103-569: Roundhay Park in Leeds , West Yorkshire , England, is a large urban park situated on the north-east edge of the city, bordered by the suburb of Roundhay to the west, Oakwood to the south and the A6120 outer ring road to the north. It covers more than 700 acres (2.8 km) of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens which are owned by decree of Charles Frederick Thackray and the Nicholson family by
206-733: A National Trust property in Sussex which is home to the internationally important Millennium Seed Bank , whose scientists work with partner organisations in more than 95 countries. Kew, jointly with the Forestry Commission , founded Bedgebury National Pinetum in Kent in 1923, specialising in growing conifers . In 1994, the Castle Howard Arboretum Trust, which runs the Yorkshire Arboretum ,
309-462: A bathing pool at the bottom of the dam, but both features have since been removed, and the overflow from the lake is now by a weir at the western end of the dam. Great Heads Beck flows southward into Waterloo Lake, which it enters at its northern end, with Wyke Beck providing the outflow. The Mansion House is a large stone two- and three-storey house in Greek Revival style with a view over
412-468: A charter of incorporation, which was granted in 1626. The new charter incorporated the entire parish, including all eleven townships, as the Borough of Leeds and withdrew the earlier charter. Improvement commissioners were set up in 1755 for paving, lighting, and cleansing of the main streets, including Briggate and further powers were added in 1790 to improve the water supply. The borough corporation
515-622: A county council, so Leeds City Council is the primary provider of local government services for the city. The district is in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. Most of the district is an unparished area . In the unparished area, there is no lower tier of government. Outside the unparished area, there are 31 civil parishes, represented by parish councils . These are the lowest tier of local government and absorb some limited functions from Leeds City Council in their areas. The district
618-430: A further 30,000 sub-standard houses were demolished by the council and replaced by 151 medium-rise and high-rise blocks of council flats in estates at Seacroft, Armley Heights, Tinshill, and Brackenwood. Leeds has seen great expenditure on regenerating the city, attracting in investments and flagship projects, as found in Leeds city centre . Many developments boasting luxurious penthouse apartments have been built close to
721-490: A layer of coal measure sandstones forming the Yorkshire Coalfield . To the north parts are built on older sandstone and gritstones and to the east it extends into the magnesian limestone belt. Outside Leeds centre, there are a number of suburbs and exurbs within the district. Some of Leeds suburbs include Headingley, Harehills and Hunslet. while exurbs of Leeds include Pudsey, Horsforth and Morley. Lying in
824-470: A period of sea incursion. These geological features were laid down around 300 million years ago, when this part of the Earth's crust was close to the equator. Hill 60, a popular sledging location in winter, is named after Hill 60 south of Ypres , Belgium, site of a battle fought in the spring of 1915 during World War 1, in memory of Leeds soldiers who lost their lives in the battle. So called because it
927-403: A population of 474,632 and had an area of 112 square kilometres (43 sq mi) with a population density of 4,238 inhabitants per square kilometre (10,980/sq mi). It is bounded by, and physically attached to, the other towns of Garforth to the east, Morley to the southwest and Pudsey to the west, all being within the wider borough. 63% of the borough's population of 751,485 live in
1030-550: A population of 812,000 ( 2021 census ). The city is part of the fourth-largest built-up area by population in the United Kingdom, West Yorkshire Built-up Area , with a 2011 census population of 1.7 million. The name derives from the old Brittonic *Lātēnses (via Late Brittonic Lādēses ), composed of the Celtic root *lāt- "violent, boiling" and the borrowed Latin plural derivational suffix -ēnses meaning "people of
1133-516: A problem, the wealthier residents left the industrial conurbation to live in Headingley, Potternewton and Chapel Allerton which led to a 50% increase in the population of Headingley and Burley from 1851 to 1861. The middle-class flight from the industrial areas led to development beyond the borough at Roundhay and Adel. The introduction of the electric tramway led to intensification of development in Headingley and Potternewton and expansion outside
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#17327727363371236-620: A role in plant conservation. Kew is governed by a board of trustees which comprises a chairman and eleven members. Ten members and the chairman are appointed by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . His Majesty the King appoints his own trustee on the recommendation of the Secretary of State. As of 2024 the Board members are: More than 470 scientists work for
1339-467: A series of temperature-controlled glasshouses representing different climates from around the world. It holds the largest collection of tropical plants in the UK after Kew Gardens . The main building, Coronation House, is named from the original 1911 building, the year of the coronation of George V . The present construction was built in 1939 and modernised in 1983, re-opening as Tropical World . In July 2008 it
