Headingley

Trendy and sophisticated, the suburb of Headingley is a popular area of Leeds and home to a mix of students, professionals and families. With a vibrant high street, varied property types and quick and easy access to the city, it ticks a lot of boxes.

Leeds Rhinos rugby league team, Leeds Caregie rugby union team and Yorkshire Country Cricket Club call the Headingley Stadium home. Beckett Park and Woodhouse Moor north and south of the area respectively are great for a stroll, as is the impressive Roundhay Park, which is a short drive east. On top of this, you are well placed for trips to the Yorkshire Dales and even the Yorkshire Moors and Peak District. If you love film, the Cottage Road Cinema is one of the oldest in the United Kingdom and has been showing films since 1912.

Brett’s fish restaurant and takeaway has been around since 1919 and is a popular place to eat in the area. Along with this, there is a great Italian called Salvo’s and Sukothai, a Thai restaurant. Elsewhere, there are a number of other international cuisines to choose from as well as numerous pubs and bars like Trio and The Box to enjoy in the evening.

Headingley has its own Arndale shopping centre which is home to a Somerfield’s, Wilkinsons, Superdrug, Greggs, KFC, post office and more. Being a cash-rich community means that it is a good place for retailers and around the area there are a number of national chains and boutiques as well as banks.

Within a mile there are 10 primary schools above the national average score and between Headingley and Leeds there are a number of options for secondary education. The city college is less than two miles away for further education while there is a campus for Leeds Beckett University in the suburb.

The A660 Otley Road that runs through Headingley means that the city centre is easily accessible on foot, in a bus or in the car. This also offers access to the M62, M6 and M1 so its simple to travel out of the city. There is a train station that takes you straight to Leeds or York and Leeds Bradford International Airport is just 20 minutes away.

There is reference to ‘Hedingeleia’ in the Domesday Book in 1086 but findings in Beckett Park date settlements to late Roman times. For many centuries it was an agricultural area, and at the turn of the 19th century there was a population of just 300. It wasn’t until the growth of Leeds in the industrial revolution that Headingley became a popular suburb and the modern era has seen numerous developments as it continues to grow.

J. R. R. Tolkien lived in Headingley when he worked at the university.