Leeds by Night

Located in West Yorkshire, the city of Leeds offers a lively and vibrant break with a great range of attractions to visit. With first class shopping facilities located across the city including the Victoria Quarter, Leeds is home to a number of attractions from the amazing treasures of the Royal Armouries Museum and Leeds City Museum, to the splendour of stately homes such as Temple Newsam House. Attracting thousands of visitors, the university city of Leeds includes historic places of interest such as Kirkstall Abbey as well as the Armley Mills, in contrast to the recently opened First Direct Arena, a modern super-theatre entertainment centre.  With a fantastic array of restaurants and clubs, Leeds also holds a number of festivals throughout the year, celebrating all this great city has to offer.

Historic Leeds
Leeds takes its name from Loidis, part of the Elmet Kingdom in the Middle Ages, dating from the 5th to the 7th century, the area would later be known as the West Riding of Yorkshire.  Originally a market town, Leeds developed extensively and became recognised as an important location for the manufacturer and trading of textiles.  The development of networks such as the Aire and Calder Navigation and the growth of the Leeds and Selby Railway, would see Leeds’ trading capability and development continue, and would also allow for the expansion into international markets with Leeds diversifying into new industries including engineering, printing and chemicals.

Today Leeds is one of the largest cities in the UK, and the largest centre for commerce, financial and legal services second only to London, and as such has been recognised as a Gamma World City following GaWC Study in 2010.

Leeds is also home to a number of public sector and government departments including the HMRC, and Department for Work and Pensions, as well as Public Health England, Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health, NHS England.  A centre for education Leeds has 3 universities in the city, with the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds Trinity University providing higher education for over 250,000 students, as well as boasting the largest teaching hospital in Europe, St James’s University Hospital, more commonly known as Jimmy’s.

Popular Culture
Leeds is a historic and cultural city, and has also been a focus in popular culture.

Films & TV
The Damned United (2009) – Starring Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall, The Damned United is a film about Brian Clough during his time as Manager at Leeds United.  Filmed on location throughout the UK, Elland Road Stadium features in this drama which is set in Leeds.

Tyrannosaur (2011) – Paddy Considine both wrote and directed this gritty film, which stars Peter Mullan, Eddie Marsan and Olivia Coleman, and tells the troubled tale of an unemployed widower, a Christian charity worker and an abusive husband.  Leeds featured in the filming locations of this British drama.

The Beiderbecke Affair (1985), The Beiderbecke Tapes (1987) and The Beiderbecke Connection (1988) were TV mini-series which starred James Bolam and Barbara Flynn.  Filmed throughout the north of England, scenes were regularly filmed in Leeds and featured the Town Hall, Moor Grange, and Woodhouse Lane areas.

Books
The Cupid Effect – written by the bestselling author Dorothy Koomson, this heart-warming tale follows Ceri- D’Altroy as she travels to Leeds in the hope of becoming a psychology lecturer, but it seems she also has a talent as a matchmaker for those who she meets along the way.

The Broken Token – Chris Nickson set this crime novel in Leeds, with Constable Richard Nottingham trying to solve the mystery which surrounds the death of his former housemaid.  This gripping tale follows the police investigation with plenty of twists and turns on the way.

Hope Road – written by John Barlow is the first in the LS9 Crime series, and focusses on John Ray, son of an infamous crime boss, whose life is in turmoil following a gruesome discovery in his car. Fast paced, this page turner is also set in Leeds.

Social Media
Additional information on Leeds can be found on its official website Visit Leeds as well as its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.

Famous Faces
Alan Bennett – born in Leeds on 9 May 1934, Bennett is an actor, author, playwright and screenwriter whose award winning work includes The Madness of King George, Talking Heads and The History Boys. In the 60’s Bennett performed Beyond the Fringe, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival working with Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

Barbara Taylor Bradford – with her first novel entitled A Woman of Substance achieving global sales of over 30 million copies, Bradford has written a total of 27 novels many of which have been best sellers.  Bradford was born in Leeds on 10 May 1933.

Jeremy Paxman – TV broadcaster, author and journalist, Paxman was born in Leeds on 11 May 1950 and is best known for presenting Newsnight and University Challenge, having also worked on programmes such as Tonight and Panorama, as well as having been a newsreader.

Landmarks 

Leeds Town Hall

Leeds Town Hall
Designed by Cuthbert Brodrick, Leeds Town Hall was opened by Queen Victoria and dates back to 1858.  A glorious example of both classical and baroque architectural styling, and located in The Headrow in the centre of Leeds, the Town Hall now operates as a Register Office and is also a popular venue for concerts and functions.

Corn Exchange
The distinctive Corn Exchange also dates back to Victoria times, and again is the work of Cuthbert Brodrick having been completed in 1864.  Following a successful conversion in the 1980’s and subsequent restoration in 2007, the Exchange offers visitors a unique shopping venue with an excellent selection of independent retailers all under one roof.

The First Direct Arena
This state of the art venue can be found in the centre of Leeds, and was officially opened in September this year.  The first in the UK to have a fan shaped orientation, the Arena’s capacity exceeds 13,000 with each seat promising excellent views through its unique design.  With stars including Elton John and Bruce Springsteen already having appeared on stage, the Arena looks set to attract the biggest names to perform in Leeds.