1442-868: A similar trend to the rest of England. The population density was 1,967/km (5,090/sq mi) and for every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. Leeds is a diverse city with over 75 ethnic groups, and with ethnic minorities representing just under 11.6% of the total population. According to figures from the 2011 UK Census , 85.0% of the population was White (81.1% White British , 0.9% White Irish , 0.1% Gypsy or Irish Traveller , 2.9% Other White ), 2.7% of mixed race (1.2% White and Black Caribbean, 0.3% White and Black African, 0.7% White and Asian, 0.5% Other Mixed), 7.7% Asian (2.1% Indian , 3.0% Pakistani , 0.6% Bangladeshi , 0.8% Chinese , 1.2% Other Asian), 3.5% Black (2.0% African, 0.9% Caribbean , 0.6% Other Black ), 0.5% Arab and 0.6% of other ethnic heritage. Leeds has seen many new different countries of birth as of
1545-601: A small area just to the south east of the city centre, where the elevation declines to under 20 metres (66 feet). This is 2 °C (3.6 °F) milder than the typical summer temperature at Leeds Bradford airport weather station (shown in the chart below), at an elevation of 208 metres (682 feet). Situated on the eastern side of the Pennines, Leeds is among the driest cities in the United Kingdom, with an annual rainfall of 660 mm (25.98 in). Though extreme weather in Leeds
1648-512: A steamboat called the Maid of Athens (which was sunk in the lake at the end of its useful life). In 1900 this was replaced by an electric launch, the Mary Gordon , which operated until 1923. A cafe was constructed above the boathouse. The lake is now used for fishing, but not boating. The lower part ends in a dam which included a sluice and waterfall from at least 1893. By 1921, the waterfall fed
1751-517: A third lake in a hollow which is now the Arena, but he died before doing so. In 1894, it was converted into a sports arena with cycle track, providing work for unemployed people in Leeds. It is overlooked by a mound known as Hill 60, which was so named to commemorate Leeds soldiers who died in First World War battles around Hill 60 near Ypres . The arena can hold over 100,000 people. This was
1854-537: A varied collection of museums. Leeds has multiple motorway links such as the M1 , M62 and A1(M) . The city's railway station is, alongside Manchester Piccadilly , the busiest of its kind in Northern England . Public transport, rail and road networks in the city and wider region are widespread. It is the county's largest settlement with a population of 536,280, while the larger City of Leeds district has
1957-492: A varying extent by context such as the city centre , the built-up sprawl around the centre, administrative boundaries and the travel to work area . The city centre lies in a narrow section of the Aire Valley at about 206 feet (63 m) above sea level . The land use in the central areas of Leeds is overwhelmingly urban. while being less than twenty miles (32 km) from the rural Yorkshire Dales National Park . It
2060-404: Is oceanic ( Köppen : Cfb ), and influenced by the Pennines. Summers are usually mild, with moderate rainfall, while winters are chilly, cloudy with occasional snow and frost. The nearest official weather recording station is at Bingley, some twelve miles (20 km) away at a higher altitude. July is the warmest month, with a mean temperature of 16 °C (61 °F), while the coldest month
2163-538: Is January, with a mean temperature of 3 °C (37 °F). Temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) and below −10 °C (14 °F) are not very common but can happen occasionally. Temperatures at Leeds Bradford Airport fell to −12.6 °C (9.3 °F) in December 2010 and reached 31.8 °C (89 °F) at Leeds city centre in August 2003. The record temperature for Leeds is 34.4 °C (94 °F) during
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#17327727363372266-587: Is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 staff. Its board of trustees is chaired by Dame Amelia Fawcett . The organisation manages botanic gardens at Kew in Richmond upon Thames in south-west London, and at Wakehurst ,
2369-613: Is a nomenclatural listing of all published taxonomic plant names including new species, new combinations and new names at rank of botanical family down to infraspecific. It provides data for other related projects including Tropicos and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility ( GBIF ). Information and key to flowering plants of the Neotropics (tropical South and Central America). The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP)
2472-557: Is a register of accepted scientific names and synonyms of 200 selected seed plant families. WCSP is widely used, and most authoritative web resources on plants use it as their basis. The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) includes all known vascular plant species ( flowering plants , conifers , ferns , clubmosses , and firmosses ). It is derived from the WCSP and the IPNI and therefore only includes names found in those databases. It
2575-560: Is above regional averages. At the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001 , the Leeds urban subdivision occupied an area of 109 square kilometres (42 sq mi) and had a population of 443,247; making it the fourth-most populous urban subdivision within England and the fifth largest within the United Kingdom. The population density was 4,066 inhabitants per square kilometre (10,530/sq mi), slightly higher than
2678-527: Is considered the cultural, financial and commercial heart of the West Yorkshire Urban Area . Leeds is also served by four universities, and has the fourth largest student population in the country and the country's fourth largest urban economy . The student population has stimulated growth of the nightlife in the city and there are ample facilities for sporting and cultural activities, including classical and popular music festivals, and
