around New Street Station it is
currently being extended from Snowhill through the city centre to Centenary Square. Travel on the
metro is easy and unlike with the buses change is given by the onboard conductor. Passes are
accepted as per the bus. The Metro may be useful if you wish to visit Birmingham's
historic Jewellery Quarter during your stay due to the recent addition of St Paul's Metro Station.
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Travel by Taxi
There are plenty of taxis available in
Birmingham city centre. Taxis are of
course readily available
from Birmingham International Airport,
as well as New Street Station. There are
other popular ranks around the city -
especially around the nightlife areas of Broad Street, The Arcadian and The Mailbox. Compared to
London and the South East, Birmingham taxi prices are very reasonable. A 1-2 mile trip should not
cost more than £5.
Tips
A tip about safety, especially if you are a single female, is to choose black cabs. Never enter
a car that has no taxi markings - and avoid standard cars that have been converted into
taxis. Only enter such a car if you have personally booked it yourself. If you are hailing down
a taxi on the street, only enter black cabs
It is not essential to tip a taxi driver and mini cab drivers are usually not tipped. Some like to
give black cab drivers something as tend to offer a better service. Percentage tipping is not
the rule in the UK so if you do tip you can offer the driver your change. For example, if the
fare comes to £4.20, it is usual to give a £5 note and say "keep the change" - or to hand over
a £10 note and say "take £5". As the UK does not have a tipping culture the latter would be
for only very exceptional services and is generally considered a very generous tip for a cab
ride. Tipping taxi drivers is optional the same as tipping for any other service and no one will
get upset if no tip is given.
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64
Leeds
One of the fastest-growing cities in the
UK, Leeds is the glitzy embodiment of
rediscovered northern self-confidence.
More than a decade of redevelopment
has seen the city centre transform from
near-derelict mill town into a vision of
21st-century urban chic, with
skyscraping office blocks, glass-and-steel
waterfront apartment complexes and renovated Victorian shopping arcades. The financial crisis of
2008–10 saw many flagship development projects grind to a halt, but tower cranes are beginning to
sprout on the skyline again and a massive new entertainment venue, the Leeds Arena, opened in
2013.
Known as the 'Knightsbridge of
the North', Leeds has made itself
a shopping mecca, its streets
lined with bustling malls sporting
the top names in fashion. And
when you've shopped till you've
dropped, there's a plethora of
pubs, clubs and excellent
restaurants to relax in. From
cutting-edge couture to
contemporary cuisine, Leeds will serve it to you on a plate (or more likely in a stylishly designed
bag). Amid all this fashion-conscious finery, it seems fitting that the network of city bus routes
includes peach, mauve and magenta lines as well as the more humdrum red, orange and blue.
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The Structure of The City
Headingley - is a suburb of Leeds in West
Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles
out of the city centre, to the north west along
the A660 road. Headingley is notable for being the
location of the Beckett Park campus for Leeds
Beckett University and Headingley Stadium.
Harehills - is an inner-city
area of east Leeds, West
Yorkshire, England. It is
approximately 1 mile
(1.6 km) north east
of Leeds city centre. It is
situated
between Burmantofts and Gipton, and adjacent to Chapeltown. As the name suggests it is a hill
area, basically a south-facing slope, with many streets of terraced houses on hills. In the middle is
Banstead Park, a grassy slope with trees and play areas, giving a view over the city of Leeds. The
cheaper housing has made it attractive to immigrants, with the result that it has a considerable
cultural and ethnic mixture. There are two main shopping streets, Harehills Lane and Harehills Road
which join at the junction of Roundhay Road (A58 road) leading to Oakwood. Also, York Road at the
junction with Compton Road, is Harehills's other main shopping area. On the August Bank
Holiday the Leeds Carnival is held with a procession through Harehills and Chapeltown.
Hyde Park - is an inner-city area of north-
west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated
between the University of Leeds and
Headingley. The area is in the centre of the
city's student community. Being next to
Headingley, a large student community, Hyde
Park is now an established alternative student
district. There are also many full-time, long-term,
non-student families and single people. There is a sizable South Asian community.
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The Prices of Accommodation
Headingley
a) Hotels
1) Village Hotel Leeds North - With an impressive leisure centre and a restaurant, Village
Hotel Leeds North offers modern rooms with free WiFi. The hotel is situated in
Headingley, 10 minutes’ drive from Leeds centre. At an extra cost, guests can use
Velocity Health & Fitness Club with a swimming pool, sauna and steam room. The
spacious rooms each have a satellite TV and work desk. All rooms feature a private
bathroom, hairdryer, cosy seating area and tea/coffee facilities are also provided. Village
Hotel Leeds North offers a choice of dining options. There is also a Starbucks coffee shop
on site. Village Hotel Leeds North is just 1km away from the Headingley Campus of Leeds
Metropolitan University. Free on-site parking is available, and Leeds Rhinos Rugby
Stadium is a 5-minute drive away. Bookings from £110.
