Thinking of moving to Leeds and not sure which place to set up camp?
There’s Roundhay, with it’s park and fancy houses, if you happen to earn a six-figure income. Or Hyde Park, if you don’t mind living next door to nocturnal students from the Home Counties.
But if you’re looking for the perfect mixture of chill and vibrant, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better spot than Chapel Allerton.
Don’t believe me? The Sunday Times recently heralded CA as one the best places to live.
The guide, released in March, selected villages, towns and cities based on schools, transport, air quality and broadband speeds on top of green spaces and high streets. Judges also picked improving areas with strong, self-supporting communities.
And it turns out little old Chapel Allerton fit the criteria.
The guide said: “A well supported independent high street — with a fishmonger, bookshop, cheese shop and much more — and an inspiring and imaginative community group, CA Spaces, make this urban village our favourite corner of Leeds.”
The judges added they were, “particularly impressed with the efforts of CA Spaces — mostly run by young mums juggling work and homeschooling — to beautify the area, including street art, tree planting and creating pick-your-own veg beds and a ‘mud kitchen’ for children in a patch of neglected woodland.”
Three miles north of Leeds city centre, Chapel Allerton is an ideal place to live independently or raise a family.
That is, if you can afford it. Figures by Rightmove showed that in 2020, the average house price in Chapel Allerton was £262,839. For scale, the Leeds average is £216,392.
Why the hike? Real estate experts put it down to the demand brought on by a class reputation for community.
Chapel Allerton
Mark Whincup, Territory Operator for Leeds at Purplebricks, said: “Chapel Allerton has a long list of desirable features.
“Its bustling centre boasts several boutique bars and restaurants, it is within commuting distance of Leeds and has good transport links too.
“It is family-friendly with excellent schools and is close to great local parks.
“But I think what truly sets Chapel Allerton apart is that it has a real community feel.”
Chapel Allerton is a bit of an anomaly in that it caters to both “big” shops like Aldi and independent ones and neither turfs out the other, unlike almost every town in the UK. The residents seem to distribute their custom to both sides and stop CA from becoming a vacant passing-visit supermarket spot.
“Alongside this,” Mark added, “you’ve got great sports facilities like the Tennis and Squash Club, which sits at the back of a fantastic pub called The Mustard Pot, one of many great bars and restaurants in the area.
“If you go to the other side you have the lovely walks of Gledhow Woods and it isn’t too far to get to Roundhay Park.
Chapel Allerton is, of course, also home to the annual Leeds West Indian Carnival. The longest-running of its sort in Europe. Even longer than London’s Notting Hill Carnival. I’m serious.
The pubs and restaurants are second to none, as are the schools. These are clichés you hear about every town under the sun but with Chapel Allerton, they really are true. If you somehow find yourself getting tired of the wholesomeness and banging amenities, the city centre is only a short journey away.
It’s this novel experience that keeps attracting people from all walks of life. Once everything fully fully opens, do yourself a favour and have a gander.
News
Leeds cinemas are offering tickets to see big blockbusters for just £4 this weekend
You can watch some of the year’s biggest blockbusters for just £4 this weekend.
That’s because, to celebrate National Cinema Weekend (5-6 September), Vue has announced that it’ll be offering cut-price tickets to everything from the latest blockbusters and family favourites, to indie horrors and classic re-releases so you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy the full cinematic experience this autumn.
Some of the highlights currently showing that you’ll be able to see for just £4 include summer hits like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and Toy Story 5, as well as the recent release of Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Dog Stars, starring Jacob Elordi.
Family favourites such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, and Cars will also be screening over National Cinema Weekend.
Meanwhile, horror fans can also catch new releases Insidious: Out of the Further, and indie horror Leviticus, or see the year’s biggest horror hit, Obsession, if you haven’t already.
The best bit about the offer? It applies to every seat on every showing, all weekend long. Just pass us the popcorn now.
This means that film lovers can enjoy Vue’s biggest and comfiest seats, Ultra Lux, which are strategically positioned to give the best possible view of the big screen – with extra-wide armrests, back and leg rests that recline independently, a personal table for snacks and beverages, and a state-of-the-art wine cooler, all for just £4 each.
“We encourage everyone to make the most of the celebration and enjoy a film at Vue.”
National Cinema Weekend returns for 2026 this Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, and you can book tickets on the Vue website here.
Major DJ has set cancelled as overcrowding concerns continue at Leeds Festival
Clementine Hall
After closing for the entire second day, The Warehouse stage at Leeds Festival has once again been forced to evacuate.
One of the most anticipated dance acts of the day has been cancelled due to health and safety concerns just moments before the set.
Sheffield DJ Silva Bumpa was due to take to The Warehouse stage today at 1:30pm, but the set was cancelled due to overcrowding.
It's not the first time this has happened at Leeds Festival 2026, as yesterday Omar+'s set was cancelled due to the same issue and the stage was subsequently closed for the rest of the day.
The Warehouse stage is completely new for this year, and supposedly is designed specifically for dance music...which is quite ironic.
Announcing the news to Instagram, Silva Bumpa said: "So so sorry Leeds Fest but due to over crowding my set was cancelled last min I was just behind the stage and got told right before such a massive shame."
Prospa, another prominent DJ who's set was cancelled at Reading on Friday afternoon, spoke up on the situation: "We are disappointed in The Warehouse stage closure at Reading Festival. We were told it wasn't possible to play whilst on the way. This was due to too many people outside the stage.
"We have seen this happen before at larger festivals in the UK. It's time to double the capacity of tents or put dance music on the main stage."
It comes after another dance stage, LS23, was closed mid-set last night due to a health and safety hazard when all the lights suddenly switched off and ravers were forced to evacuate.
If yesterday is anything to go by, we wouldn't be surprised if The Warehouse was closed for the rest of the day which means anticipated sets from Rossi and Mall Grab will also be cancelled.
Josh Teal -
26th May 2021 
