Leeds

Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in Yorkshire in the north of England. The River Aire runs through the city. In 1974 the former a county borough of Leeds was merged with the towns of Wetherby, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, and other surrounding areas to form a metropolitan borough ? the city status of the county borough being conferred the new metropolitan borough. Somewhat confusingly therefore, the City of Leeds contains a number of towns including the former county borough of Leeds, which can be thought of as Leeds proper. For the purposes of this article Leeds refers to the city as it was prior to 1974 as to distinguish it from the metropolitan borough called the City of Leeds. According to the 2001 UK census the core of Leeds had a population of 429,243 while the City of Leeds had a population of 726,939 and is one of England's core cities.

Culture

Sport

The town has a strong sporting heritage, with the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds Rhinos (the Rugby League team) and Leeds Tykes (the Rugby Union team) playing at Headingley Stadium, and Leeds United F.C. playing at Elland Road. Leeds United had a turbulent 2004, narrowly avoiding insolvency, and dropped from the Premier League into The Championship. They finished 14th during the 2004/2005 season.

Related Topics:
Yorkshire County Cricket Club - Leeds Rhinos - Rugby League - Leeds Tykes - Rugby Union - Headingley Stadium - Leeds United F.C. - Elland Road - Premier League - The Championship

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leeds Rhinos were crowned Super League champions on 16 October, 2004 after defeating arch rivals Bradford Bulls 16-8 at Old Trafford.

Related Topics:
Leeds Rhinos - Super League - 16 October - 2004 - Bradford Bulls - Old Trafford

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Media

Leeds has bases for some media activities for the UK. Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd, owned by Johnston Press plc, is based in the town, and produces a daily morning broadsheet, the Yorkshire Post, and an evening paper, the Yorkshire Evening Post, as well as other publications such as Leeds Express.

Related Topics:
Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd - Johnston Press plc - Yorkshire Post - Yorkshire Evening Post - Leeds Express

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Regional television and radio stations also have bases in the town; BBC Television and Yorkshire Television both have studios and broadcasting centres in Leeds, but there is concern over the future of regional independent television with the consolidation of Independent Television franchises in the UK. BBC North, Radio Aire, Magic 828, Galaxy 105 and Real Radio all broadcast from the city. In the 1980s, pirate radio stations including Rapid City Radio (RCR), amongst other shorter-lived stations broadcasting a mainly reggae playlist from Chapeltown, later diversifying into hip hop and house. Later, Dream FM was one of the biggest pirate radio stations in the country, but folded soon after getting a license to operate legally. Leeds is the UK's largest media city, outside London.

Related Topics:
BBC Television - Yorkshire Television - BBC North - Radio Aire - Magic 828 - Galaxy 105 - Real Radio - Pirate radio - Rapid City Radio - Reggae - Chapeltown - Hip hop - House - Dream FM

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the late 1990s dot-com boom, Leeds became one of the key hubs in the emerging new media sector - companies such as Freeserve, Energis, Sportal and Ananova emerged to dominate the UK internet industry, with Freeserve and Ananova going on to become part of Wanadoo and Orange within France Télécom. The City's Holbeck area is now home to the 'internet quarter' - an urban village with infrastructure and facilities for digital media and creative companies; at its heart is the Round Foundry media centre facility. Now, over 33% of the UK's internet traffic goes through Leeds, making it the UK's largest internet city.

Related Topics:
Dot-com - Freeserve - Wanadoo - Orange - France Télécom

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Museums and the arts

Leeds has a large number of museums, being the home of the Royal Armouries Museum (opened in 1996 when the collection was transferred from the Tower of London), the Leeds City Museum about the history of Yorkshire, Thackray's Medical Museum and the City Art Gallery. Leeds also boasts the Grand Theatre (where Opera North is based), the City Varieties (which claims to have hosted performances by Charlie Chaplin and Harry Houdini) and the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Related Topics:
Royal Armouries - 1996 - Tower of London - Leeds City Museum - Thackray's Medical Museum - City Art Gallery - Grand Theatre - Opera North - City Varieties - Charlie Chaplin - Harry Houdini - West Yorkshire Playhouse

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Leeds Festival takes place every year in Bramham Park, having moved from Temple Newsam after pressure from some local residents. It features some of the biggest names in rock and indie music. The city is home to the Leeds International Piano Competition, held every three years since 1963, which has launched the careers of many major concert pianists. There is also the Leeds International Concert Season, the largest local authority music programme of any UK city outside London.