2781-646: Is contained within the Leeds Inner Ring Road , formed from parts of the A58 road , A61 road , A64 road , A643 road and the M621 motorway . Briggate , the principal north–south shopping street, is pedestrianised and Queen Victoria Street, a part of the Victoria Quarter , is enclosed under a glass roof. Millennium Square is a significant urban focal point. Inner and southern areas of Leeds lie on
2884-453: Is in the banking, finance and insurance sectors that Leeds differs most from the financial structure of the region and the nation. There are 130,100 jobs in the city centre, accounting for 31% of all jobs in the wider district. In 2007, 47,500 jobs were in finance and business, 42,300 in public services, and 19,500 in retail and distribution. 43% of finance sector jobs in the district are contained in Leeds city centre and 44% of those employed in
2987-549: Is located in ...regione quae vocatur Loidis (Latin, "the region which is called Loidis"). An inhabitant of Leeds is locally known as a Loiner , a word of uncertain origin. The term Leodensian is also used, from the city's Latin name. Leeds developed as a market town in the Middle Ages as part of the local agricultural economy. Before the Industrial Revolution , it became a co-ordination centre for
3090-431: Is overwhelmingly urban. Attempts to define the exact geographic meaning of Leeds lead to a variety of concepts of its extent, varying by context include the area of the city centre , the urban sprawl, the administrative boundaries, and the functional region . Leeds is much more a generalised concept place name in inverted commas, it is the city, but it is also the commuter villages and the region as well. Leeds has
3193-522: Is relatively rare, thunderstorms, blizzards, gale-force winds and even tornadoes have struck the city. The last reported tornado occurred on 14 September 2006, causing trees to uproot and signal failures at Leeds City railway station . Leeds forms the main area of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire. This district includes Leeds itself as well as surrounding towns of Horsforth , Morley , Otley , Pudsey , Rothwell and Wetherby , Leeds
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3296-696: Is represented by ten MPs , for the constituencies of Leeds Central and Headingley ( Alex Sobel , Labour) ; Leeds East ( Richard Burgon , Labour); Leeds North East ( Fabian Hamilton , Labour); Leeds North West ( Katie White , Labour); Leeds South ( Hilary Benn , Labour); Leeds South West and Morley ( Mark Sewards , Labour); Leeds West and Pudsey ( Rachel Reeves , Labour); Selby (constituency shared with North Yorkshire ) ( Keir Mather , Labour); Wakefield and Rothwell (constituency shared with City of Wakefield ) ( Simon Lightwood , Labour); and Wetherby and Easingwold (constituency shared with North Yorkshire ) ( Alec Shelbrooke , Conservative). Leeds has
3399-420: Is the local government district covering Leeds, and the local authority is Leeds City Council . The council is composed of 99 councillors, three for each of the district's wards . Elections are held three years out of four, on the first Thursday of May. One third of the councillors are elected, for a four-year term, in each election. The council is currently controlled by Labour . West Yorkshire does not have
3502-471: Is the central city of the Leeds City Region , a classification for the city region's metropolitan area . The city region has a population of over 3 million, making it the second most populated metropolitan city region in the United Kingdom, behind Greater London . In January 2011, Leeds was named as one of five "cities to watch" in a report published by Centre for Cities. The report shows that
3605-622: Is the largest component of the West Yorkshire Urban Area and is counted by Eurostat as part of the Leeds-Bradford larger urban zone . The Leeds travel to work area in 2001 included all of the City of Leeds, a northern strip of the City of Bradford, the eastern part of Kirklees, and a section of southern North Yorkshire; it occupies 751 square kilometres (290 sq mi). In 2011, the Leeds urban subdivision had
3708-488: Is the most diverse of all the UK's main employment centres, and has seen the fastest rate of private-sector jobs growth of any UK city and has the highest ratio of private to public sector jobs. Leeds is home to over 109,000 companies, generating 5% of England's total economic output of £60.5 billion, and is also ranked as a high sufficiency city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Leeds
3811-623: Is the taxonomic database for Plants of the World Online. Since WCSP includes only selected families, WCVP will seek to complete the process. A checklist of 40,292 species, including nine non-plant taxa (e.g. nostoc , forkweed , brown algae ), compiled from multiple pre-existing datasets. Kew also cooperated with the Missouri Botanical Garden and other international bodies in The Plant List (TPL). Unlike
3914-458: Is well above the national average, like many other English major cities. In July 2006, the think tank Reform calculated rates of crime for different offences and has related this to populations of major urban areas (defined as towns over 100,000 population). Leeds was 11th in this rating (excluding London boroughs, 23rd including London boroughs). Total recorded crime in Leeds fell by 45% between March 2002 and December 2011 The City of Leeds
