Leeds, Vibrant at Night and at Day
Leeds is a city in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, the historic county of Yorkshire in northern England. It is located along the River Aire, about 30 miles northeast of Manchester. It is the largest city in Yorkshire and one of Britain’s major cultural centres.
Purple Flag
Leeds has a Purple Flag accreditation to indicate that its nights are guaranteed to be entertaining, diverse and enjoyable. So going out with your partner or simply planning a trip with new friends is quite safe in this city.
But what does it mean to have the backing of a Purple Flag? The initiative was formed by the ATCM (Association of Town and City Management). Which is a non-profit membership organisation and one of the largest dedicated to promoting the vitality and viability of urban centres throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The Purple Flag standard, launched in 2012, is an accreditation process similar to the Green Flag which is awarded for parks and the Blue Flag awarded for beaches. It allows people to quickly identify cities that offer a diverse, safe and enjoyable night’s entertainment.
Revitalized over the past three years by ATCM, there are now 70 towns and cities with Purple Flags and the positive response from both bar managers, nightclub businesses, and the public is a testament to the difference this great initiative can make.
Night Life
Leeds has the fourth largest student population in the country (over 200,000) and is, therefore, one of the UK’s nightlife hotspots. There are a large number of pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants, as well as a multitude of places to listen to live music and meet new people.
Leeds has a number of great ‘super clubs’ and there is a selection of independent clubs such as Club Mission and Mint Club, which are consistently rated as some of the best clubs in the world by DJ Magazine. Other clubs in Leeds, such as The Warehouse, are on the list of the top 100 clubs.
The F Club was a club night that emerged in Leeds between 1977 and 1982 and specialized in punk rock and post-punk. From then onwards it would become very influential for the development of the gothic subculture. As it led to the formation of seminal gothic rock bands like The Sisters of Mercy, The March Violets and Southern Death Cult. The now-defunct Le Phonographique club was located at the Merrion Center and was the first Gothic disco in the world.
Leeds has a well established LGBT nightlife scene, located mainly in the Freedom Quarter in Lower Briggate. The New Penny is one of the oldest LGBT venues in the UK and the oldest gay bar in Leeds.
The Viaduct Showbar has cabaret drag, live shows and a DJ. Other venues include The Bridge, Blayds Bar, Tunnel Leeds and Queens Court.
Popular areas
Popular areas for nightlife in Leeds include Call Lane, Briggate and Arena Quarter. Millennium Square is a growing entertainment district that offers students and couples of any age fun weekends. It has many bars and restaurants and a large outdoor screen. Millennium Square is a place for big seasonal events, such as the Christmas market, concerts and parties. It is adjacent to Mandela Gardens, which was opened by Nelson Mandela in 2001. Here you can find various public artworks, fountains and vegetation.
Yorkshire has a great beer history, several bars near the railway station serve both. Traditional beers and drinks from a modern bar. Popular bars like this include The Hop, The Cross Keys and The Brewery Tap. Leeds also hosts an annual beer festival, which is held in Leeds City Hall every September.
Leeds is one of the most vibrant and interesting cities in the UK. Whether you’re looking for delicious food, interesting shops or abundant outdoor spaces, it has it all. And apart from the busy nightlife already mentioned. Some of the other reasons to visit Leeds are discussed in more detail below.
Beautiful parks and gardens.
The city is full of them. From Roundhay Park to Temple Newsam, Leeds and its surrounding area are full of green parks and picturesque gardens to stroll through. If you want to combine busy city life with some fresh air.
There are many opportunities to get outdoors with easy access to the city centre. Attractions such as Kirkstall Abbey which offers the perfect place to take your dog for a walk and meet a new person with an enjoyable conversation about their pets. Or have a picnic with your partner to get away from the routine of everyday work.
Excellent restaurants
Leeds is a heterogeneous mix of all types of food from Indian street food to elegant tapas restaurants. Street food is everywhere with alternative food stalls, farmers’ markets and the monthly party at the Belgrave Music Hall, which is very popular. If you like eating out, you could eat out every night of the week for a month and still have a wide variety of restaurants waiting for you and your partner to come by and sample their exquisite cuisine.
It’s not a city where you have to spend a lot of money to have fun
Are you on a tight budget? No problem. Leeds is a great city to enjoy without spending a penny, it has a variety of attractions and activities that can be enjoyed for free. A walk with your partner through the beautiful streets and the Cathedral in the city centre are both totally free and worth seeing and remembering.
See free exhibitions at the beautiful contemporary art gallery The Tetley, or even watch a free cult film at the weekly film club at Crowd of Favors. You can also enjoy a couple of beers, spirits, an excellent wine list and a freshly prepared local menu. And best of all at great prices.
