While the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic kept people apart for months at a time, it also, in a peculiar way, thrust them closer together. Couples new and old were locked down together; whether long-term or married couples, or new partnerships prematurely locked down in the same house, couples were spending vastly more time together than ever before.

Between the necessities of furlough and working from home, that quality time resulted in a boom of frisky activity, as well as the birth of the “turbo relationship”. A survey by European lingerie specialists Hunkermoller found that nine million UK adults were having more sex than ever before – and discovered that the UK’s friskiest city over lockdown was its very own capital – London.

How the UK’s Cities Compare

London topped the list of sexiest UK cities, with 43% of residents surveyed claiming to have enjoyed more sex during the lockdown period. London was by far and away the UK’s busiest city between the sheets, with Southampton and Newcastle trailing behind at 28% and 26% of residents enjoying a more exciting sex life respectively.

Sadly, the survey also delivered some bad news for Northern cities, with Manchester topping the list of least friskiest city. Well over a third of Mancunians were unfortunate enough to enjoy less sex over the pandemic, with Leeds a close second at 31%. A possible explanation for this dreary result is the standing of both cities as university cities, with a significantly higher single population; ONS figures report levels of loneliness were higher in areas with a larger demographic of young people.

Rekindling the Spark in Lockdown

Of course, this marked increase of sexual activity didn’t come out of thin air. Couples across the country were re-igniting their romance for one another in numerous ways, the natural result of which was a spicier sex life for a great many.

A predictable statistic is that nearly half of all surveyed attributed spending more quality time together to their increased libido. Perhaps surprisingly, though, making cuppas was second on the list! Over a third of respondents said that making each other brews and food had rekindled their spark, leading to a more exciting sex life overall. Board- and video-games also had a significant part to play, with nearly a fifth of UK adults saying playing games together helped them rediscover what makes them tick.

Of course, the natural result of these was a direct increase in engagement with raunchy clothing and accessories; one in seven of all respondents said they had invested more in sexy lingerie in recent months, while one in ten reported an increase in experimentation with more adventurous sexual activities. The good news is that this renaissance in risqué doesn’t show any signs of going away, with almost half of all surveyed indicating they intend to keep the spark going as long as they possibly can.