4017-681: The Index Kewensis , a project which began in the 19th century to provide an "Index to the Names and Authorities of all known flowering plants and their countries". The Harvard University Herbaria and the Australian National Herbarium co-operate with Kew in the IPNI database, which was launched in its present form in 1999 to produce an authoritative source of information on botanical nomenclature including publication details of seed plants, ferns and lycophytes . It
4120-456: The Bank of England in the UK. In 2012 GVA for the city was recorded at £18.8 billion, with the entire Leeds City Region generating a £56 billion economy. Key sectors include finance, retail, leisure and the visitor economy, construction, manufacturing and the creative and digital industries. It has one of the most diverse economies of all the UK's main employment centres and has seen
4223-466: The Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Today, Leeds has become the largest legal and financial centre outside London, with the financial and insurance services industry worth £13 billion to the city's economy. Office developments, also traditionally located in the inner area, have expanded south of the River Aire and total 11,000,000 square feet (1,000,000 m ) of space. In
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4326-515: The Leeds and Selby Railway in 1834, provided improved communications with national markets and, significantly for its development, an east–west connection with Manchester and the ports of Liverpool and Hull giving improved access to international markets. Alongside technological advances and industrial expansion, Leeds retained an interest in trading in agricultural commodities, with the Corn Exchange opening in 1864. Marshall's Mill
4429-485: The River Wharfe for several miles (several kilometres), but it crosses the river to include the part of Otley which lies north of the river. The Leeds postcode area covers most of the City of Leeds district and is almost entirely made up of the Leeds post town . Otley, Wetherby, Tadcaster, Pudsey and Ilkley are separate post towns within the postcode area. Leeds is within a green belt region that extends into
4532-463: The UK Census including Zimbabwe , Iran , India and Nigeria all included in the top ten countries of birth in the city. Large Pakistani communities can be seen in wards such as Gipton and Harehills. Chapel Allerton is known for having a large Caribbean community. The majority of people in Leeds identify themselves as Christian. The proportion of Muslims (3.0% of the population) is average for
4635-555: The United Kingdom . It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines . The city was a small manorial borough in the 13th century and a market town in the 16th century. It expanded by becoming a major production and trading centre (mainly with wool ) in the 17th and 18th centuries. Leeds developed as a mill town during the Industrial Revolution alongside other surrounding villages and towns in
4738-469: The West Riding of Yorkshire . It was also known for its flax industry, iron foundries , engineering and printing, as well as shopping, with several surviving Victorian era arcades, such as Kirkgate Market . City status was awarded in 1893, and a populous urban centre formed in the following century which absorbed surrounding villages and overtook the population of nearby York . Leeds' economy
4841-535: The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority . From 1988 two run-down and derelict areas close to the city centre were designated for regeneration and became the responsibility of Leeds Development Corporation , outside the planning remit of the city council. Planning powers were restored to the local authority in 1995 when the development corporation was wound up. In 1801, 42% of the population of Leeds lived outside
4944-554: The interwar period when over 18,000 houses were built by the council on 24 estates in Cross Gates , Middleton, Gipton, Belle Isle and Halton Moor. The slums of Quarry Hill were replaced by the innovative Quarry Hill flats, which were demolished in 1975. Another 36,000 houses were built by private sector builders, creating suburbs in Gledhow, Moortown, Alwoodley, Roundhay, Colton, Whitkirk, Oakwood , Weetwood, and Adel. After 1949
5047-439: The 1970s, the clothing industry was in irreversible decline, facing cheap foreign competition. The contemporary economy has been shaped by Leeds City Council 's vision of building a '24-hour European city' and 'capital of the north'. The city has developed from the decay of the post-industrial era to become a telephone banking centre, connected to the electronic infrastructure of the modern global economy. There has been growth in
5150-605: The 1980s. The area is now a car park, still signposted 'Lido'. In June 2005, two teenagers drowned in Waterloo Lake: a memorial stone on the lakeside footpath recalls their memory. In January 2007, the Lakeside Café was extensively damaged by fire. Following complete renovation including a new roof, it reopened in June 2008. Canal Gardens, separated by Street Lane from the main area of the park, contains Tropical World ,
5253-400: The IPNI, it provides information on which names are currently accepted. The Plant List is an Internet encyclopedia project which was launched in 2010 to compile a comprehensive list of botanical nomenclature . The Plant List has 1,064,035 scientific plant names of species rank of which 350,699 are accepted species names. In addition, the list has 642 plant families and 17,020 plant genera. It
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#17327727363375356-459: The Leeds district is green belt land and it surrounds the settlement, preventing further sprawl towards nearby communities. Larger outlying towns and villages are exempt from the green belt area. However, smaller villages, hamlets and rural areas are 'washed over' by the designation. The green belt was first adopted in 1960, and the size in the borough in 2017 amounted to some 33,970 hectares (339.7 km ; 131.2 sq mi). A subsidiary aim of