2) Holiday Inn Express Leeds City Centre - This modern, friendly, air-conditioned hotel is
on the edge of Leeds city centre, ideal for Leeds and Metropolitan universities, the
business district and its restaurants and bars. The property is located just off the Leeds
ring road and offers chargeable on-site car parking. Holiday Inn Express Leeds City
Centre is a 15-minute walk from the centre of Leeds. The Holiday Inn Express has
refurbished, spacious rooms with a power shower and air conditioning. In the mornings,
guests can enjoy an Express Start breakfast. Headingley Stadium, Leeds United FC and
the John Charles Centre for Sport are nearby. York and Wetherby racecourses are within
a 30-to-45-minute drive away. Bookings from £100.
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Harehills
a) Hotels
1) High Bank Hotel - Around 3.2 km from Leeds city centre, High Bank Hotel is a Yorkshire
hotel offering free parking and Wi-Fi. It is less than 8 km from the M1. Direct bus links to
the city centre are available nearby. Each room has a flat-screen TV, radio and tea and
coffee facilities, and enjoys views of the city or gardens. There are en-suite or shared
bathroom facilities, depending on your room, all with complementary toiletries. Leeds
has a wide variety of restaurants, shopping options and entertainment venues, including
the West Yorkshire Playhouse, a 9-minute drive away. High Bank Hotel is around 30
minutes’ drive from both Harrogate and Halifax, with York 35-40 minutes away.
Bookings from £50.
2) The Adriatic Hotel - Just 7-10 minutes’ drive from the city centre, The Adriatic is a
privately owned, 2-star hotel that offers comfortable, en-suite accommodation and a
restaurant. All of the hotel’s rooms feature private en suite bathrooms/shower rooms,
free WiFi, TV and tea/coffee making facilities. Rooms are serviced daily. The Adriatic
Hotel is just a short distance from Chapel Allerton, a lively suburb of Leeds, which has
plenty of fantastic wine bars, restaurants and cafes. Free parking is available, and Leeds
United Football Club’s Elland Road Stadium is a 15-minute drive away. St James' Hospital
is 2-3 minutes away. Bookings from £50.
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Hyde Park
a) Hotel
1) Headingley Lodge - High quality four star accommodation at a great price, friendly
service and an ideal location, situated inside the world famous Headingley Carnegie
Stadium, with access to FREE car parking and all bedrooms overlooking the Yorkshire
Cricket oval. Headingley offers a wealth of restaurants and bars for your refreshment
enjoyment and entertainment. As we do not have a restaurant or bar we can
recommend local bars and restaurants for you to visit in Headingley which is only a five
minute walk from us. The centre of Leeds is only 2 miles away should you wish to
venture further. Renowned for it‘s nightlife, Leeds has a variety of theatres, cinemas and
casinos as well as many fashionable bars and restaurants. Bookings from £70.
2) The Kingston Hotel - The Kingston Hotel is a family run hotel, centrally located and
within the Leeds City Centre with its diverse array of nightlife and fabulous shopping.
The Hotel is just five minutes walk to the new Leeds Arena, also very close to Headingley
cricket ground and Leeds united football ground. The Kingston Hotel has 20 spacious
rooms comprising of singles doubles twins and a family room we also have free wi-fi in
all the rooms. There is free wifi available throughout the hotel and free car park. Each
room, imparts a liberating sense of space with detailed attention on the needs of our
corporate or leisure guests. Well equipped with modern amenities and efficient service,
these elegant spaces serve as an unexpected oasis of exclusive tranquility immersed in
the frenzy of the city centre. The Kingston Hotel aims to offer a blend of warm elegance
and gracious hospitality. Bookings from £40.
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Places to Visit
Roundhay Park - Roundhay Park in Leeds,
is one of the biggest city parks in Europe.
There are over 700 acres of park and
woodland waiting, with a beautiful lake at
the centre of it all. The city’s biggest park
is a stunning setting for a cheap day out in
Leeds where you can take a picnic and
enjoy the picturesque surroundings, feed
the ducks at the huge lake or just have a wander around, admiring the four stunning gardens. The
parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens are free to explore, and a little bit of roaming will unveil the
‘castle’ to avid adventurers. The park also features an arena area which has hosted large scale
concerts from world famous bands like The Rolling Stones and U2, though we doubt those were
free.
Kirkstall Abbey - Explore one of the
most complete examples of a
medieval Cistercian abbey in
Britain. Set in wonderful parkland
along the banks of the River Aire,
Kirkstall Abbey boasts historic
architecture amid a haven of
wildlife and greenery. A cheap day
out for those interested in a dose
of history. The abbey is mostly
ruins, but there’s plenty to see and a programme of regular events to boot. The area of Kirkstall
might bring to mind students, terraced housing, takeaways and a retail park, but its abbey presents
a refreshing blend of historical architecture and a haven for wildlife. The once-giant Cistercian
structure is now largely ruins, but it still proves a popular choice in the warmer months for an
inexpensive historical day out. Located around a 15-minute bus journey out of the city centre in
beautiful suburban parkland, Kirkstall Abbey is an affordable day out away from the materialism
and expensive parking of the city centre.
