Leeds is Booming - Leeds City Guide - The Essential Guide to Bars, Pubs, Clubs, Hotels and Restaurants in Leeds

Leeds is a true success story. Over the last ten years the city has been transformed from a northern industrial city into one of the most vibrant and successful cities in the UK.

It is the capital of the Yorkshire and Humber region and one of the UK's fastest growing cities. The local economy has gone from strength to strength, with Leeds becoming one of the most successful citites in Europe. More and more businesses, visitors and students are attracted to the city, drawn by it's economic success and the quality of life that Leeds offers.

The recent accolades that the city has received include: The UK's Favourite City (Condé Nast Traveller magazine Reader's Awards), Britain's Best City for Business (OMIS Research), Visitor City of the Year (The Good Britain Guide), Best Place in Britain to Live (Urban Behaviours survey, Henley Management College), Best UK University Destination (The Independent), and Number One City for Clubbing (Mixmag Music Dance Awards).

Excellent nightlife, restaurants, bars, shopping and value for money are amongst the many attractions quoted by readers of The Traveller magazine - the leading, independent travel guide published by Condé Nast - who recently named Leeds as The UK's Favourite City.

Tourism is big business in Leeds, supporting more than 20,000 full time equivalent jobs. On average Leeds attracts 1.4m people per year who stay overnight, plus a further 18.4m who visit on day trips. Visitors to the city bring in nearly £735m into the local economy per annum. Whether it's for business or leisure, the Leeds lifestyle has a lot to offer. It's vibrant and cultural scenes are some of the attractions that bring visitors from across the UK and Europe to Leeds. Major national and regional attractions include the Royal Armouries, Henry Moore Sculpture Centre, West Yorkshire Playhouse and award winning Harewood House, voted one of the best large visitor attractions in the Excellence in England Awards for Tourism 2003.

The number of hotel bedrooms in central Leeds has increased dramatically, rising from just over 850 in the early 1990s to well over 4,500. In the Good Hotel Guide 2004, four Leeds hotels were named as top choices for places to stay in the UK.

Leeds is one of the largest retail centres in the UK, employing more than 15,000 people and a further 4,000 in associated services. The city centre has an excellent retail mix of major department stores, shopping centres, high street chains, speciality and prestige shopping attractions, catering for all tastes and ages.

With over 1,000 shops in the city centre, Leeds is the region's prime shopping location. Dubbed 'The Knightsbridge of the North' by the Lonely Planet Guide to Britain, the city is the birthplace of major brands like Marks & Spencer and Burtons. The city has more than 4.3 million square feet of retail space, featuring top quality retailers including Harvey Nichols, Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton and Gieves & Hawkes. Retail areas include the Victoria Quarter, Briggate, Headrow Centre, Leeds Shopping Plaza and The Light.

The Leeds shopping experience is going to get even better, with the £150m redevelopment of the Trinity Quarter beginning, and plans being drawn up for the £500m retail-led redevelopment of the Harewood and Eastgate Quaters.

Voted the 'Best University Destination in the UK' by The Independent, Leeds has two internationally acclaimed universities, the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University. It has become the most popular university choice in the country, with a total student population of over 200,000. The city also has ten colleges of higher and further education, including Leeds College of Art and Design, Leeds College of Music and Notre Dame Sixth Form College, with a combined total of 78,000 students.

The city's safe, friendly environment, fantastic nightlife and comparative affordability make it the ideal location to live and learn. Leeds has also been recently named 'The Most Cost Effective Place to Study in Britain' by the RBS Student Living Index 2007.

Leeds is the financial capital of the North, has one of the fastest growing economies in the UK and has recently been voted 'Britain's Best City for Business.'

In terms of wealth creation Leeds is the driving force within the regional economy. Total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stands at over £12.8 billion per annum, and is projected to grow by around 34% the next ten years, compared with a UK average of 23%. Over the last ten years over £2.5 billion has been invested in large property developmet schemes, a further £1.5bn is currently under construction and £3.4bn is in the pipeline.

Leeds has major strengths in financial and legal services, with over 30 national and international banks based in the city, and the largest legal sector outside of London, employing over 8,000 people. The retail and media sectors are also very strong, and the city is the UK's third biggest manufacturing centre. Leeds is the second largest employment centre in the UK outside of London with over 442,000 people employed in the city, with around 120,000 people working in the city centre alone. A key strength of the local economy is its diversity. Leeds has the most diverse economy across the full range of economic sectors of the UK's top 15 employment centres.

Over the last 20 years, more jobs have been created in Leeds than in any other UK city outside London, and over the next 10 years Leeds is expected to generate 45 per cent of the total employment growth for the Yorkshire and Humberside region - some 32,000 new jobs.

Recent research shows that residents are extremely proud of Leeds and aware of the city's many benefits as a place to live. Residents rate living in Leeds highly, with 91% of people stating that the city provides a great quality of life. Leeds has exceptional parks and green spaces, as well as great sports venues.

A separate national survey has crowned Leeds as the 'Best Place in Britain to Live'. The Urban Behaviours study revealed that 65% of 15 - 35 year olds living in the city have rated public transport, amenitites, cleanliness and entertainment as excellent.

Leeds has also been voted the 'UK's Number One City for Clubbing' and this is not surprising given the city's vibrant entertainment and cultural scenes. With over 180 bars and pubs, 90 restaurants and over 29 nightclubs in the city centre alone, Leeds is renowned for its buzzing nightlife.

The city is also home to the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition and top international performing companies such as Opera North, Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance Theatre. Major national and regional attractions located in Leeds were recently joined by The Carriageworks - Leeds' new theatre and conference venue. A £26m city museum is also scheduled for completion in 2008.

Source: Leeds City Council