5459-425: The Leeds parish absorbed Beeston , Chapel Allerton , Farnley , Headingley cum Burley and Potternewton from within the borough. In the twentieth century the county borough initiated a series of significant territorial expansions, growing from 21,593 acres (87.38 km ) in 1911 to 40,612 acres (164.35 km ) in 1961. In 1912 the parish and county borough of Leeds absorbed Leeds Rural District , consisting of
5562-653: The People of the City of Leeds, it is not owned by Leeds City Council but they manage it for the citizens of Leeds. The park is one of the most popular attractions in Leeds; nearly a million people visit each year. In the 11th century William the Conqueror granted the lands on which the park stands to Ilbert de Lacy for his support in the Harrying of the North in the winter 1069–70. De Lacy, who founded Pontefract Castle ,
5665-679: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Director of Science is Alexandre Antonelli . The Deputy Directors are Elizabeth Gardner, Paul Kersey and Monique Simmonds . Kew Science staff include those of the Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre . The scientific staff at Kew maintain a variety of plant and fungal data and digital resources, including: Plants of the World Online is an online database launched in March 2017 as one of nine strategic outputs with
5768-422: The UK (after Birmingham ), and the second greatest area of any English metropolitan district (after Doncaster ), extending 15 miles (24 km) from east to west, and 13 miles (21 km) from north to south. The northern boundary follows the River Wharfe for several miles but crosses the river to include the part of Otley which lies north of the river. Over 65% of the Leeds district is green belt land and
5871-645: The Upper Lake and the Waterloo Lake. The work was spread over 10 years at a cost of £15,000. What became known as the Mansion House was built between 1811 and 1826 with a view over the Upper Lake. Nicholson constructed a castle folly . The Nicholson family was responsible for building the Church of St John, almshouses and a school on the south side of the park. After Thomas Nicholson's death in 1821,
5974-406: The Upper Lake, built from 1811 to 1826. It was built for Thomas Nicholson and his wife Elizabeth, who took up residence in 1816. It had three carriage houses and stabling for 17 horses. It was bought by the City of Leeds in 1871, and the sale document noted that the principal rooms on the ground floor were 13 feet high, and on the first floor were 17 bedrooms and 2 water-closets. It was leased out by
6077-576: The area transformed into an Amazon themed zone occupied by piranhas and salamanders. The Gardens of the World area also contains four of Leeds City Council 's prize winning entries to the Chelsea Flower Show which were permanently relocated to the garden between 2008 and 2011: All the gardens are wheelchair accessible and there are gardens for blind people with scented plants and braille inscriptions. Thomas Nicholson had planned to make
6180-431: The average resident in Leeds earns £471 per week, 17th nationally and 30.9% of Leeds residents had NVQ4+ high-level qualifications, 15th nationally. Employment in Leeds was 68.8% in the period June 2012 to June 2013, which was lower than the national average, whilst unemployment was higher than the national average at 9.6% over the same time period. Leeds is overall less deprived than other large UK cities and average income
6283-519: The borough into Roundhay. Two private gas supply companies were taken over by the corporation in 1870, and the municipal supply provided street lighting and cheaper gas to homes. From the early 1880s, the Yorkshire House-to-House Electricity Company supplied electricity to Leeds until it was purchased by Leeds Corporation and became a municipal supply. Slum clearance and rebuilding began in Leeds during
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#17327727363376386-474: The cafe and function rooms, after substantial refurbishment. The park has regularly been used as a concert venue. Those listed in italics contain more than 5000 animals Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire , England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough , which is the second most populous district in
6489-504: The city centre is less than twenty miles (32 km) from the Yorkshire Dales National Park , which has some of the most spectacular scenery and countryside in the UK. Inner and southern areas of Leeds lie on a layer of coal measure sandstones. To the north parts are built on older sandstone and gritstones and to the east it extends into the magnesian limestone belt. The land use in the central areas of Leeds
6592-405: The city centre live more than nine kilometres (5.6 miles) away. In 2011, the financial and services industry in Leeds was worth £2.1 billion, the fifth-largest in the UK, behind London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. Tertiary industries such as retail, call centres , offices and media have contributed to a high rate of economic growth. The city also hosts the only subsidiary office of
6695-420: The city centre. At 53°47′59″N 1°32′57″W / 53.79972°N 1.54917°W / 53.79972; -1.54917 (53.799°, −1.549°), and 190 miles (310 km) north-northwest of central London , central Leeds is located on the River Aire in a narrow section of the Aire Valley in the eastern foothills of the Pennines . The city centre lies at about 206 feet (63 m) above sea level while
