Blackburn named as the UK’s vaping capital by Go Smoke Free beating the likes of Manchester and Bolton

Figures have revealed that Blackburn has been registered as the country’s vaping capital beating the likes of Manchester and Bolton.

The Lancashire town tops the list of UK towns and cities, with 27 registered vape shops retailers serving its population of 119,707 residents.

This works out to be a number of 22.56 vape shops per 100,000 residents - the largest figure for any town or city.

Go Smoke Free, an online vape store, conducted the study by searching for businesses registered for the retail sale of tobacco products in stores on GOV.UK's Companies House.

The number of these active businesses was then compared to each town or city’s population size.

A spokesperson for Go Smoke Free said: "Disposable vapes have gained popularity in recent years, due to their convenience, portability and low cost, which has made them an attractive option for those who would otherwise have been unlikely to invest in a more complex vaping setup.

“The new disposable vape ban should help to discourage children from taking up vaping, while encouraging adults to shift to more sustainable alternatives, such as refillable vapes.

Blackburn has edged out second place Bolton which has 20.26 shops per 100,000 residents, whilst Manchester ranks third, with 19.84 registered vape shops for every 100,000 residents.

The study was carried out to highlight which areas of the UK are most likely to be affected by the upcoming ban on selling disposable vapes. 

A spokesperson said: “These cities could see a significant shift in their vaping culture, with the ban impacting consumer behaviour, and existing vape retailers adapting their offerings to cater to the new legislation.”

The study was carried out by Go Smoke Free which you can visit here.