A single stroll around Leeds and you can understand why it consistently makes lists of Best Cities to Live in.
Both culturally rich and economically vibrant, the Athens of the North doesn’t exactly need to be told what distincts it from others in terms of appeal, but why not do it anyway? Just in case you were in doubt about the place in which you grew up or are considering a big move to…
WE INVENTED CLUEDO
Well, Murder as it was originally known. Creator Anthony E. Pratt may have grown up in Birmingham, but in 1944 he took the idea for his board game to Waddington’s Games in Leeds. They loved it and five years* later, the rest was history.
*World War II delayed the release date.
HIPPOS ONCE ROAMED THE STREETS
This is mad, isn’t it? Hippos? Down Briggate? Apparently so, yeah.
In 1984, during the construction of the Armley Gyratory, the bones of an ancient hippo dating back 130,000 years were found. It remains one of the city’s greatest discoveries. You can see the thing for yourself at Leeds City Museum.
Leeds
WE ONCE HAD A TRAMLINE
Anyone who lives in Leeds has probably complained about the public transport at some point. Maybe that’s all you do. Calls for a tram system have been gaining popularity over the last decade and rightfully so.
It might anger you to know one has already been and gone. Been there, done that, got the highly-efficient tram across the city.
The transit system opened in October 1891 and used single-decker horse drawn trams until the introduction of steam and electric ones at the turn of the century. It sadly closed in 1959.
WE MADE THE FIRST EVER FILMS
It’s all Hollywood these days. Hollywood this, Hollywood that. But the motion picture has humble origins in, you guessed it, Leeds.
Now it wasn’t the invention of a Loiner, but French artist Louis Le Prince filmed the very first films in Leeds, where he’d lived since 1866. The Roundhay Garden Scene at Oakwood Grange and the Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge (two classics you have to see before you die) were both shot in 1888 and paved the way for every movie since.
WE HAVE THE LONGEST RUNNING WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL IN EUROPE
The Notting Hill Carnival gang love to rub their big street party in the rest of are faces but the reality is, their beloved festival is a paltry imitation of a greater and older northern festival. Shock!
The Leeds West Indian Carnival has been going longer than any other in Europe, actually. Every August bank holiday weekend, Chapeltown puts on the best Caribbean-influenced parade the world has ever seen. And they’ve been doing so since 1967.
If you haven’t been, you’re really missing out.
Trinity Leeds
WE MADE FIZZY DRINKS
Leeds lad Joseph Priestley is one of the most improtant scientists of the 18th century. Why? He was credited with the discovery of oxygen.
His greatest achievement however, came with the invention of carbonated water. His method of infusing water with carbon dioxide gas was eventually nabbed by J.J. Schweppe in the late 18th century to start his world-famous drinks company.
WE HAVE THE LAST GAS-LIT CINEMA IN THE UK
The Hyde Park Picture House has long been a refuge of students and cinema buffs alike. It opened just before the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and continues to draw newcomers in 2021.
If you’re wanting to watch a film, new or old, you could pick worse places than this novelty getaway.
WE STARTED M&S
Alright, you probably knew this one. You should do anyway.
Michael Marks opened up a penny bazaar in Leeds’ Kirkgate Market back in 1884. A decade later, he teamed up with Tom Spencer to expand the business, moving to Boar Lane and then Briggate, where the store remains today.
WE GAVE THE INTERNET TO THE COUNTRY
Leeds? The world wide web? T’internet? Before anyone else? Yep.
In 1998, Leeds produced the UK’s first internet provider, Freeserve. It was later sold to a French company called Wannadoo in 2000 for a WHOPPING £1.65 billion. At the time, Freeserve had accumulated almost 2 million active customers.
So there you have it. Any more we should be aware of? Let us know.
News
Bradford man, 20, jailed after admitting to 36 child sex offences
A 20-year-old man from Bradford has been sentenced to time in prison this week after admitting to numerous child sex offences.
Following an investigation initially by West Mercia and Lancashire Police, Kasey Fitton, aged 20 of Amundsen Avenue in Bradford, was arrested in February 2025 on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with four children residing outside of West Yorkshire Police force area.
An investigation was then launched by Bradford Safeguarding Unit, who went on to uncover large-scale sexual offending against children.
