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This Leeds hamlet has been voted one of the top villages in the UK
The Sunday Times said Thorner "has it all", noting the hamlet's visiting fish-and-chip van, friendly pub and Post Box deli's charming Secret Garden café
A hamlet just outside of Leeds has been voted one of the top villages in the UK in a new list released by The Sunday Times.
The paper's list, titled "The 50 best villages in the UK", collates some of the most popular villages across the country and features a total of seven different locations in Yorkshire.
Put together in no particular order, each village has been included as a cut above the rest for "having it all" - which the paper defines as the following: attractive houses, good connections, a decent school and friendly neighbours who come together at the pub, shop and village hall.
The Post Box Deli's Secret Garden Cafe in Thorner gets an honorary mention / Image: The Post Box Deli
A selection of brunch dishes at The Post Box, including Blue Bird Bakery Yorkshire sourdough topped with peanut butter and banana / Image: The Post Box Deli
The village representing Leeds is rural hamlet Thorner, which is located between Seacroft and Wetherby. Sitting to the north-east of the city.
Boasting archaeological evidence of Bronze Age and Anglo-Saxon settlements, Thorner's historical significance was just one of the things that made the gorgeous country hamlet stand out.
"Happily you can’t hear the traffic, or smell it — the aromas are all woodsmoke in winter, freshly mown grass in summer and sheep all year round," they write romantically.
Thorner's main street features an idyllic row of stone cotages / Image: Betty Longbottom via Geograph
"St Peter’s Church looms over the wide main street, once used for markets and now home to a GP and a useful set of amenities."
Describing the little village as "properly old-fashioned," they continued to say it "may look rural, but it’s so close to Leeds you can almost touch the ring road, before going on to name a number of charming little independent businesses in Thorner.
St Peter's Church in Thorner / Image: Wikipedia
These include the Fox, a friendly local pub with a Monday night quiz; the Post Box deli with its tea rooms and Secret Garden café; Indian restaurant Maisha Spice; and a visiting fish-and-chip van.
Further features that made Thorner stand out, according to The Times, were its cricket and tennis clubs which "keep sporty types occupied" and the village's "thoughtful" ThornerCares mutual aid support group, which was set up to help people affected by Covid.
At 8.5 miles away from Leeds city centre, the nearest station is Leeds Cross Gates (4.5 miles from the village) and the average house price is £414,493.
Silver's Bakehouse is finally here, and it's just as fabulous as we'd hoped.
Just when you thought Leeds’ favourite sandwich spot couldn't get any better, they go and open a bakery.
Silver's Bakehouse has opened its beautiful pastel green doors today over in Farsley to queues of excited fans eager to get their first taste.
So, what's on offer at Silver's Bakehouse?
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Well, as masterminds of the almighty sandwich you'll be happy to know you can still get one here. However, their iconic sub sarnies have had an Italian makeover and are now served in fresh, springy sourdough which is baked onsite.
Elsewhere on the menu you'll find brown butter buttermilk brownies (try saying that three times), a range of delicious cookies, sausage rolls, soft amaretti biscuits and Dark Arts tiramisu.
There's also a fab selection of Italian drinks on offer in a swanky new fridge, as well as a coffee menu so you can pick a brew to go hand in hand with your chosen baked good.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The interior is just as gorgeous, complete with yellow walls, red tiles and a mirror hanging above the baker's table so you can really see all the magic happen.
And trust us, it is magic.
There's a couple of benches outside so you can plonk yourself in the sunshine to enjoy your sarnie, which is what we'll be doing in this glorious bank holiday sunshine.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You can really tell this is a proper labour of love, and Chris and the team have done a cracking job of keeping that Silver's spirit in there.
Go and say hello to congratulate them on this fabulous new opening, it's a great addition to Farsley and the Leeds foodie scene.
The Script announce HUGE arena gig in Leeds this year
Thomas Melia
Boyband and radio hitmakers The Script are coming to Leeds and are playing out alongside an equally big support act.
'For the First Time' in almost a year, The Script are playing a run of live shows across the UK including Leeds' First Direct Arena.
This Irish-based band have soundtracked generations with their hits spanning two decades including 'Hall of Fame', 'Breakeven', 'Superheroes' and more.
Consisting of lead vocalist Danny O'Donoghue with Benjamin Seargent on bass, guitarist Ben Weaver and drummer Adam Marcello, their music fuses pop and rock.
The Script has released three albums that have topped both UK and Ireland charts as well as four Top 10 singles and they're hoping to reign supreme on the charts once more with upcoming LP The User's Guide to Being Human.
Although the full album doesn't drop until August, Danny and the rest of the lads have dropped a single titled 'Man In The Arena'.
There's even a nod to the Northern music scene on the tracklist as one of the upcoming releases is labelled 'The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall'.
Other tracks on this LP include 'Living Our Life Without Me', 'I'm 100 Different People' and a song that's sure to get a few tears out of all of us - 'Grow Old with Grace'.
As well as announcing this new run of shows set for Winter 2026, The Script are joining Take That on a stadium tour titled The Circus Live across June and July.
Joining The Script on their latest UK tour this Winter is James Morrison known for similar ballad-like hits including 'Broken Strings' and 'Wonderful World'.
The Script UK tour dates
Mon 2 November - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
Thu 5 November - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
Fri 6 November - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
Sat 7 November - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Mon 9 November - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Tue 10 November - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
Thu 12 November - Aberdeen, UK - P&J Live
Fri 13 November - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sat 14 November - Sheffield, UK - Utilita Arena
Mon 16 November - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
Thu 19 November - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
Sat 21 November - London, UK - The O2
The Script are visiting First Direct Arena on Tuesday 10 November 2026 for their The Man In The Arena Tour with tickets and more info HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
13th September 2021 
