RENTAL demand in Warrington has increased by 84 per cent, according to new research.

Flatshare site SpareRoom has revealed while London is facing a decline, rental demand around the rest of the UK is looking encouraging - with no other key UK town or city showing a decline.

Warrington has experienced the biggest increase in demand, alongside Ipswich and Northampton.

Data is based on room-offered ads live over a two-week period prior to February 1 this year, versus active seekers over the same two-week period.

This is then compared with the same data and timeframe in 2020.

Matt Hutchinson, SpareRoom director said: "We know that London is losing its appeal among young renters, with Covid changing the way we feel about home and how we live.

"The first national lockdown made people think twice about living in cities, especially London, and it’s clear to see this hasn’t changed.

"The result is a boom in demand outside London.

"When we first saw the sign of this we wondered if it was a temporary blip but, as we head into the second year of living with Covid, it’s hard not to see it as a permanent shift and potentially even the start of a new chapter in the UK’s relationship with its capital city.

"It’s not just that people have left London, it’s that many of the industries that draw them there in such huge numbers are in crisis - that could take years to reverse.

"The positive in all of this is that it could herald the start of a UK economy that relies less heavily on one city."