Jobs in Leeds | Pictures of Leeds

With almost three-quarters of a million people living in the Metropolitan District, Leeds is the UK 's third largest city. As cosmopolitan as it is diverse and multicultural – home to more than 75 different nationalities – Leeds ranks highly in terms of satisfaction ratings. Indeed, more than 9 in 10 people living and working in Leeds state that the city provides a ‘great quality of life', and 94 per cent say they are proud of their city.

Getting around Leeds
With over 110,000 people travelling to work in Leeds from the surrounding city region every day, you might expect that traffic congestion can be a problem during the morning rush-hour. And you would be right. Aside from the traffic, car parking is not the most plentiful and the chances of finding a quiet street to leave your call all day without being detected by a friendly traffic warden, are remote. Thankfully, a number of Park & Ride schemes operate on the city limits and Leeds is well-served by a good public transport network.

Frequent bus services - operated primarily by Arriva and First Group - run throughout Leeds . Leeds City Bus Station is situated near Kirkgate Market, in the heart of the city centre. And the National Express coach terminal (for long distance travel) is adjacent to the bus station.

Leeds has one train station at its centre and is the busiest train station outside central London . Indeed, over 900 trains and 90,000 passengers pass throughout the station every day, 15,000 during the morning peak alone. The Station is located by City Square in the heart of the city centre of Leeds with links to all 14 suburban stations within the Leeds district, operated by Metro.

Eating, drinking and shopping in Leeds
Oft described as the 'Knightsbridge of the North' with designer stores, independent boutiques, high street favourites and market bargains all within easy walking distance, Leeds is a compulsive indulgence for compulsive shopaholics. From the elegant domed structure of the hip Corn Exchange to the exquisite Victoria Quarter – with Harvey Nichols as its designer coup - and the endless mountain of goodies within Kirkgate Market (the largest of its kind in the north of England), the city centre caters for every taste and budget.

By night, Leeds really comes alive with its wide array of restaurants, bars, clubs and other entertainment. As a former industrial northern town, Leeds' architectural landscape is littered with former warehouses and mills that have been converted into modern restaurants and brasseries, particularly around the appropriately named Brewery Wharf – or ‘Left Bank' as Leeds would like it to be known. And when these close for the evening, you can move on to one of the city's reputed DJ bars or clubs such as Creation or The Warehouse.

Elsewhere, Briggate and North Street provide a more Bohemian feel to contrast with the usual weekend crowd. Whereas the area in and around Call Lane is home to a well-established gay nightlife scene.

There is a broad range of cultural attractions, including the impressive Thackray Museum , Royal Armouries, City Art Gallery and the rustic Yorkshire Sculpture Park . But if you prefer to take a back-seat and be entertained Leeds has a renowned theatre (Yorkshire Playhouse) and opera and ballet scene with an international reputation – Opera North and the Northern Ballet.

But for something a little more lively and colourful, Roundhay Park and Harewood House regularly host both large scale music events and popular classical concerts, whilst the Carling Festival (August) and the West Indian Carnival (August) – second only to Notting Hill in terms of size – liven-up the summer.

Leeds also has a rich sporting heritage. Despite competing in the Champions League and challenging for the Premiership a few years ago, Leeds United FC's misfortunes have seen the city's leading football team drop out of the country's top tier to the Coca-Cola League One. However, Yorkshire County Cricket and Leeds Rhino's rugby league team have a happier time of it and are both based in the Headingly area of the city.

Aside from the main stadia in the city, Leeds has a vast choice of health and fitness clubs, sporting centres for football, rugby, cricket and hockey, the Aquatic Centre and Yeadon Tarn sailing centre.

Main residential areas
Leeds City Centre and Woodhouse are the most popular locations for many young professionals and students in their twenties and early thirties – the majority living in small flats, which are a mix of purpose built or conversions.

The iconic Bridgewater Place development was recently completed and now raises 32 storeys above the city. It will soon be joined by the 54 and 32-storey towers of Lumière, set to be the tallest residential development in Western Europe . And the West End is a vast mixed use development area overlooking Leeds ' waterfront containing residential, retail/leisure and office space.

One Saint Peters Square (Quarry Hill) is a striking new apartment development in the heart of the Arts quarter. It enjoys a prominent location to the immediate east of the city core with westerly views across the city's skyline from many apartments.

Elsewhere, Gipton, Gledhow, Harehills, Oakwood, and Roundhay are established suburbs, housing larger professional families with homes being typically semi-detached and family incomes are high.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Leeds.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Leeds below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Leeds or find out more information on the local area.