Portsmouth named one of the geekiest cities in UK - here's why

Portsmouth has been named one of the top ten geekiest cities in the country, according to a new study.
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The city is best known for its association with the navy and its football team and is not normally thought of as one of the capitals of geekdom.

However a comic con event was launched in Portsmouth in 2018 and will be returning for the third time next year.

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And now On Stride Financial has named our city as the ninth geekiest in the country – ahead of the likes of London, Manchester and Birmingham.

Copsplay actors dressed as Darth Vader and stormtroopers pose for a picture outside the Portsmouth Comic Con at Portsmouth Guildhall. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA WireCopsplay actors dressed as Darth Vader and stormtroopers pose for a picture outside the Portsmouth Comic Con at Portsmouth Guildhall. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Copsplay actors dressed as Darth Vader and stormtroopers pose for a picture outside the Portsmouth Comic Con at Portsmouth Guildhall. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
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Aberdeen tops the list after the company carried out research to find out which places in the UK are the best for geeks to ‘geek out’ in.

Bristol was in second place and rounding out the top three is Edinburgh.

The company based their rankings on a series of factors including the number of comic book stores, video game stores, board game stores, comic cons, book stores, cinemas and record stores per 100,000 people.

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On Stride Financial found that if video games are your thing, then your people are most easily found in parts of Northern Ireland.

Lisburn has the highest density of video game shops per person, with Derry nestled in second place.

In fact, English gamers get a rough ride, with Northern Irish, Scottish, and Welsh cities taking the top six-and-a-half spots in the gaming city charts.

While Aberdeen gained to top spot on the list after being ranked number one for board game shops, number two for comic book shops, and is the third-placed city for comic cons, bookshops, and record shops.

On Stride Financial said: ‘If you’re local to Aberdeen, be prepared for hordes of geeky incomers.

‘And if you’re not from Aberdeen, isn’t it time to make your pilgrimage the geek capital of Britain?’

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