With over 1,000 shops in the city centre, Leeds is one of the UK’s top shopping destinations. 

 

Leeds has 2.26 million square feet of retail space within five miles of shopping streets, including five indoor shopping centres, one of the country’s largest pedestrian shopping areas and a number of speciality shopping attractions such as the Corn Exchange and the Victoria Quarter. 

 

Described in the Lonely Planet guide to Britain as the ‘Knightsbridge of the North’, Leeds is one of the largest retail centres in the country. Recent investment and expansion has seen significant growth in this sector. Around 9,500 people are employed in retail in the city centre and another 7,700 in bars, restaurants and hotels.

 

Recent investment and expansion has seen significant growth in this sector.  Around 9,500 people are employed in retail in the city centre and another 7,000 in restaurants and hotels.

 

In the last decade over £300 million has been invested in major retail and leisure developments in the city centre, further enhancing its excellent shopping and leisure facilities.

 

This includes The Light, a £100 million retail and leisure development on the Headrow, together with major store expansions by Marks and Spencer, HMV, Debenhams and House of Fraser and the renovation of the famous Leeds Market Hall building.

 

Major retail development projects worth over £1.5 billion are in progress or proposed in Leeds.

 

The £650 million Trinity Leeds will see the redevelopment of over 1 million sq ft of prime retail in the city centre, opening in 2010.

 

The £800 million Eastgate Quarters, anchored by a 260,000 sq ft John Lewis store and a 196,500 sq ft Marks & Spencer, will create an additional 1.25 million sq ft of prime retail space, scheduled for completion in 2012.

 

Leeds is currently the UK’s fifth largest shopping location in terms of retail floorspace. Leeds is the regional shopping centre for Yorkshire and the Humber with an estimated 1.9 million people living within 30 minutes drive and a total shopping catchment population of nearly 3.2
million people.

 

Harvey Nichols chose Leeds as the location for its first store outside London.

 

Leeds has one of the driest summer climates among major British cities, which is one of the key factors behind the success of its shopping, pavement cafes and outdoor events programme.

 

Kirkgate Market, a Grade I listed building dating from 1875, is the largest covered market in England.

 

The White Rose Centre is one of the largest out-of-town shopping centres in the region and has a footfall of 11 million shoppers per year.

 

Park Lane College is a Centre of Vocational Excellence for retail.  The college delivers a range of retail-related programmes and has retail training centres in Leeds city centre and the White Rose Centre. 

 

Leeds Shopping Week is an annual celebration of the city’s diverse high street and independent retail offer with special events, fashion shows and lots of retail therapy.