If you're looking to buy a house this year - this might be some welcoming news.
The Co-operative Bank has revealed the most affordable places to buy a house in the UK and three major Yorkshire cities have made it to the top six.
Both Sheffield and Leeds have average house prices lower than the national average (which is now £264,400 as of December 2023, according to Zoopla), and were thought to be the fifth and sixth best cities for first time buyers.
To find out the best cities for first time buyers, The Co-operative Bank made a list of the 30 most populated cities in the UK. Each city was then scored and ranked according to a range of metrics, including:
Average house price
Average conveyancing costs
Average surveying costs
Average stamp duty costs
Crime safety index score
Traffic index score
Life satisfaction score
This found that both Sheffield and Leeds had a similar crime safety index score of around 43, placing them between Plymouth and Stoke-on-Trent, but when it came to traffic, Leeds was 32 points higher than its South Yorkshire comparison.
House prices differ slightly: £222,570 is the average in Sheffield and £246,026 in Leeds, and both placed a life satisfaction score of 7.3-7.5/10.
Leeds is ranked the sixth best city. / Images: Unsplash
Sheffield is ranked the fifth top place for first time buyers.
London is unsurprisingly the most expensive city for first time buyers in the UK, with the total average spend adding up to a huge £547,560. Bristol is the second-most expensive city (£353,033), followed by Edinburgh (£346,293), Reading (£332,283) and Southend-on-Sea (£327,729).
At the other end of the scale, another Yorkshire city can be found when solely comparing house prices. Kingston upon Hull was found to be the second-most affordable spot, offering a total cost of £140,814 around £5,000 less than, Blackpool with a total average price of £135,995 (including additional costs like conveyancing).
30 years on from the film that changed everything, and following its successful world premiere run in London’s West End, Trainspotting The Musical is heading out on a major UK tour later this year, and will be taking to one of Leeds' most iconic stages this winter.
Written by Irvine Welsh – as adapted from his best-selling debut novel – and directed and developed by Caroline Jay Ranger, Trainspotting The Musical has been described by critics as ‘radical, invigorating and life-affirming’ since its premiere.
It’s said to be an unforgettable production that’ll have even the most sceptical audiences leave on a ‘consciousness-altering high.’
In 1996, the breakthrough British film of the same name was released and became the biggest grossing UK film of the year, winning a slew of awards in the process – including a BAFTA for Best Screenplay, and even being ranked tenth in the BFI’s top 100 greatest British films of the 20th century.
Now, three decades later, the industrial drug crazed working-class heroes of British youth culture are back… but this time, live on stage.
“I believe the musical has a bigger, loudly beating human heart than either the book or the film,” creator Irvine Welsh commented as the UK tour was announced this week.
“People need to think about the world we’re living in, and we offer that inspection, but they also need to sing their hearts out and laugh their heads off. It’s what being human is all about. We’ve put together an incredible Scottish cast and I can’t wait to see them bring the musical to life.”
Trainspotting The Musical will taking to the stage at the Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 7 until Saturday 12 December 2026.
Leeds speakeasy crowned one of the best cocktail bars in the world by industry experts
Clementine Hall
The beloved Domino Club is receiving its flowers, and rightly so.
Rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most respected accolade of excellence, The Pinnacle Guide is a worldwide ranking of the best bars across the globe.
Based on a thorough self-application process, rigorous assessment modules, followed by a series of spot check interviews and anonymous in-bar reviews, it's no easy feat to get a spot on this list.
Which is why it makes The Domino Club's achievement all that more impressive.
Known amongst locals and visitors alike as basically one of the coolest bars in town, the hidden speakeasy invites you through a barbershop in the Grand Arcade where downstairs you'll find a dimly lit jazz and cocktail bar oozing sex appeal.
Not only are the cocktails exceptional, but their live music listings is something to behold playing everything from jazz and funk to cabaret and disco every Wednesday - Sunday.
Announcing the news to Instagram, The Domino said: "Listed by The Pinnacle Guide. The Domino Club has been recognised on the global list of the world’s best bars.
"What began as a hidden basement bar in Leeds, built around live music, cocktails and atmosphere, is now being recognised alongside some of the finest bars in the world.
"A huge thank you to our team, musicians, suppliers and every single guest who has supported us over the years. This means a lot. Leeds belongs on the world cocktail map."
We absolutely could not agree more and if you haven't ventured behind the barbershop and discovered the magical Domino Club, then we very much recommend you do.
Sophie Smith -
27th February 2024 
