The Capital of the North

Leeds is a rapidly evolving, vibrant and cosmopolitan city packed with diverse opportunities to live, work and play. The dynamic fusion of places to drink, dine, and shop ‘til you drop have established a culture that offers its youthful population a unique lifestyle. As well as being home to two of the country’s best universities, the buzz of living in the UK’s Favourite City is the reason students swarm to Leeds every year, maintaining its profile as one of the most exciting places to study.

The Leeds Metropolitan University

The city centre’s bars, restaurants and shops all thrive upon a distinctive mixture of independents and famous names. With its status as a fabulous haven to style, Leeds is a number one shopping destination, where familiar high street stores are interwoven with glamorous Victorian arcades. Every spending spree through the streets of chic boutiques and cafés is rounded off with either Harvey Nichols or the Corn Exchange, the city’s landmarks of the designer and the alternative respectively. This fashionable attitude also fuels Leeds’ nightlife, which features a hedonistic cocktail of cutting edge clubs specialising in dance, RnB, indie and beyond. With an eclectic bar culture covering lo-fi drinking dens to urban lounge bars, after hours the city satisfies the demands of every night out. Similarly, the options for eating out spoil even the most discerning diner, with prestigious awards and Michelin stars peppering the reputation of a tantalising restaurant region.

The Parkinson Building

With regular chances to catch up with rising stars and established talent in live music, theatre and film Leeds’ cultural calendar indulges a vast range of tastes. As well as a widespread collection of cinemas showing arthouse to blockbuster movies, the city’s is also home to the nationally respected West Yorkshire Playhouse and Opera North. Outside the centre, attractions include Headingley rugby and cricket grounds, which play host to several staples in the sporting season, with Super league and Test Series matches especially drawing crowds from far and wide.

Headingley Taps

Original Oak in Headingley

...the skyrack in Headingley

Leeds is also situated in a gorgeous location, with the Yorkshire Dales, Lake and Peak Districts only a short journey by an efficient public transport system. Tightly enclosed by such lush, rolling countryside the easy escape to the famed Yorkshire landscape is rare treat for modern urban life, and further enhances the appeal of the city.

Leeds Innovation Centre

The Student Union Building

The 80,000 students spread though the lively districts of Headingley and Hyde Park have carved a distinct community vibe built around trendy bars, cafes and charity shops. With such a welcoming, exciting atmosphere it’s no surprise a massive proportion of graduates stay in the city to establish their career; Leeds is 3rd largest centre for media, financial, legal and professional services in the UK, and also offers fantastic prospects in many other industries.

Starbucks Coffee in Headingley

From the offbeat and original to the mainstream, whichever path you take in Leeds you can be guaranteed it will be an enjoyable experience. Despite being more compact than rivals such as Manchester, Leeds has rightly earned its reputation as a great northern city. It’s alive with possibility while remaining friendly and accessible and with the focus is firmly upon work hard play hard there is no better time to be a part of the city’s future.

The Arc in Headingley