6798-633: The corporate and legal sectors, and increased local affluence has led to an expanding retail sector, including the luxury goods market. Leeds City Region Enterprise Zone was launched in April 2012 to promote development in four sites along the A63 East Leeds Link Road. Leeds was a manor and township in the large ancient parish of Leeds St Peter , in the Skyrack wapentake of the West Riding of Yorkshire . The Borough of Leeds
6901-455: The cost to the council and Barran. Prince Arthur officially re-opened the park in 1872 in front of 100,000 people. In 1891 the first public electric tram with overhead power (trolley system) in Britain was inaugurated linking Oakwood near to Roundhay Park with Sheepscar for access to the horse and steam trams to Leeds city centre. 3 miles (4.8 km) away. What appears to be a tram terminus
7004-449: The council as a hotel and restaurant, being a popular place for weddings, receptions and dances until its closure in 2004 for renovation, with a view to conversion into Council offices. This caused some controversy and opposition. In November 2007 the rear wings of the building were opened again after an £8 million refurbishment as an Education and Visitor Centre and offices for park staff. In August 2009 Leeds based Dine catering reopened
7107-411: The country. Leeds has the third-largest community of Jews in the United Kingdom, after those of London and Manchester. The areas of Alwoodley and Moortown contain sizeable Jewish communities. 16.8% of Leeds residents in the 2001 census declared themselves as having "No Religion", which is broadly in line with the figure for the whole of the UK (also 8.1% "religion not stated"). The crime rate in Leeds
7210-409: The district ranges from 1,115 feet (340 m) in the far west on the slopes of Ilkley Moor to about 33 feet (10 m) where the rivers Aire and Wharfe cross the eastern boundary. The centre of Leeds is part of a continuously built-up area extending to Pudsey, Bramley, Horsforth, Alwoodley, Seacroft, Middleton and Morley. Leeds has the second highest population of any local authority district in
7313-451: The early August 1990 heatwave. It is likely this was exceeded during the heatwaves of July 2019 and July 2022 where many other areas broke their all time records. However, Leeds weather centre closed in the 2000s. As is typical for many sprawling cities in areas of varying topography, temperatures can change depending on location. Average July and August daytime highs exceed 22 °C (72 °F) (a value comparable to South East England) in
7416-494: The eastern foothills of the Pennines , there is a significant variation in elevation within the city's built-up area. The district ranges from 1,115 feet (340 m) in the far west on the slopes of Ilkley Moor to about 33 feet (10 m) where the rivers Aire and Wharfe cross the eastern boundary. Land rises to 198 m (650 ft) in Cookridge, just 6 miles (9.7 km) from the city centre. The northern boundary follows
7519-473: The estate passed to his half-brother Stephen. In 1858, his nephew William Nicholson Nicholson inherited the land on the death of his uncle. In 1871 Roundhay Park was put up for sale. John Atkinson Grimshaw was commissioned to paint three pictures of the park to help lobby parliament to buy it. The mayor of Leeds, John Barran , recommended its acquisition by Leeds as a park. As the council was not permitted to spend more than £40,000 on such large tracts of land, it
7622-484: The fast-flowing river", in reference to the River Aire that flows through the city. This name originally referred to the forested area covering most of the Brittonic kingdom of Elmet , which existed during the 5th century into the early 7th century. Bede states in the fourteenth chapter of his Ecclesiastical History , in a discussion of an altar surviving from a church erected by Edwin of Northumbria , that it
7725-403: The fastest rate of private-sector jobs growth of any UK city. It also has the highest ratio of private to public sector jobs of all the UK's Core Cities, with 77% of its workforce working in the private sector. Leeds has the third-largest jobs total by local authority area, with 480,000 in employment and self-employment at the beginning of 2015. Leeds is ranked as a "High Sufficiency" level city by
7828-404: The green belt is to encourage recreation and leisure interests, with rural landscape features, greenfield areas and facilities including Temple Newsam Park and House with golf course, Rothwell Country Park, Middleton Park, Kirkstall Abbey ruins and surrounding park, Bedquilts recreation grounds, Waterloo lake, Roundhay castle and park, and Morwick, Cobble and Elmete Halls. Leeds has a climate that
7931-520: The location of large concerts by The Rolling Stones , Michael Jackson , Simple Minds , Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band , Madonna , Level 42 , Genesis , Robbie Williams , U2 & Cast , among others. In the summer, it is used as a cricket pitch. This grade II listed drinking fountain in the shape of a classical rotunda was presented to the Borough of Leeds by John Barran in 1882. Its water outlets have been removed. Its sculpture
8034-452: The manufacture of woollen cloth, and white broadcloth was traded at its White Cloth Hall . Leeds handled one sixth of England's export trade in 1770. Growth, initially in textiles, was accelerated by the creation of the Aire and Calder Navigation in 1699 (with major additional works in the 18th century) and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in 1816. In the late Georgian era, William Lupton
