The Junction Leeds has quickly become a talking point for locals looking for a new place to call home in 2024- and it is easy to see why.
The brand new green neighbourhood boasts a whopping 665 apartments spread over five spacious blocks just moments away from the city centre.
Complete with second-to-none amenities, including a dedicated co-working space; residents lounge; private dining room; multi-sports pitch; onsite car hire; 24/7 concierge and so much more.
But it's the sense of community and culture that sets The Junction apart from the rest.
It can be daunting moving to a new city, or even moving to a new apartment block, but The Junction make it easy with their plethora of events available for residents to get involved in.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Living at The Junction is more than just nestling down in front of the TV at 7pm and getting an early night, it's about interacting with likeminded people and enjoying the multitude of experiences that the neighbourhood has to offer.
With a curated events calendar catering to all hobbies, likes and interests - it's a doddle to make friends and be a part of the incredible community at The Junction.
And it's not just every now and then where you can pencil in an event in your calendar, every single day a different event is hosted so you can keep a jam-packed schedule if you fancy.
For those looking to stay active, there's exercises classes led by expert instructors to get you moving in the purpose-built facilities in the neighbourhood.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From Legs, Tums & Bums and Boxercise to Football Fridays and Circuit Training - there's a different activity every day to help you stay active throughout the week.
And the best part is, it's all on your doorstep.
The team at The Junction are always introducing unique and exciting activities for you to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new.
Try your hand at Tai Chi, dabble in Salsa dancing or have a go at Bingo - who knows, you may find a new hobby and meet a few new mates whilst you're at it.
The Junction also hosts regular events like ‘End of the Month Club’ where residents can enjoy a drink together with the team and learn more about their new neighbourhood, and a quiz night where residents can grab their teammates for an evening of general knowledge trivia, and win some stellar prizes in the process.
Looking to wind down after a busy day? The Junction have got you covered with frequent Yoga & Meditation classes, movie afternoons for you to kick your feet up and board game evenings for you to blow off some steam whilst unleashing your competitive side.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Soon, neighbours in the hallway will become friends as you quickly become a member of the valued community.
And if scheduled events aren't your thing then no bother, as there’s also a communal kitchen space, outdoor open spaces and a state of the art Co-Working Space for you to interact with others and come and go as you please.
The Junction truly is bringing a new neighbourhood to Leeds, and it’s fair to say there’s plenty of amenities to fill your working days, evenings with friends (old and new) and still give you plenty to do throughout the weekend without even leaving the site.
Best of all, those looking for a new home can move in straight away. Apartment prices start from £1195 and are available fully-furnished or unfurnished.
One of Leeds’ most iconic buildings is set to be brought back to life.
Plans for a brand-new padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse on Wellington Road have been approved by Leeds City Council’s West Plans Panel.
Consent has been granted for Ollo Padel to transform the Grade II* listed Roundhouse into a state-of-the-art sport, fitness, food, drink and community venue subject to conditions and completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Built in 1847 for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company, The Roundhouse was once home to the steam locomotives that powered industrial Victorian Leeds. In recent years, the building has stood largely unused.
Image: Supplied
The approved plans will restore and protect the landmark building and give the site a new, long-term future as one of the city’s most distinctive leisure destinations.
The three-acre site, located on the edge of Leeds city centre, will include nine outdoor doubles padel courts under a 10-metre canopy, plus a dedicated indoor coaching court within The Roundhouse itself.
At the heart of the site will be the Ollo Clubhouse; built around an all-day kitchen and bar, it will combine a comfortable lounge and co-working space, meeting rooms and live sport and events spaces.
The kitchen and bar will be run in partnership with Southbank Provisions, the independent Leeds hospitality team behind Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Galleria whilst the gym will be operated by fitness and performance specialists Northbound, who will bring strength and conditioning practice, Hyrox training and pilates classes to The Roundhouse.
Image: Supplied
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the venue aiming to open in early 2027.
Luke Gidney, Founder & CEO Ollo Padel: "This is a huge day for Leeds, for The Roundhouse and for Ollo. The Roundhouse has been part of the city’s story for nearly 180 years. It’s an incredible building but it needs people, energy and purpose again. Our plan is to bring it back to life as a place where people can play, eat, work, meet friends and feel part of something.
"Padel is growing so quickly because it’s fun, social and easy to pick up. But for us, this is about more than just the courts. We want Ollo to become a proper community destination for Leeds, somewhere welcoming, joyful and full of life.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Leeds City Council’s planning team, our case officer, the wider council team and everyone who has supported the project to this point. This has been a complex project but the sport and engagement throughout has been brilliant. Now the real work starts and we cannot wait to open the doors for you.”
New study crowns Leeds as one of the friendliest cities in the UK
Clementine Hall
New research has revealed a global ranking of cities with the best customer service, with Leeds taking one of the top spots.
If you've been wondering which cities across the world are the friendliest of them all, then look no further because MoneySuperMarket have done the work for us in a new study.
In a world where social media culture plays a huge part in people's lives, online customer reviews are pretty important to local businesses.
To uncover the global locations that are home to the best customer service, the businesses insurance experts analysed over 100,000 reviews of leisure and hospitality businesses in 107 cities worldwide.
They looked at the language in the reviews to see how often friendly workers and staff were mentioned, building a global ranking of the cities where customer service truly stands out.
Out of a whopping 107, Leeds came in at a very respectable number 12. Now we think that's pretty good going.
Outside of the UK, Hanoi, Paris, Montreal and Abu Dhabi were highlighted for their friendly customer service whilst Edinburgh tops the global ranking, with Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol also making the world’s top 10.
The top 10 cities in the UK with the best customer service are as follows:
Edinburgh
Liverpool
Birmingham
Bristol
Belfast
Leeds
Glasgow
Cardiff
Manchester
London
Alicia Hempsted spoke on the study: “As businesses grow and engage with more customers, it’s important to make sure they’re protected. Public liability insurance is an important safeguard for those working with the public, helping to cover costs if something goes wrong, while also showing customers that their experience is taken seriously - from the moment they walk through the door to long after they’ve left.”
Clementine Hall -
17th April 2024 
