Why the north west is becoming a new hotspot for Norwegians

What comes to mind when one thinks of Liverpool? Ask any Brit and they will almost unanimously tell you straight away – Scouse. Over the years, the word scouse has become synonymous with everything coming out of the city of Liverpool: the accent, people, music, apparel style, even the attitude, yet the one thing that made the world truly famous is a lamb and potato stew that the Merseyside county is renowned for.

Many will be surprised to hear though, that the dish is not actually originally from Merseyside, but was instead introduced by Norwegian sailors that docked in Liverpool in the 18th century, originally known as Lapskaus, and this is where the love affair between Norwegians and Liverpool has begun.

Should one find themselves in Liverpool, they don’t need to go far to see the symbol of this long-lasting relationship between Liverpool and Norway. Ask any person from Liverpool for directions to Baltic square, on park lane, where you will find Gustav Adolf Church, a remarkable piece of architecture, built by Norwegian Sailors in the late 19th century on their daring journey to the New World.

Liverpool and Norwegians

Today, Liverpool remains the favorite destination for Norwegian tourists coming to the UK, and unsurprisingly so. Aside from profound historic ties, a single glance at people from  Liverpool, or Scousers as they call themselves, and Norwegians, is enough to see cultural similarities as well – Daring, working-class people, proud of their heritage, shaped by their hard work and harsh weather, so needless to say that Norwegians feel right at home.

There are many things that keep attracting Norwegians to Liverpool today, a thriving casino industry among them. Having a population of half a million, and with a variety of bet-friendly sporting options readily available, gambling is a part of the civic culture here a bit more than many other places. As gambling is illegal for the most part in Norway, Norwegians who wish to try their luck often resort to online betting websites, some of which offer odds bonus promo offers for Norwegian punters. But for those with a desire to try their fortune at a casino establishment, Liverpool has long offered an opportunity to do just that, amongst many other things.

Being the birthplace of the Beatles, it is only natural that Norwegians, who are avid Rock music enthusiasts, are naturally attracted to Liverpool. No way they would miss out on a chance to follow in their footsteps to visit The Beatles Story in Albert Dock, or Cavern Club, where The Beatles made their debut in 1961.

Yet, the strongest link in the Scouse-Norwegian relationship would most definitely be the latter’s love for FC Liverpool. The roots of this love can be traced back to the 1970s, the golden age for the club when Norwegian state TV companies broadcast one English top-flight game every week. Watching LFC’s successes on a near-weekly basis, Norwegians fell in love with the club, and their fascination has become ingrained, persevering to this day.

Manchester Rebound

Recently, however, the passionate and long-running relationship between Liverpool and Norway has started to cool down. Being such a prolific destination for decades now, it has become somewhat of a mainstream and old-fashioned destination among younger Norwegians, who now turn their gaze eastwards – towards Manchester.

Manchester has had a renaissance of a sort over the last decade, with the massive renovation and new initiative projects, vastly expanding upon the city’s infrastructure, entertainment, and sports facilities in a bit to attract more tourists, and Norwegians didn’t fail to notice. City’s vibrant nightlife scene, a vast range of retail opportunities for shoppers, and an impressive roster of musical and theatrical performances have captivated the attention of Norwegian visitors, seeking new discoveries in the UK, with new direct flights being offered from Manchester to Norway.

Unsurprisingly football again played an important role in this new relationship. It was with the announcement that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a Norwegian professional football manager and former United player, would be appointed as caretaker manager for Manchester United, that the scale of Norwegian support for United was unveiled. United has 40,000 fully-fledged members in Scandinavian Supporters’ Club, in a country of 5 million that is quite an achievement.

Where this new relationship will go remains to be seen, but for now, it seems that Manchester should brace itself for the coming of a new wave of visitors from Norway, who may keep on coming for good.