8137-532: The most diverse economy of all the UK's main employment centres and has seen the fastest rate of private sector jobs growth of any UK city and has the highest ratio of public to private sector jobs of all the UK's Core Cities . The city had the third-largest jobs total by local authority area with 480,000 in employment and self-employment at the beginning of 2015. 24.7% were in public administration, education and health, 23.9% were in banking, finance and insurance and 21.4% were in distribution, hotels and restaurants. It
8240-432: The parishes of Roundhay and Seacroft ; and Shadwell , which had been part of Wetherby Rural District. On 1 April 1925, the parish of Leeds was expanded to cover the whole borough. The county borough was abolished on 1 April 1974, and its former area was combined with that of the municipal boroughs of Morley and Pudsey ; the urban districts of Aireborough , Horsforth , Otley , Garforth and Rothwell ; and parts of
8343-452: The period from 1999 to 2008 £2.5 billion of property development was undertaken in central Leeds; of which £711 million has been offices, £265 million retail, £389 million leisure and £794 million housing. The city saw several firsts, including the oldest-surviving film in existence, Roundhay Garden Scene (1888), and the 1767 invention of soda water . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
8446-517: The rest of the West Yorkshire Urban Area . It accounts for 20% of the area and 62% of the population of the City of Leeds. The population of the urban subdivision had a 100 to 93.1 female–male ratio. Of those over 16 years old, 39.4% were single (never married) and 35.4% married for the first time. The urban subdivision's 188,890 households included 35% one-person, 27.9% married couples living together, 8.8% were co-habiting couples, and 5.7% single parents with their children. Leeds
8549-562: The river was developed primarily for industry and secondarily for back-to-back workers' dwellings. The Leeds Improvement Act 1866 sought to improve the quality of working class housing by restricting the number of homes that could be built in a single terrace. Holbeck and Leeds formed a continuous built-up area by 1858, with Hunslet nearly meeting them. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, population growth in Hunslet, Armley, and Wortley outstripped that of Leeds. When pollution became
8652-466: The rural districts of Tadcaster , Wetherby , and Wharfedale . This area formed a metropolitan district in the county of West Yorkshire . It gained both borough and city status and is known as the City of Leeds . Initially, local government services were provided by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire County Council . When the county council was abolished in 1986, the city council absorbed its functions, and some powers passed to organisations such as
8755-496: The seed bank. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew states that its mission is to apply scientific discovery and research to fully develop the information about and potential uses of plants and fungi. A conference held in 1976 by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew was important as it established a co-ordinating body in order to determine which threatened plants are in cultivation and where they are located which played
8858-841: The township, in the wider borough. Cholera outbreaks in 1832 and 1849 caused the authorities to address the problems of drainage, sanitation, and water supply. Water was pumped from the River Wharfe, but by 1860 it was too heavily polluted to be usable. Following the Leeds Waterworks Act of 1867 three reservoirs were built at Lindley Wood, Swinsty, and Fewston in the Washburn Valley north of Leeds. Residential growth occurred in Holbeck and Hunslet from 1801 to 1851, but, as these townships became industrialised new areas were favoured for middle class housing. Land south of
8961-474: The ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by 2020". It links taxonomic data with images from the collection, to provide a single point of access with information on identification, distribution, traits, conservation, molecular phylogenies and uses. In addition it serves as a backbone for global resources such as World Flora Online . The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) includes information from
9064-537: The upper lake. Constructed by soldiers who had returned from the Napoleonic wars and thus named after the Battle of Waterloo . They were unemployed, so Thomas Nicholson provided work and income to landscape a former quarry. It took two years to build, has an average depth of 60 feet (18 m) deep and covers 33 acres (0.13 km). It was originally used for boating, and for a period there were trips around it in
9167-468: The urban subdivision, while it takes up only 21% of its total area of 552 km . At the time of the 2011 UK Census , the district had a total population of 751,500, representing a 5% growth since the previous census ten years earlier. According to the 2001 UK Census, there were 301,614 households in Leeds; 33.3% were married couples living together, 31.6% were single-person households, 9.0% were co-habiting couples and 9.8% were single parents, following
9270-509: The use of Soldiers' Field and the Arena for sports events. The smaller of the two lakes, featuring fountains, an island and a waterfall that leads down to Waterloo lake via a ravine. It is 5 acres (2.0 ha) in extent, but only 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m) deep. The Upper Lake is on much higher ground than Waterloo Lake. The lake was once abundant with White-Clawed Crayfish ( Austropotamobius pallipes ) but soon started to die out. Crayfish were reintroduced and can now once again be found in
