Yesterday I was walking with a friend, discussing the identity of Leeds - and if indeed it has one in comparison to other such northern metropolises as Manchester. Leeds is probably the UK’s ultimate student city after London –
three universities and two colleges make for colourful Saturday nights with plenty of innovative, interesting, and often
dubious fancy dress costumes. I haven’t done the Otley Run just yet – but there’s still time. Although an overriding
presence in the city, the genius loci of the place isn’t contingent on students.
The core of Leeds is Victorian and as a result it has body and
substance to it. This is overlaid with modern day developments such as the new
Leeds Metropolitan City Campus; the
Broadcasting Place building seems to work rather like a trompe-l'œil - if one keeps an eye on the tower whilst walking past, it seems to
move along – as if mechanically – from it’s lower quarter.
I have never seen a city centre so devoted to shopping – it has
almost two of everything; numerous arcades, centers, it has the posh bit – the Victoria Quarter – it has the
traditional indoor market, it has vintage, retro, high street, high brow.
If it’s all too much, then along the Headrow, the North's most arty city has it's impressive Art Gallery, worthy Henry Moore Institute and the colossally impressive Town Hall by the 19th century starchitect
of Leeds – Cuthbert Brodick. Or head up to
Millennium Square to see the Civic Hall; a neo-baroque creation of Portland
stone, framed by two obelisk-towers surmounted by owls (the Civic coat of
arms).
As I walk around Leeds, I do not necessarily think it an extremely
pretty city (although it has most definitely has a charm when lit up at night)
– but it is interesting. What is the identity of Leeds? It’s a bit more rough and ready – a true example of
the industrial north. Yet, here there are many more pathways named Albion; Albion
Street, Albion Place, Albion Way – making me wonder if all this is
perhaps truly more representative of the real Britain than the softer – more
pretentious? - linings of the south. Or at least, some would say it certainly
was before Thatcher and the services industry came to prominence…
I've been here a month now and as I suspected, Leeds has a lot to offer – and a lot to discover. But I’ll leave it
at that for now. I have a Leeds Bucket List and a while to tick things off of it. This is just a notation really – a pyshcogeographer’s first commentary on
the city she will explore. As a city it seems genuine. With a sense of joviality – it is
somewhere great, interesting and smart – but it doesn’t take itself to
seriously. What makes it like this? That’s something I’ll be discovering and
blogging about over the next few years…
To be continued.
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