Finally! Bars and restaurants have reopened their doors (or outdoor areas) today, and Leeds’s fantastic independent shops and other non-essential venues are warmly welcoming us back. Why not explore Leeds’s gems and meanwhile help support your local businesses?!

Some of the Leeds team share their recommended places to visit below:

Pete, Housing Management Officer

• Meanwood Valley Farm – “Do you like llamas? Of course you do. Or maybe alpacas. Well, one or the other are here. They’re big. And fluffy. And slobber on your hand. Get down there, and enjoy fresh made ice cream on the side. Just across the road from Woodhouse Ridge, so a good point to either begin or finish a nice leafy stroll.”

• Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen – “Like a mini festival crammed into a building, there’s a wonderful pizza bar, burger shop, and roof terrace. Home to an awful lot of top notch live music, hosting film nights and comedy events, there’s almost always something good on here.”

• Royal Armouries – “There’s some very big and very pointy swords here. Just down the canal from town, one of the most unique museums going. Quite often has special exhibits of weapons from popular culture, but these pale in comparison to the very real swords, maces, and all manner of weird and wonderful pointy things that can just about be called ‘art’ these days. Free entry too, so no excuse.”

Chloe, Blenheims Residents Assistant

• Zaap Thai Street Food – “I highly recommend making a trip to Zaap Thai when the restaurants re-open if you haven’t been already. The food and drinks are really reasonably priced so it is an ideal spot for students! It offers a really authentic experience as the restaurant décor mimics a Thai street food market. The restaurant has a very relaxed feel to it but a great atmosphere. The food is great and the portions are very generous so you won’t be left hungry. There’s also a lot of great bars just around the corner on Merrion Street such as Verve and Mojo if you want to carry on the night afterwards! If you love Thai food, this place is a must in my opinion! (Just today they’ve also opened a new branch in Headingley!)”

• Junk Yard Golf Club – “Junk yard golf club is a really fun activity to do with your housemates or a big group of friends! You can choose from three different courses (Gary, Bozo and Pablo) so there is something to suit everyone. It is great fun and does not matter how good or bad you are! The cocktails are next level too! If you book during off peak hours it’s a bargain too at only £8.50 per game and they often have extra deals on for students!”

• Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen – “Belgrave is at the top of my list to visit now that bars have re-opened! It hosts really great intimate gigs and comedy events all year round. They are also renowned for their insane burgers, pizzas and loaded fries – I guarantee you won’t be able to resist them when you make a visit! They also have an extensive range of craft beers if that’s your kind of thing, or there’s lots of cocktails on offer if that’s more up your street. I love to visit Belgrave in the summer as the roof terrace is a great sun trap and has great views over the city. It’s a laid back bar and the dress code is very casual which is what I love about it.”

George, Leeds Hub Assistant

• Meanwood Valley Trail & Golden Acre Park – “I’ve only done this once but you can walk all the way from Woodhouse Moor (near City Centre), through the ginnels, through Meanwood Park and eventually end up at Golden Acre Park, which has beautiful trees, a lake with amazing ducks (including Mandarins) and is also right next to Adel Dam Nature Reserve; a foresty bit with hides where you can sit in and observe birds and squirrels up close! 🙂 At a steady pace with meditation and food breaks, it took me about 5 hours to walk haha but definitely worth it.”

• Assembly House – “Just outside of the city, towards Armley is this super cool music venue, with more of a house party vibe than a club. Before lockdown I went to a couple of events hosted there by Tight Lines called Chill Withers. Would definitely recommend when they do again as it begins with live music and ends with some awesome DJ sets 🙂 “

• Sheaf Street – “An awesome venue in South Leeds. Been to a couple of music events there and two of the multi-genre dance events ‘Stretchy Dance Supply’ – which is an awesome night you should check out head by Breaka, Dubrunner, Loyal Hardware and Sourpuss.”