The marathon is just around the corner, and we’ve got all the road closures you need to know about.
Whether you’re a participant, heading over to cheer on loved ones or wanting to stay clear of the areas, it’s good to know which areas of Leeds will be affected during the marathon.
More than 12,000 runners are set to take part in the third Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon which is being this Sunday 11 May.
Organised by the not-for-profit sporting events company Jane Tomlinson’s Run For All, the marathon will raise funds for a whole host of good causes while giving people an opportunity to celebrate the life and achievements of the late rugby league legend Rob Burrow.
Images: Run For All
Huge crowds are expected to line up along the 26.2 mile route and a wide-range of temporary road closures and traffic measures are to be put into place.
The marathon will start and end at AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium, with runners following a circular route that winds around Woodhouse Moor before heading to Adel, Lawnswood, Bramhope, Pool in Wharfedale and Otley.
The Leeds Half Marathon which is also on the same day will use much of the same route.
The marathon begin at 9am, with competitors in the half marathon setting off at 10am.
Part of St Michael’s Lane in Headingley will close to vehicles from 4am on the 11th before sections of Cardigan Road and Kirkstall Lane/North Lane follow suit at 6am.
Further closures of selected roads will kick in between 6am and 8am in other parts of Headingley and Far Headingley.
Image: Run For All
A full list of road closures on an interactive map can be found here.
People travelling to Headingley – either to take part or support the runners – are being encouraged to use park and ride services that will be operating from Elland Road and Stourton.
Shuttle buses will also be operating between the city centre and Headingley. There will be no dedicated event parking in Headingley itself.
Tristan Batley-Kyle, operations director at Run For All, said: “Here at Run For All, we’re once again honoured to be organising the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in partnership with Clarion, which not only showcases the strength and spirit of the running community but also raises crucial awareness and funds in the fight against MND.
“The addition of the MND Mile and Relay provides a fantastic opportunity for everyone to be part of such an inspirational weekend and we encourage as many as possible to come along and get involved.
“As with other events of this scale, significant road closures will be in place to ensure the safety of all involved and we’re working in partnership with Leeds City Council, emergency services and multi-agency planning groups to make sure the event is operated safely and securely.
“We would like to thank all residents in advance for their understanding and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused. Please be assured that all closures will be lifted as soon as possible.”
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London
Clementine Hall
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Clementine Hall -
9th May 2025 
