Not to be contentious or anything, but Manchester doesn’t have it all.
We’re sorry, we didn’t want to admit it as much as the next person.
We have an abundance of fantastic cafes and world-class sports facilities, we’ve had people busking in Piccadilly Gardens dressed in rat costumes (only feels like yesterday we still had the Piccadilly Rats) and we’re not afraid to embrace the wacky and wonderful.
Having said all this, it’s impossible to have every possible cuisine, gallery, mode of transport and invention under the sun – and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to further than this side of the Pennines.
And where better than the unofficial capital of nearby Yorkshire?
Just an hour on the train, Leeds is home to a flourishing food and drink scene, beautiful architecture and brilliant museums and galleries.
Here are five places to visit on your trip to Leeds that we promise you wouldn’t find in Manchester (and are well worth a visit over for).
Water Taxis
Image: Leeds Dock Image: The Hoot Leeds
That’s right, who would have thought that Leeds would have been home to the coolest way of getting from A to B. Drie and Twee were transported over from Amsterdam to take passengers from one side of Leeds below the train station to the Leeds Docks.
Every 15 minutes you can catch the striking yellow taxis over the River Aire and embark on a sightseeing tour of Leeds street art, including a 500ft mural of Kalvin Phillips (yes, he’s still in a Leeds United shirt, yes it’s still pretty impressive) and the Me & You, You & Me mural.
Tickets will cost you £2 each – and better still, dogs and children under five are free.
Where to find them: Either at 1 Canal Wharf, Granary Wharf, Leeds City Centre LS11 5BB or alternatively at La Salle, 147 Chadwick St, Leeds Dock, LS10 1NW
Roast Dinner Fondue
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The Yorkshire Puddings in Leeds are second to none (as you’d expect from the namesake county) – but have you ever thought about how tasty they’d be dunked in gooey Swiss cheese?
The Cheesy Living Co. is doing roasts differently and combining the humble Sunday dinner with what they do best – cheese.
Plate up with piles of slices of Lishman’s ham and peppered beef, fluffy Yorkshire puddings and roasted veggies aplenty before dipping in the gooey Swiss melting pot. Add lashings of gravy before tucking in – it’s a Sunday roast like you’ve never experienced before.
Where to find them: Ground Floor of Leeds Corn Exchange, Call Lane, Leeds City Centre, LS1 7BR
Birthplace of Marks & Spencer
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Over 200 years ago, Kirkgate Market was home Europe’s largest indoor market as well as the first ever Marks and Spencer.
The original home of M&S is still treasured today inside the market where you’ll find walls adorned with historical memorabilia and information about the 200-year-old history of the British supermarket- plus plenty of Percy Pigs and sweet treats to tuck into.
Where to find them: Inside Kirkgate Market, Vicar Lane, Leeds City Centre LS2 7HY
The Tetley
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Now a beautiful contemporary art gallery and exhibition space, The Tetley was once home to one of Leeds’ oldest brewing dynasties. The iconic Leeds landmark is a hub for local and international artists to showcase their work. Pop by and explore the exhibitions or take part in their ever-changing calendar of workshops.
Down in the bar and kitchen, you can still grab yourself a pint of Tetley’s own whilst sampling a selection of sustainably sourced meals, including the Tanzanian tofu and coconut curry and one of the best Sunday roasts in the UK (officially) with slow-cooked Yorkshire porchetta and plant-based ‘lamb’ with pomegranate molasses.
Where to find them: Hunslet Road, Leeds LS10 1JQ
The UK’s last remaining gas-lit cinema
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Hyde Park Picture House has been undergoing some serious renovation work recently but plans to reopen at the end of the month, with its beautiful 1920s architecture still very much intact.
Besides catching the latest blockbusters here, Hyde Park Picture House showcases independent movies from near and far, and has launched a ‘lost cinemas of Leeds’ tour where you can head across the city centre to rediscover some of Leeds’ movie spaces that have disappeared or been repurposed over the past century.
Where to find them: 73 Brudenell Road, Hyde Park, Leeds LS6 1JD
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Sophie Smith -
30th August 2023 
