Romance at the Office: The Top 7 Major Cities in the UK to Find Love at Work!

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Prime Office Space

A businessperson with short black hair and wearing a short-sleeved white collared shirt is standing behind their female colleague and putting their arms around her as she sits at her desk with her laptop and mug of coffee on the desk in front of her. She is cradling her colleague’s head in her hand as they lean over her, and she is smiling affectionately. Image at PrimeOfficeSpace.co.uk.

You never know when Cupid is going to strike, but according to researchers, if you live in the primary urban areas of the UK’s north, chances are you may get lovestruck at work. Whilst office romances are typically frowned upon, research shows that Britons in certain cities are more open to the idea of coworkers coupling up. Let’s take a look at the top 7 cities in the UK where workplace romance is most common.

Office romance in the UK: What do surveys say?

Britons are generally open to the idea of office romance, with 44.6% saying it’s something acceptable. Yet, nearly 80% admitted colleagues dating can cause some problems.

Data from other surveys gives more details into this hot topic:

– 66% of UK workers have had a relationship with a colleague.

– 22% had a romantic relationship with their boss.

– By age group, employees aged 18-24 were the most likely to fancy other colleagues.

– By industry, employees in recruitment, transport, and logistics were the most likely to have an office romance.

– Maybe office romance is not meant to last, since only 28% of employees said they were still in a relationship with a co-worker.

Best UK cities for office romance

1. Manchester

With its large number of young professionals and a thriving social scene, it’s no surprise that love can often be found in a Manchester office. A local newspaper reported that 72% of Mancunians admitted they’ve had a romantic liaison with a co-worker. At the same time, 25% said the relationship had caused issues at work and 8% said they had to resign after getting involved with a work colleague. 

Of course there’s always a positive side: another poll found that more than 60% of Mancunians believed an office affair was beneficial to their career.

A man in a black business suit and carrying a briefcase holds hands with his female colleague in a brown and tan patterned cardigan and a brown skirt. They are standing next to a busy city street at dusk after rain with cars and people milling about and much of the large city can be seen spread out in the background across hills. Image at PrimeOfficeSpace.co.uk.

2. London

Londoners have opposing views on the topic of office romance, with approximately 50% saying they are open to it and the other 50% saying mixing business and pleasure is a bad idea – likely because of disruptions to workplace harmony or risks of sexual harassment claims. However, Londoners aged 55 and above are more willing to give office romance a go. 

It’s also interesting to note that male Londoners are clearly more interested in finding a partner at work than female employees, who are a lot more wary.

3. Birmingham

With its growing economy and vibrant nightlife, Birmingham is another top city for office romances. Whether it’s bonding over a challenging project or attending a company social event, Birmingham’s office workers have plenty of chances to fall for a colleague – and to make it work too, since a 2022 survey revealed that 25% of people in Birmingham were likely to marry a work colleague.

4. Glasgow

Glasgow is first in the list of cities with the highest likelihood of office romance, with chances exceeding 71%.

Even a Glaswegian lawyer states the facts: office flings are a fact of life, but there are less chances of problems at work by maintaining boundaries, avoiding gossip, being aware of the issues around dating a superior, and keeping PDAs out of the office. 

Two coworkers, a man and a woman, are sitting next to each other on a bench outside on their lunch break. The man wears a light grey blazer with a white t-shirt and pants with his work ID hanging from a lanyard around his neck. He is holding a coffee cup and smiling while looking at the woman beside him, who is dressed in black and holding a small brown paper bag from a bakery. Flowers of different colours and lush green bushes surround them. Image at PrimeOfficeSpace.co.uk.

5. Newcastle

With a likelihood of 68.6%, Newcastle is the second most likely city to offer a chance of office romance. Interestingly, it seems that love and dating are a top interest for Newcastle residents. For example, recent news discussed the rise in demand for dating agencies among Geordies, and the city seems to have an active speed dating scene, especially in the 25 to 40 age group.

6. Belfast

Belfast office workers are not only the most likely to have a fling with a co-worker, but they’re also 37% more likely to marry a colleague. And according to a local newspaper, 2 in 5 work romances lead to a permanent relationship in the Northern Ireland capital. 

7. Cardiff

As an exception to the list of northern cities, the Welsh capital is the UK’s fourth most likely city for office romance to bloom, with a likelihood of nearly 60%.

This may have something to do with the city being recently listed as the most friendly in the UK. Or perhaps it has to do with the fact that Cardiff has no shortage of options for a romantic date with a colleague, from a walk around the Bay to a picnic in Bute Park.

If things move along nicely, there’s a good chance of things remaining strong, as Cardiff’s divorce rates are 10% lower than the national average. The same research shows that CF24 (Cardiff) and CF46 (Caerphilly) postcodes have the highest chances of marriage success, so it might be time to look for an office job in those areas!

Close-up view under an office desk where two coworkers, a man and a woman, sit across from each other playing footsie. The woman, who is wearing light grey business pants and black high heels, is rubbing one of her feet on the man’s lower leg. He is wearing shiny, black leather shoes, light blue socks, and black business pants. Image at PrimeOfficeSpace.co.uk.

Do you want to read more?

For additional information and advice on the loved-up locations above, other cities not covered, the workplace in general, and other hot business topics in the UK, see some of our other recent articles below.

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