Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( &   0113/204-8888; www.harveynichols.com), and Louis Vuitton ( &   0113/386-
3120; www.louisvuitton.com), plus high-street stalwarts such as Zara and Topshop.
Fanning out from the top end of Briggate are the famous Victorian glass-roofed
arcades, housing some of the city's most exclusive and quirky stores. For a full-on
bohemian experience, head to Exchange Quarter with its cobbled streets lined with
independent boutiques, trendy cafes, and piercing parlors. The Kirkgate end of Call
Lane, a center for stylish nightlife, is fertile ground for vintage and alternative
clothes. And on Vicar Lane, don't miss Kirkgate Market (www.leedsmarket.com), a
vast traditional market held outdoors and within an imposing Edwardian building
with ornamental dragons. Held daily except Sunday, it includes secondhand clothing
on Mondays and a fleamarket on Thursdays. It's on this spot that Michael Marks
opened his “penny bazaar” that eventually became the mighty Marks & Spencer
empire.
In and around Bradford, look out for mill shops selling clothes made from mohair,
pure wool, and other local textiles, furniture, and crafts. At Batley southeast of Brad-
ford, Redbrick Mills houses the sole northern outpost of Heal's ( &   01924/464918;
www.heals.co.uk), selling furniture and homewares by Philippe Starck, Tom Dixon,
and other design luminaries.
Offbeat Hebden Bridge is the place for arts-and-crafts galleries, secondhand book-
stores, organic fair-trade delis, and the like. The Innovation Shop and Café Bar
( &   01422/844160 ) offers interesting crafts and decorative items in a 17th-century
mill, and the town's farmers' market, Lees Yard ( &   01422/359034 ), on the first
and third Sunday of the month, is great for local food and crafts.
Entertainment & Nightlife
Leeds is well known for its music and clubbing scene, whether you like rock, pop,
dance, classical, opera, or jazz. The Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House, New
Briggate ( &   0844/848-2706; www.leedsgrandtheatre.com), is an atmospheric
venue with an 1878 Victorian facade; it hosts musicals and other shows in addition
to performances by the highly regarded Opera North. At the other end of the spec-
trum, The Cockpit (www.thecockpit.co.uk) is an Indie institution with one of the
best sweaty, alternative rock nights in the U.K. but also mixes up Metal, Punk, Emo,
Pop, and Beats.
There's also a vast and endlessly evolving choice of bars and pubs all over the city,
from high-concept to bohemian and more traditional, many of them tucked away in
old railway arches. Call Lane in the Exchange Quarter is a good place to dip your toe
in the water. Gay nightlife finds its focus at Lower Briggate.
Dance, theatre, and film lovers are also well catered for in Leeds. The West York-
shire Playhouse, Quarry Hill ( &   0113/213-7800; www.wyp.org.uk), dubbed “the
national theatre of the north,” has a wide repertoire, from Shakespeare to comedy and
family shows. For up-to-date nightlife and cultural event listings in Leeds, see the
fortnightly Leeds Guide (£1.50; www.leedsguide.co.uk).
Where to Stay
Leeds's Malmaison (p. 667; &  0113/398-1000; www.malmaison.com) occupies an
old tram and bus depot on Sovereign Quay, with doubles for £109-£159. For the
Fleece Inn in Haworth (£65-£85 double), see p. 638.
42 The Calls On a cobbled canalside street in the heart of Leeds, this is
the very essence of a great city-break hotel, with superb staff who greet guests with a
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