I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but Manchester sunshine is wildly sporadic and outrageously unreliable. One moment it has its hat firmly on, and the next… it’s absolutely nowhere to be seen. Something that can be relied upon, however, is this game-changing new map that’s truly going to revolutionise our summer socialising. The map details which Manchester pub gardens are currently sunny, and which of them are in the shade. In real time. Finally, a piece of technology I can get on board with…
Created by architect, Mo Dawod, the Sunseekr map makes choosing where to head to for an al-fresco pint a whole lot easier. Taking into account the position of the sun and the height of surrounding buildings of each pub, the map details when each pub garden is basking in sunlight or hidden in the shade at particular points in the day. For instance, if you’re after a post-work drink in the sun, Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter might not be the only best place to head to…
Initially unveiling the revolutionary website on Reddit, Mo Dawod explained that the map uses shadow simulation, MapBox navigation software, and OpenStreetMap data. It started off just detailing cafes, but – well – this is Manchester, and so it was inevitably going to lead to pubs, really, wasn’t it?
The map is interactive, meaning that you can see the city’s abundance of boozers in real time, but you can also set a specific time, to make sure you’re choosing the perfectly perched pub for sunny sipping. The map also details which pubs are currently in the shade, if that’s more your cup of tea beer.
You can explore the interactive sunny pub map for Manchester and beyond here.