9373-487: The wider surrounding counties and is in place to reduce urban sprawl , prevent the settlements in the West Yorkshire conurbation from further convergence, protect the identity of outlying communities, encourage brownfield reuse, and preserve nearby countryside. This is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas, and imposing stricter conditions on permitted building. Over 60% of
9476-522: Was a knight from Normandy. During the 13th century, the area was used as a hunting park for the de Lacys , who were the Lords of Bowland on the Yorkshire-Lancaster border. Ownership of Roundhay passed through succession to John of Gaunt and then to his son, Henry IV . In the 16th century Henry VIII gave the park (though not the manor) to Thomas Darcy . Through succession and marriage, it
9579-443: Was acquired by Charles Stourton, XV Baron Stourton (1702–1753) in the 18th century. In 1803, Charles Stourton's nephew, another Charles Stourton, XVII Baron Stourton (1752–1816), sold the estate to Thomas Nicholson and Samuel Elam. Nicholson took the northern part which became Roundhay Park. Thomas Nicholson's land contained the remains of quarries and coal mines. He disguised these former industrial areas by flooding them to create
9682-453: Was created in 1207, when Maurice Paynel, lord of the manor, granted a charter to a small area of the manor, close to the river crossing, in what is now the city centre. King James I granted the borough to his wife, Anne of Denmark , and in 1612, she ordered a survey of the borough; in 1615 she was petitioned to remove the strict Calvinist preacher Alexander Cooke as vicar of Leeds, but she refused. The inhabitants petitioned Charles I for
9785-458: Was executed by John Wormald Appleyard . A folly built in 1811 by local master builder George Nettleton to give the appearance of a castle gate. It originally had a wooden roof and an upper room, and was used as a summerhouse, a sewing room for the Nicholson girls, and for social functions such as dinners. The 3-mile geology trail to the north of the park takes in "The Gorge", a V-shaped valley cut by glacial meltwater , and shale beds reflecting
9888-525: Was formed as a partnership between Kew and the Castle Howard Estate. In 2019, the organisation had 2,316,699 public visitors at Kew, and 312,813 at Wakehurst. Its 326-acre (132 ha) site at Kew has 40 historically important buildings; it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. The collections at Kew and Wakehurst include over 27,000 taxa of living plants, 8.3 million plant and fungal herbarium specimens, and over 40,000 species in
9991-429: Was in fact a bus terminus and is now a car park. Some re-sited tram poles remain. A record crowd of 80,000 watched a rugby league sevens match between England and Australia in the park in 1933, won 29–11 by Australia. At the south end of Waterloo Lake is a dam , in 1907 an open-air swimming pool was constructed below it, it was known as a lido and was particularly popular in the 1950s but was closed and filled in during
10094-470: Was one of a number of central Leeds landowners, some of whom, like him, were also textile manufacturers. At the time of his death in 1828, Lupton occupied the enclosed fields of the manor of Leeds , his estate including a mill, reservoir , substantial house and outbuildings. Mechanical engineering, initially to supply tools and machinery for the textile sector, rapidly became a diverse industry. The railway network constructed around Leeds, starting with
10197-471: Was one of the first of many factories constructed in Leeds from around 1790 when the most significant were woollen finishing and flax mills. Manufacturing diversified by 1914 to printing, engineering, chemicals and clothing manufacture. Decline in manufacturing during the 1930s was temporarily reversed by a switch to producing military uniforms and munitions during the Second World War. However, by
10300-426: Was purchased for £139,000 by a group including Barran. Leeds City Council subsequently reimbursed them after obtaining an Act of Parliament, though it did not clear the relevant House of Lords committee until 1872. Leeds architect, George Corson , won the competition for landscaping Roundhay Park. Some parts of the estate were then sold for building plots of around an acre or so, such as those on Park Avenue, to offset
10403-436: Was reformed under the provisions of Municipal Corporations Act 1835 . Leeds Borough Police force was formed in 1836, and Leeds Town Hall was completed by the corporation in 1858. In 1866, Leeds and each of the other townships in the borough became civil parishes . The borough became a county borough in 1889, giving it independence from the newly formed West Riding County Council and it gained city status in 1893. In 1904
10506-453: Was renamed The Arnold and Marjorie Ziff Tropical World . Arnold Ziff gave £30,000 towards its launch. Tropical World has a butterfly house and aquariums. Exhibits include birds and some reptiles living free inside, and many other animals in enclosures including a group of meerkats . Its nocturnal house is home to creatures such as bats which are active at night. In 2015 following further refurbishment and alterations an Aztec zone opened in
10609-470: Was the gathering place for troops in the First World War . Huge playing fields next to the park which have hosted many large-scale annual events such as Leeds Mela , and the Love Parade . Aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn conducted test flights of his aircraft in 1909 and in 1919 established a small airport here, with flights to London and Amsterdam. There is a golf course and tennis courts, as well as
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