Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire. In the 19th Century it was renowned for the production and trade of wool; however its manufacturing roots have since been replaced with a central role in the industries of finance, higher education, retail and others. Leeds is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with lots to offer its residents. It attracts plenty of tourists, with over 1 million people annually thought to stay within the city. Leeds has a strong economy and a thriving job market making it an ideal place to work.
Leeds has a categorically low unemployment rate and has a wide variety of job opportunities in many industries. Leeds itself is known as one of the largest centres for business, financial and legal services in the UK, outside of the capital. Because of its incredible success within the financial industries amongst other things, Leeds is regarded by many as one of the fastest growing cities within the UK. Industries emerging in Leeds such as retail, call centres and media have all added to the growth of Leeds’ economy since the 1990’s and have led to an increase in job opportunities in these sectors within Leeds.
Leeds shares excellent transport links with the rest of the UK through trains and the airport: Leeds Bradford International airport. This is an up and coming airport with plans to expand in its future. The main methods of travel within the city are via bus or Metrotrain which run through many areas of Leeds. There are also two universities within the city of Leeds- the University of Leeds and the Leeds Metropolitan University. The universities attract thousands of students each year and are highly regarded for their student experience.
Leeds has a diverse nightlife with plenty of pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants to suit clientele of all ages. Leeds is also home to one of the UK’s biggest music festivals, Leeds Festival, which takes place every summer over the bank holiday weekend in August. Over 70,000 people descend on Leeds each year to watch a diverse range of music acts of worldwide fame.
Leeds has an extensive shopping district with many retail outlets ranging from large departments stores to small individual boutiques. There are two new shopping developments underway in Leeds, the first being the current construction of the Trinity Quarter, which is expected to be open for business in 2010.
The second retail based development in Leeds is the ongoing project to build a vast retail development in the Eastgate quarter of Leeds. This has been estimated to be open by 2012. The project for the new shopping development in Leeds is vast and extensive with much money going into the development. It will have 20 floors, with John Lewis and Marks and Spencer’s making up its two anchor department stores. The expansion of the retail industry within Leeds over the next few years will no doubt have a major impact on jobs in Leeds, making it a great place to find work within the retail sector. For more information about all aspects of Leeds, visit the Leeds Council Website.