Located within the prime pedestrianised area of Leeds City Centre is The Queens Arcade, a boutique unique shopping centre with tons of history.
We've all had a mooch through the Queens Arcade when shopping in Leeds City Centre. It's a beautiful arcade full of some of the best independents that the city has to offer.
But the Queens Arcade isn't just your average shopping centre, it also has an incredible history dating back to the 1800s.
The arcade first opened it's doors in 1888 and it was only the second arcade to have ever been built in Leeds.
It was named in honour of Queen Victoria to celebrate her Golden Jubilee and took the place of an old yard with just a hardware shop, cobblers, tobacconist, shopkeeper and the Rose and Crown pub.
The building features Grade II listed Victorian architecture that can still be seen today, you simply have to look up to admire it's beautiful glass roof and ornate original remaining features.
Over the years countless stores have opened their doors in the Queens Arcade, some large chains like Boots, and other small independents looking to open to customers on the ground floor and live above their shop on the second floor.
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Now you can find a range of fantastic independents inside the arcade, including tattooists, barbers, jewellers and boutiques. If you fancy a bite to eat, Olive and Rye is an acclaimed brunch spot which constantly has a queue out the door and it is easy to see why.
There's never been a better time to support your local independents, so when you're next out and about in Leeds, take a peep into The Queen's Arcade and marvel in it's beauty.
To view a full list of it's occupants, take a look at their website.
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month
Clementine Hall
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.