Related Topics:
Leeds Festival - Bramham Park - Temple Newsam - Leeds International Piano Competition - Leeds International Concert Season

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The first moving pictures were taken in the city, by Louis Le Prince, of Leeds Bridge in 1888.

Related Topics:
Louis Le Prince - Leeds Bridge - 1888

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Temple Newsam House and the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, which dates from the 12th century, are on the outskirts of the city.

Related Topics:
Temple Newsam House - Kirkstall Abbey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Music

Though not as prolific as its neighbour Liverpool across the Pennines, or indeed Sheffield in South Yorkshire, Leeds has still produced some notable bands. The Kaiser Chiefs, Verbalicous, Embrace, MelB The Mekons and the influential Gang of Four came out of the 1970s punk movement, whilst in the early to mid 1980s the city was home to a large goth scene and more or less famous local bands including Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Sisters of Mercy and Salvation (which was formed by Sisters of Mercy roadies). The avant-garde art scene centred around Leeds Metropolitan University's (then Leeds Polytechnic) Fine Art course led to the formation of early 80s electronic pioneers Soft Cell. Later 1980s and 1990s rock bands include The Wedding Present, Chumbawumba and Cud.

Related Topics:
Liverpool - Pennines - Sheffield - South Yorkshire - The Mekons - Gang of Four - Punk - Goth - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - The Sisters of Mercy - Salvation - Leeds Metropolitan University - Soft Cell - The Wedding Present - Chumbawumba - Cud

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Like in most major northern cities, house music had a big impact on Leeds when it arrived in the late 1980s. Early house nights included Downbeat at the Warehouse, Meltdown at the Astoria in Roundhay, and Joy and Kaos at various temporary venues, along with a thriving Shebeen or "Blues" scene in Chapeltown. Along with Sheffield and Bradford, Leeds was a centre for the Yorkshire Bleeps and Bass scene in 1989-1990, with influential local bands such as LFO, Nightmares on Wax, Ital Rockers, Unit 93 and Juno on Sheffield's Warp Records and Leeds' Bassic Records.

Related Topics:
House music - Roundhay - Shebeen - Chapeltown - Sheffield - Bradford - Yorkshire Bleeps and Bass - LFO - Nightmares on Wax - Ital Rockers - Unit 93 - Juno - Warp Records - Bassic Records

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This early underground scene developed into the Leeds club scene of the 1990s, when for a while Leeds held the title of Britain's clubbing capital. Both Back to Basics and mixed gay night Vague enjoyed the title of best club in Britain at different points in the decade, whilst The Orbit in Morley was an internationally recognised techno mecca. Sadly this venue has now been converted into a restaurant.

Related Topics:
Back to Basics - Vague - The Orbit - Morley - Techno

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The successful indie group Kaiser Chiefs are also from Leeds.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nightlife

Leeds has a very large student population and boasts a large number of bars and nightclubs, as well as venues for live bands such as the Cockpit, The New Roscoe, and Joseph's Well, which combine to generate a vibrant nightlife.

Related Topics:
Cockpit - The New Roscoe

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leeds has gained a well-deserved reputation as one of the UK's favourite clubbing destinations. Often described as the leading clubbing city outside London, Leeds is best known as the home of pioneering club nights Back to Basics and Speedqueen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Complete listings and reviews of bars, pubs and nightclubs in Leeds can be found online at Leeds City Guide, an extensive online venue guide.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leeds is also very well-known for its underground music scene. There is a vibrant and active community based around the DIY punk ethic, supported in part by Cops and Robbers, a monthly guide to DIY events in and around Leeds.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In recent years a gay nightlife scene has developed. The Bridge Inn and The New Penny, both on Call Lane, have long been homosexual night spots. Queens Court offers a similar experience to its London counterpart Rupert Street. Recent additions, Bar Fibre, on Lower Briggate and Mission offer more contemporary 'straight friendly' environments. During the summer months the secluded courtyard that lies between Bar Fibre and Queens Court is a beer garden. Recently opened clubs include the Velvet Underground and The Warehouse, home of the Saturday club night Speedqueen.

Related Topics:
The Bridge Inn - The New Penny - Call Lane - Queens Court - London - Bar Fibre - Lower Briggate - Mission - Velvet Underground - The Warehouse - Speedqueen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Towards Millennium Square and the Civic or northern Quarter, is the newly developing entertainment district thriving on students. Recently, the Hard Rock Café and TigerTiger have opened here, and various upper class restauarants have opened in the northern quarter. Millennium Square bursts into life during the night with its many new bars, and a soon-to-be installed big screen mounted on the civic theatre will finish the quarter off.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~