Leeds city centre
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2010) |
Leeds city centre | |
---|---|
West Yorkshire | |
Ambulance | Yorkshire |
UK Parliament | |
Leeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is roughly bounded by the Inner Ring Road to the north and the River Aire to the south and can be divided into several quarters.
Areas
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2018) |
Under the Headrow
The old town is considered the retail core of Leeds, it extends south from buildings on either side of The Headrow to the
The old town can be can further be subdivided into several areas: the city square; the Victorian arcades (such as the
).Opened 21 March 2013,
Over the Headrow
Mediaeval Leeds ended at The Headrow, multiple entertainment venues and municipal buildings were built directly north of the narrower shopping areas of the city.[3][4]
The area's entertainment venues are
It is home to a number of grand
The area has a number high-rise residential properties and developments, including
North-western campuses
East
Quarry Hill is the city's northern cultural quarter. Centred upon Centenary Square, landmarks include: NHS England's Quarry House; the
Leeds Dock is the city's southern Cultural Quarter. It is where the Royal Armouries Museum can be found, the building was designed by architect Derek Walker and built at a cost of £42.5 million over two years. The museum has since become one of the city's major tourist attractions.
West
The Financial Quarter is bounded by Park Row to the East,
Historically, Holbeck Urban Village was Holbeck's closest area to the centre of Leeds. Due to the expansion of the city, it is now considered part of the city centre and was rezoned as Holbeck Urban Village, following the completion of a number of developments. is the name given by local government and planning agencies to a mixed-use urban renewal area south of Leeds railway station. Bridgewater Place and also Granary Wharf are within Holbeck Urban Village. The new High Speed 2 station was due to border this area of Leeds, which is why much of the area is considered prime location for development.
Major corporations
Financial
- The Bank of England
- Aviva
- Zurich Financial Services
- Leeds Building Society
- Lloyds TSB
- KPMG
- Direct Line
- Yorkshire Bank
- HBOS
Hospitality in the city centre
- Queens Hotel
- Malmaison Hotel
- Radisson Blu Hotel
- The Ivy
- Miller and Carter
Other headquarters include Asda and Channel 4.
Leeds Lights
Each Christmas the streets of Leeds city centre are decorated with a variety of
Leeds is notable for designing, manufacturing and maintaining its own Christmas Light motifs. Its workshop began as a place to provide people with disabilities some employment opportunities. Its workshop has had several locations, beginning in a temporary location near Chapeltown Road, then to the old disused Whitbread Brewery site at Kirkstall and from 1993 to the present Seacroft location. Leeds City Council was the only local authority to do this for some years but now a small number have followed Leeds Lights example in preparing their own displays where as most other councils buy in their lights and services. The lights are repaired and pressure cleaned annually at the Leeds Lights workshop in Seacroft throughout the year. 80,000 coloured lamps are stored at the workshop, and 2000m of coloured rope light are used. A team of 14 works all year round producing the display. From October–January, a team of 9 works to erect the lights ready for the switch on in early November, before removing the lights after Christmas.
Commercial advertising has been permitted on some of the lights, such as The Headrow's champagne bottle lights.
Celebrities who turned on the Leeds Christmas lights:
- 2018 – Josh Warrington
- 2017 – Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow
- 2016 – Claire Morris
- 2015 – Alex Peel
- 2014 – G4[6]
- 2013 – Gabriella Cilmi and The Vamps
- 2012 – Jonathan Brownlee
- 2011 – Matt Cardle
- 2010 – McFly, Shayne Ward(Miley Cyrus)
- 2009 – LUFC and Leeds Rhinos.
- 2008 – Leon Jackson, Alesha Dixon, Simon Webbe and Same Difference.
- 2007 – Shayne Ward, Dick and Dom, Chico.
- 2006 – McFly (Gaynor Faye and Jane Tomlinsonalso appeared)
- 2005 – Rachel Stevens and the Lovebites with Nicki Chapman presenting.
- 2004 – Chris Moyles and Girls Aloud
- 2003 – Phill Jupitus
- 2002 – Ainsley Harriott
- 2001 – Vinnie Jones and Lucas Radebe
- 2000 –
- 1998 – Mel B and Les Dennis
- 1997 – Rolf Harris and Rod Hull & Emu
- 1996 – Dale Winton
- 1995 – PJ and Duncan
- 1994 – Paul Daniels
- 1993 – Noel Edmonds & Mr Blobby
- 1992 – Sonia
- 1989 – Melanie Hill
- 1986 – Native American Joe Sierra
- 1983 – Russ Abbot
Transport
Rail
Leeds city centre is served by Leeds railway station. The station is one of 20 in Great Britain to be managed by Network Rail. It is the busiest English station outside London, and the UK's second busiest station outside London after Glasgow Central.[7] The station serves national, regional and suburban railway services.
Air
The city centre is served by Leeds Bradford Airport. This is situated in Yeadon approximately seven miles north -west of the city centre. The city centre is linked to the airport by the A1 bus service operated by Yorkshire Coastliner.[8] The airport serves major European destinations as well as many further afield.
Road
Traffic passing past Leeds city centre is diverted away from the main areas by the Leeds Inner Ring Road, an urban motorway passing the East, North and West of the city centre. Much of the Inner Ring Road is in tunnels so not visible to passing pedestrians. All major routes into Leeds head towards the city centre. The city centre is served by the M621 motorway.
Buses
The most notable bus service within central Leeds is the LeedsCityBus service operated by
Leeds city centre has its main
References
- ^ a b c d e "Trinity Leeds shopping and leisure complex opens". BBC. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ "Trinity Leeds, Leeds | Land Securities Retail Portfolio | Land Securities Retail". Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- JSTOR 40101126.
- ^ "Vision for new hotel and restaurant in Leeds's booming Arena Quarter". Yorkshire Evening Post.
- ^ "Big names sign up to Leeds's Wellington Place development". Yorkshire Evening Post. 6 June 2018.
- ^ "Leeds Lights Switch-On 2014". Leeds City Council. 13 November 2014. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Timetable | Metro".
Further reading
- Burt S. and Grady K. (2002 – 2nd edition) The Illustrated History of Leeds, Breedon Books, Derby
- Fraser D. (ed.) (1980) A History of Modern Leeds, Manchester University Press, Manchester
- Unsworth R. and Stillwell J. (eds.) (2004) Twenty-First Century Leeds: Geographies of a Regional City, Leeds University Press, Leeds; Sixteen Chapters about the Contemporary City; 160 maps, many photos
- Wrathmell S. (2005), Leeds, Pevsner Architectural Guides, Yale University Press, London
External links
- 'Leeds Initiative' Leeds Initiative city partnership.
- Leeds City Council
- 'Leeds, Live it, Love it' Official city website, for visitors, business, students and residents.
- Leeds Local History Wiki Add your memories of Leeds.