Nick Stanton, of estate agency Bridgfords in Manchester, said prices in M2, a prime central postcode, had failed to keep pace with those in the city’s suburbs over the past two years.

“Manchester is still a relatively cost-effective place to purchase, so a lot of the owner-occupiers buying in that central postcode are purchasing additional residences.

“It’s close to the courts and legal chambers so it’s common for lawyers and barristers to want a central property for work and another outside the city,” he said.

It is a similar picture 90 miles south in Birmingham. In the B4 postcode, which includes the city’s Gun Quarter and Aston University, a mere 8pc of homes on the market are under offer or sold subject to contract.

It is largely home to student accommodation, but is on the cusp of a revival. Kim Green, of estate agency Martin & Co, said developers had pumped investment into the area because of its proximity to the financial district and planned tram expansion.

“It might not be particularly residential now, but that is about to change with a significant amount of investment in the area over the next 10 years,” said Ms Green. “There are trendy bars and independent pubs, while developers are eyeing up disused factories, which are always popular with buyers.”

Central London bore the brunt of the capital’s exodus throughout the pandemic as its population flocked to greener suburban pastures.