LEEDS

Leeds first appears in FTHM Issue 56
You can view all of Dean’s Places here

Leeds (Ladenses) is the nearest city to where I was brought up (Kippax) and so I have chosen it as the second subject of my series about interesting places to visit.
Leeds is situated in West Yorkshire, England, about 169 miles north-northwest of London. It gained city status in 1893. In the Industrial Revolution it flourished as a mill town when wool was the main industry. Manufacturing diversified in 1914 to printing, engineering, chemicals and clothing manufacture although the latter declined in the 1970s due to foreign competition.
Today Leeds is a vibrant city and has the largest financial and legal centre outside of London; it is also the UK’s third largest manufacturing centre and has the fastest rate of private sector jobs of any UK city.
If you have the opportunity to visit Leeds, you will find lots with which to occupy yourself. For example, if you love shopping, there are some excellent shopping centres including the St. John’s Centre, the Victoria Quarter and Trinity Leeds. In fact, there are over 1,000 retail stores in the centre of Leeds like: Marks and Spencers, Costa Coffee, Topshop as well as numerous independent shops.
The architecture in Leeds is truly stunning and includes such buildings as: Leeds Town Hall, The Corn Exchange, Leeds City Museum, and the Civic Hall. There are also numerous parks to visit like Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam and the glorious Golden Acre Park. The city is less than 20 miles from the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Leeds offers many events such as: The West Indian Carnival, Leeds Festival, the Leeds Asian Festival (formerly Leeds Mela) and the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition. There is also extensive nightlife to enjoy.
If you are looking for a bit of culture you should take a look at: Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery, The Royal Armouries and don’t forget The Henry Moore Institute. As if this is not enough, there is also the Grand Theatre, Opera North, Leeds Playhouse and the City Varieties – which is one of the UK’s few remaining music halls. Leeds is also the home of Leeds United Football Club and Leeds Rhinos, who are the most successful rugby league club in Leeds.
If you are thinking of setting up home in the Leeds area, you will find it served by some excellent universities i.e. The University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Trinity University and The University of Law. It also has many very good state schools and further education institutions. The Grammar School of Leeds is a reputable private school and there are faith schools which cater for the Jewish and Muslim communities.
So, if you are looking for a refreshing and exciting change then why not consider a trip to the northern powerhouse that is Leeds. You will not be disappointed!