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Leeds City Museum - Leeds City
Museum is situated in the heart of
the city just across from
Millennium Square, and hosts four
floors of interactive galleries for
you to explore – all for free. With
particular focus on natural history,
you can go toe-to-toe with the
Leeds tiger, step into Ancient
Worlds to meet Nesyamun, the
Leeds mummy, and dig for fossils in the Life on Earth gallery. From Egyptian mummies to Roman
artefacts, Iron Age tools to Greek pottery, Leeds City Museum has four floors of incredible history
that’s just waiting to be discovered. It also has a Collectors’ Gallery full of people’s weird and
wonderful obsessions, as well as oodles of local history. Leeds City Museum is no doubt one of the
best cheap and informative days out you’ll find in Leeds.
Leeds Art Gallery - When the
Government describes a gallery’s
collection of 20th century British art as
of ‘national importance’ you know
they’re doing something right. There’s
an incredible collection of art within,
including work from famed locals like
Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth,
as well as modern geniuses like Francis
Bacon and Antony Gormley, so it comes as no surprise they were chosen to host an event as
prestigious as the British Art Show, but it is a surprise that Leeds Art Gallery doesn’t have an entry
fee – so make the most of it. Smack bang in the centre of Leeds the Leeds Art Gallery has a wide
range of collections of paintings and sculptures. If you do want to enjoy some refreshments you will
have to pay, but you’ll be able to enjoy tea in the Tiled Hall Café as well as coffee and cakes in the
“Barista style ‘Brewbar”.
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Leeds Central Library - Of course it’s free, but if
you’ve not yet been into Leeds Central Library (and
we know there are plenty of you out there that
haven’t), then you should change that pronto. It’s a
stunning building, inside and out, filled with
thousands of books, but that’s not all that can be
found there. Whether you’re starting your own
business or researching your family history, you’ll
find loads computers, classes and workshops to help you do it.
The Tetley - Not only can you while away the hours wandering
three art-filled floors of the brewery turned art haven that is
The Tetley for free, but they have plenty more up their sleeve.
Their approach to arts is all inclusive and they run free
workshops for the whole family, from den building festivals to
specially tailored activities for toddlers, as well as open days
that reveal more of the historic building than you usually get to see. Housed within the stunning art
deco headquarters of the former Tetley Brewery in central Leeds, the Tetley offers cutting edge art
for free. Take a couple of hours to wander round and take it all in, and if you do have some change
left over you can sample their Yorkshire menu, or enjoy a pint of Tetley’s straight from the source.
Golden Acre Park - Contrary to its name, Golden
Acre Park is not one acre in size but 137.
It first opened as an amusement park in 1932
with a miniature railway, swimming pool and
boating lake, but closed during the Second World
War. It’s now run by the local council and has a
lake with wildfowl, informal gardens, demonstration gardens, a special collection of heathers, and
woodland and open spaces. It may be the end point of the Meanwood Valley Trail, but Golden Acre
Park is definitely worthy of a place in our list of places to visit in Leeds. The wildfowl lake is its
centrepiece, while it’s also home to stunning National Plant Collections and incredibly pretty
gardens, which make for a relaxing day out that won’t cost you a penny.
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Public Transport
Timetables and advice about all public
transport is available at the Gateway
Yorkshire tourist information centre -
open daily at Leeds City Railway
Station and at the Metro Travel Centre -
open Monday to Saturday at Leeds City
Bus Station.
Bus
The bus system in Leeds
is a relatively simple yet
comprehensive system,
and is the method of
public transportation most
often used by Leeds
travellers for local
journeys. For local bus
times see wymetro.com. If
you are travelling from the
suburbs into Leeds city
centre or across Leeds ask
the driver for a First Day ticket. This costs £4.00 and will allow you to travel on any First Leeds bus within the
Leeds Metropolitan boundary (after 9.30 on weekdays and all day at weekends).
On Monday to Saturdays a frequent (every 6-7 minutes) bus service runs between the railway station, Leeds
University, Leeds Metropolitan university, the shopping area, coach/bus station and market. There is a flat
fare of 50p to ride on this service unless you already have a WY Metro concession. (bus pass or ticket).
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Longer-distance
There are many longer-distance bus services,
for example:
Harrogate, historically a spa
town, and Ripon
(harrogateanddistrict.co.uk). Starts
from the bus station. Catch the
Number 36 Bus for Harrogate which
runs along the A61. This bus runs
past the popular stately home, Harewood House, which is a great family day out. Visitors who
present their bus pass can get into Harewood House for half price.
York/Scarborough/Whit