In February 2026, Fitton was charged with 16 counts of sexual communication with a child and 20 counts of making/possession of indecent images of children - with police confirming that five child victims have been identified.
At Bradford Crown Court, Fitton admitted to all 36 counts, and then earlier this week (7 September), he was jailed for seven and a half years, plus a five year extension on licence. He will also be required to sign the sex offenders register for life, and he has been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.
Speaking following the sentencing this week, Detective Superintendent Alan Weekes of Bradford District Police, described Fitton as a 'very dangerous individual to children'.
"There are further investigations ongoing and we would appeal to anyone who may have been a victim to come forward to us," DSI Weekes said.
"We are keen to speak to anyone who interacted with the Snapchat accounts Kaseyfitton23, Kaseyfitton24 and MyCroft110.
"We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously and they are treated with sensitivity. We have specially trained officers who will guide you through the process and do everything we can to get justice."
Featured Image - West Yorkshire Police
News
History has never been this fun – Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House | Review
Declan Kelly
Don’t judge a book by its cover... or in this case, a musical by its posters.
Going in completely blind, I really didn’t know what to expect from Operation Mincemeat. In fact, after the first number, I found myself thinking, I’m not sure this is quite my cup of tea.
How wrong I was.
Watching Tuesday night’s performance at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, I was quickly proven wrong about what I thought a musical needed to be. There are no huge sets, endless costume changes, or hundreds of performers filling the stage. Instead, Operation Mincemeat delivers a genuinely funny, surprisingly heart-warming story with just five performers, while somehow teaching you a bit of history along the way.
If I had to sum this show up in two words? Belly laughter.
Based on the real-life British intelligence operation during the Second World War, the musical follows the unlikely group tasked with convincing Hitler that the Allies were planning to invade Greece rather than Sicily.
And honestly, if you didn’t already know it actually happened, you’d probably think someone had made it up. That ridiculousness is exactly what makes the show work. The comedy comes thick and fast, with characters, accents, and personalities constantly changing as the five-strong cast jump between roles.
And this is where the production really impressed me.The multi-roling is incredibly slick. A pair of glasses, a change in voice or a small shift in posture can completely transform a character, and somehow it never feels like a gimmick. Instead, it becomes part of the magic of the production. It’s a brilliant example of how much can be achieved on stage without throwing money at elaborate sets or costumes.
Credit: Matt CrockettCredit: Matt Crockett
But underneath all the comedy is where Operation Mincemeat really surprised me.
One of the standout performances for me came from Christian Andrews as Hester Leggatt. During ‘Roses’, Andrews completely captivates the audience while portraying an older woman writing about the experience of wives waiting for their loved ones away at war.
What makes the moment so effective is its simplicity. With little more than a pair of glasses, Andrews transforms into Hester, but there is never any sense that the character is being played for laughs. Instead, there is real care and respect in the performance.
Andrews captures the loneliness, vulnerability, and uncertainty of a woman whose life has been put on hold while her partner is away fighting. After so much laughter, the sudden change in tone really lands. For me, it was one of the clearest examples of the craftsmanship behind the show. Both the writing and performance manage to find genuine emotion without losing the production’s personality.
The music follows the same balance, moving between big, energetic numbers and quieter moments that give the characters room to breathe. It never feels like songs have been added simply because this happens to be a musical; they actually help tell the story.
And despite being based on a historical event, it never feels like a history lesson.
Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House / Credit: Matt Crockett
In fact, I left the theatre wanting to find out more about the real Operation Mincemeat, which is probably the biggest compliment I can give it and definitely will be watching the film very soon.
If you’re heading to the theatre expecting huge dance numbers, powerhouse ballads and elaborate sets, then this might not be the show for you. But if you want something different, something that will have you laughing at one of the strangest stories in British history while leaving you amazed at just how slick a production can be with only five cast members, then this is absolutely worth seeing.
What I initially thought wasn’t my cup of tea ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the evening.
Funny, clever, completely bonkers at times and unexpectedly moving, Operation Mincemeat proves you don’t need a massive production to make a big impression. I have seen a lot of theatre productions in my life, but I have never seen anything as slick as this production, and that is pure talent at its finest.
Sometimes, all you need is a ridiculous true story, five brilliant performers and a whole lot of belly laughs.
Josh Teal -
24th May 2021 