Image Credits:
http://bit.ly/18rGGn4
http://bit.ly/18MFmJi

Skyline view of the city of Bradford

Situated in West Yorkshire in the North of England, Bradford is a city which has much to offer.  Located close to Wakefield and Leeds, at the base of the Pennines, in 1847 it became a municipal borough and achieved city status in 1897.  In 1974, this status was extended to the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, following the introduction of the Local Government Act 1972.

Internationally Acclaimed Textiles
Bradford takes its name from the Broad Ford, where the Bradford Beck was crossed at Church Bank.  In 1086, records show it referred to as Bradeford, and it grew from a Saxon settlement at this time to a town in the Middle Ages. History shows in the 1300’s Bradford’s growth was assisted by the annual fairs which were allowed to take place there following the approval by Edward IV.

During the 19th century Bradford became associated with manufacturing on a large scale, particularly within the textile industry.  Bradford received international recognition during the time of the Industrial Revolution, with part of its success attributed to its supply of iron ore and coal from the surrounding area.  Bradford experienced rapid growth of its population at this time, following its success within the textile field with wool being a key focus.   At one stage it was recognised as being the wool capital of the world, with a large number of sandstone mills built to cope with the increased demand for its textiles.

In 1883, Titus Salt followed in his father’s footsteps and began to run the family’s textile business.  Titus grew the business significantly to include 5 mills. The overall increased growth of manufacturing facilities within Bradford led to a high increase in pollution and in 1853, Salt set to work building a village to house his workers.  This was called Saltaire and located near Shipley, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a preserved Victoria village.

Samuel Lister
Born near Bradford on 1st January 1815, Samuel Lister was an innovator whose influence played a huge part in Bradford’s success.  The industrialist, together with his brother were worsted manufacturers. Worsted was the name given to the yarn and the type of fabric made from it, which Bradford was famous for producing.  Lister revolutionised the manufacturing of textiles and is famed for investing the Lister Nip Comb, a machine used to straighten and separate fibres.  Lister went on to become one of the most successful businessmen in the area, becoming a multi-millionaire and a major employer offering thousands of workers jobs.

The Bronte Sisters
The Bronte Sisters lived in the now famous village of Haworth which is within the Borough of Bradford. Born in Thornton, on the outskirts of Bradford, Emily, Charlotte and Anne lived in Haworth from 1820 – 1861 and became world famous for tales such as Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.   The beautiful home of the Bronte’s is now the Bronte Parsonage Museum which offers visitors a unique insight into the lives of the remarkable sisters.  It is filled with many of their treasured possessions.

Popular Culture
Bradford today is a vibrant and culturally diverse city, it offers visitors museums and galleries, as well as fantastic cuisine from many award winning restaurants.  The City Park now provides visitors with an incredible experience with a high tech water feature consisting of 100 fountains as well as laser and mist effects.

Films & TV
Bradford houses the National Media Museum which explores the origins of television, film, photography and animation.  It is also home to Bradford’s two film festivals – The Bradford International Film Festival which takes place in April and the Bradford Animation Festival which is in November.  Many films have been shot in Bradford including Billy Liar, Room at the Top, Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and Brassed Off.  The significance of Bradford in the history of film and television has led to Bradford becoming the world’s first UNESCO City of Film.

Books
Canadian Award Winning Author Cory Doctorow’s novel, Pirate Cinema features Trent McAuley as the main character who lives in Bradford, following the Author’s visits to Eastercon – a British science fiction convention which has been held in Bradford.

Patricia Hall’s (Maureen O’Connor’s pseudonym) crime series which features Ackroyd and Thackerey are set in Bradford, with titles such as Devil’s Game (2009) and Death in a Far Country (2007) there are many more in this series.  Maureen O’Connor was born in Bradford in 1940.
Lesley Horton, born in West Yorkshire and who attended University in Bradford, is another Crime writer who features Bradford as a location for her novels, these include On Dangerous Ground (2004), and Snares of Guilt (2002).

Social Media
Bradford has its own official tourism website, Visit Bradford, as well as Facebook and Twitter  accounts.

Famous Faces
Adrian Edmondson – born in Bradford on 24 January 1957, is famous for his roles in programmes such as the Young Ones and Bottom, both of which starred Rik Mayall.  As well as starring in many of the Comic Strip films, he is a successful stand-up comedian, director and presenter. Adrian married actress and writer Jennifer Saunders in 1985.

Kimberly Walsh – born in Bradford 20th November 1981, a member of Girls Aloud which had 20 top ten hits in the charts.  Kimberly is also an actress and presenter and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2012.

Timothy West – born in Bradford on 20th October 1934, a renowned British Actor and Director of stage and screen, he is known for starring in such films as The Thirty Nine Steps (1978), Cry Freedom (1987), and The Day of the Jackal. Timothy married actress Prunella Scales in 1963.

Landmarks

The Wool Exchange – The beautiful building, which features gothic design, has the appearance of a church and was built between 1864 and 1867, following designs by Lockwood and Mawson, architects from the local area.  Its purpose was to provide a centre for wool trading in Bradford. Visitors today can enjoy the shopping centre contained within this historic building.

The Bradford Alhambra – This grade II listed building is a theatre situated in Morley Street, which was officially opened in March 1914, it takes its name from the Alhambra Palace in Granada. The suitably named Restaurant 1914 was opened last year, where diners can enjoy amazing views from the top of this building.

Cartwright Hall, Lister Park – Opened in 1904, this art gallery which features baroque styling, houses collections which were kindly donated to Cartwright Hall by the likes of Samuel Lister. It offers visitors the chance to see sculptures and paintings by various artists in a remarkable setting.