North in 2020/21 - the equivalent of 35 every hour. Annie Gouk investigates this sc...

In this sports special, David Dubas-Fisher is behind the mic, as he looks at the increase in popularity of non-league football in the North, specifically tiers nine and 10 of the English football pyramid. Football clubs in those tiers have a combined attendance of almost 550,000 this season with crowds increasing in recent years - particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. David speaks to the fans...

This week’s episode is all about the surge in mental health issues seen across the UK in the wake of the pandemic - and the massive strain this is putting on services, with unprecedented demand and huge backlogs. We spoke to some of those who have been affected in the north - including a teenager who saw her eating disorder “blow up” during lockdown, and a young man with bipolar disorder who ended...

The North in Numbers podcast tells the human stories behind various statistics for the north of England. In this episode - the first of series three - host Annie Gouk gets to the bottom of levelling up, speaking to policy experts and people working in some of the key areas the strategy targets. 'Levelling Up' was a strategy set out by the Conservative party in their 2019 manifesto and has huge imp...

In the final episode of the series, host Annie Gouk takes a look at the importance of local journalism and why local news has been so vital during the pandemic in particular. Annie is joined by actor and activist Michael Sheen, Jen Williams, the Politics and Investigations Editor for the Manchester Evening News and Dion Jones, Brand Editor of the North Wales Daily Post. Learn more about your ad ch...

This episode is all about the resurgence in gin that has led to an ongoing boom in distilleries across the north. To find out more, we spoke to industry experts, as well as gin brands and craft distillers from across the region. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, since March 2010 the number of distilleries in the north has exploded from around 15, to closer to 125 in Mar...

This week we’re taking a look at house prices, which have been soaring during the pandemic - particularly in the north. You’ll hear from people across the region about their experiences of buying and selling in the last year, while a South Manchester real estate agent and a property expert from Zoopla offer their thoughts on what’s driving these trends - as well as giving hints and tips for people...

This episode is all about the rising tide of child poverty that has been gripping the north over the last few years, while also taking a look at how the pandemic has been affecting the situation. We spoke to a single mum struggling below the breadline, a teacher who encounters the reality of child poverty in the classroom every day, as well as experts from anti-poverty charities and Trussell Trust...

Each series, we dedicate an episode to looking behind the scenes of data. In this episode, we showcase the work of the data journalism project, Sensemaker. For the project, the Manchester Evening News partnered with the University of Central Lancashire to co-create data sensors for journalism and community engagement. One of these was a pollution sensor, which was deployed in schools and businesse...

When it comes to producing players for the England national team, the North has always punched above its weight. A total of 1,259 players have played for the men’s senior team since the first international match back in 1872.The North West of the country has produced more of those stars than any other region, with 282 to date. We spoke to respected football journalists David Prentice and John Gibs...

We take a look at the huge rise in pet ownership seen during the pandemic - and in particular the soaring number of dogs being bought and adopted across the North. With the help of animal charities and new pet owners, we explore the ups and downs of puppy love in lockdown, as well as offering tips and advice from experts, to help with training and pet care during these strange times. Written and P...

To kick off the new series of the podcast, in this episode we’ll be exploring the state of pubs and bars in the North - from the long-term decline in the number of boozers across the region, to the recent boom in major cities, and of course the ongoing impact of the pandemic. We discussed industry trends with hospitality experts and people running pubs and bars up and down the north. Written and p...

Welcome to Series two of The North in Numbers, a podcast that gets the human stories behind the stats. In this series we'll be looking at subjects such as child poverty, waiting times for mental health services and the effect of Covid lockdown on pet ownership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this final episode of the series, we look at the boom in breweries across the North - part of a craft beer revolution that is sweeping the country. We speak to brewers, bar owners and beer festival organisers from all over the region to find out what's been driving the trend. Written and presented by Annie Gouk. Produced by and music by Mark Magill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...

In this episode, we explore the introduction of Universal Credit, and the impact the controversial new benefits system is having on families across the North. We travelled to Teesside - an area with a high number of people on Universal Credit - to speak to claimants about their experiences. You’ll hear first hand how some people are desperately struggling under the system, as well as from charitie...

Annie Gouk takes a break as sports data journalist David Dubas-Fisher steps in for a look at the state of football in the north. He explores the financial gulf that exists between the Premier League and the Championship, speaking to academics, experts and local sports journalists about how the industry is evolving. Written and presented by David Dubas-Fisher. Produced by and music by Mark Magill....

This episode takes a look at the huge rise in knife crime seen across the north, and the devastating effect it's had on communities in Merseyside in particular. We spoke to a mother who tragically lost her teenage son, the locals campaigning to make a difference, the Chief Inspector of Merseyside Police and the Liverpool ECHO's crime reporter. Written and presented by Annie Gouk. Produced by and m...

This week is a special episode, where we take a look behind the scenes with data experts David Ottewell and Tom Forth about how numbers impact our world. We discuss what makes data important, why it needs to be accessible, and some of the pitfalls when it comes to statistics. Written and presented by Annie Gouk. Produced by and music by Mark Magill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...

This week takes a look at the effects of austerity when it comes to council spending and what that meant in terms of cuts to local services. We looked at the north as a whole but focused on Hull as an area that has been hit particularly hard. We spoke to local councillors, union members, teachers and library campaigners as they delve into the devastating impacts of these cuts. Written and hosted b...

This week we're looking at the boom in restaurants and cafes seen across the north of England. We met some of the chefs and entrepreneurs in Leeds and Newcastle that have started food businesses in the last few years, as well as hospitality industry experts. Written and presented by Annie Gouk. Produced by and music by Mark Magill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

The North of England has seen a huge rise in homelessness. This episode of The North in Numbers takes a closer look at Manchester, where the problem is particularly bad. We spoke to some of those that are sleeping rough on the streets, a young mum housed in temporary accommodation, two of the many local charities striving to make a difference and the Political Editor of the Manchester Evening News...

Here's what you can expect from The North in Numbers podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices