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Leeds is a lively city that is full of great cultural and heritage sites, which are great fun to explore. Over 100,000 people come to the city to work in the city centre every single day and 1000s more come to the city to shop, eat out or just to enjoy the variety of attractions Leeds has on offer.
Numerous industries have contributed to Leeds' wealth, but the city is particularly famed for its clothes trade. There are many famous names associated with the city, which include Thomas Chippendale who began making his renowned furniture there, and Michael Marks - of Marks and Spencer - who opened his first Penny Bazaar there in 1884. As well as this, the city is also home to the historical Kirkgate Market. The market is Europe’s second biggest indoor market after Leicester and is open six days a week. There are more than 400 stalls inside the market and a further 200 outside. It attracts more than 100 thousand visitors per week. Kirkgate Market first opened in 1822 as an open air market and the first indoor bits were constructed between 1850 and 1875. Unfortunately, most of the structure, except the Vicar Lane frontage, was destroyed in a 1975 fire. The Market was later refurbished in the early 1990s and after this, it was upgraded from a Grade II to a Grade I listed structure. Frequently known as the ‘Knightsbridge of the North’, Leeds is a great place for shoppers! It has over 1,000 shops, including Harvey Nicholls, Louis Vuitton and many more designer names, scattered around its fashionable high streets, state-of-the-art malls, Victorian arcades, historical buildings and markets. If you'd prefer to spend your time in Leeds doing more artistic pursuits, you'll be happy to know that the city has 9 wonderful museums & galleries. These include the Leeds City Museum & the fabulous Leeds City Art Gallery, so you are sure to find something to entertain you. If fast-paced city life gets too much, you'll be happy to know that Leeds has some gorgeous green spaces & stunning parks, including the award winning Millennium Gardens. These gorgeous gardens were constructed at a cost of ?12m in order to commemorate the millennium & were jointly funded by Leeds City Council & the Millennium Commission. Lastly, any tourist passing through Leeds should make sure that they taste its nightlife. With wonderful restaurants, exclusive bars and amazing nightclubs, you will have an unforgettable night there. Needless to say Leeds boasts a major gay community, too. As a result, you will find some fabulous gay bars sprinkled around the Calls area, including the legendary New Penny pub. After the nightclubs close, why not head to one of the city's deluxe hotels for a fabulous sleep? There's some fantastic hotels in the city, including the Leeds Novotel, so you will be spoilt for choice. If you pick a hotel with breakfast included, you will be able to eat away your hangover, too. So, whether you are visiting Leeds for a fun night out, a glamorous shopping trip or even an artistic weekend away, you'll be spoilt for choice by the vast range of wonderful things to do. For more info on things to do in Leeds & the areas nearby, just ring the local tourism info board. Getting to Leeds is simple via car, bus, coach & train. Trains regularly run from Leeds Railway Station, also known as Leeds City, to the middle of London, Southampton, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Birmingham, Leicester, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool & many other destinations throughout the UK. |
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