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How it rates

Leeds started life as a Saxon village, developing into a small town by the 13th century. As wool brought prosperity in the late Middle Ages, the brickmaking, clocks and jewellery industries developed. The Leeds to Liverpool canal opened in 1816. From then on heavy manufacturing, tailoring and retailing characterised the city. Leeds has undergone extensive regeneration in recent years, which has saved many old buildings and produced new ones.

Architectural gems

Leeds City Council says the city has more listed buildings than York. Interesting examples of 19th-century architecture include Leeds Town Hall, the Cornmarket, and Kirkgate Market, which is one of the best-preserved Victorian market halls in Britain. Bridgewater Place, a 32-storey tower of offices and apartments that opened in 2007, has become the symbol of the new Leeds.

What's new

Antler Homes has built “Greenside”, three four-bed family homes with double garages and large gardens in upmarket Alwoodley, backing on to Moortown golf course, priced from £780,000 to £799,950 (07872 684562).

Travel

Leeds railway station is the hub for commuter services from York, Ilkley and Harrogate. Trains to London take from two hours 17 minutes, and to Edinburgh from two hours 59minutes. Leeds/Bradford airport is about half an hour's drive from the centre.

Quality of life

Easy access to countryside and green spaces is a definite plus, but widespread residential development has concreted over much of the centre. Roundhay and Horsforth, which have large parks, are especially popular with families.

Smartest streets

The most desirable suburbs, such as Alwoodley and Adel, are in North Leeds. The most prestigious streets are around Alwoodley Lane. Flats on Wigton Lane and Alwoodley Lane start at about £350,000. Entry level for large detached houses is £600,000. Trendy families and couples have colonised Chapel Allerton.

Restaurants

Like many things in Leeds, the restaurant scene has been transformed in recent years, especially in the city centre. Room, with its calm, airy atmosphere, does good modern British food in the Bourse Courtyard, and The Restaurant in City Square is great for all occasions. For Indian food, locals recommend Akbar's on Eastgate.

Nightlife

The West Yorkshire Playhouse has a national reputation for its drama, and Leeds is home to two leading dance companies, Northern Ballet Theatre and the Phoenix Dance Theatre. The city has an impressive range of clubs and bars, which have given it a reputation as a party city; the Cockpit club helped to launch local band the Kaiser Chiefs.

Education

The excellent Leeds Grammar School and Leeds Girls' High School are merging in September to create the 2,350-pupil Grammar School at Leeds. State provision is patchy: good in some suburbs but seriously deficient in others. Ofsted's top-ranking state secondary school is Garforth Community College.

Working life

Accountancy, law, banking and finance are major employers. Leeds is a hot spot for companies wishing to set up a base in northern England, such as Ernst & Young, Eversheds and Walker Morris. The digital media industry is establishing a base in Holbeck Urban Village to the south.

Upside

The glorious Yorkshire Dales are on the doorstep, and Whitby and Scarborough are less than a couple of hours' drive away. Although it is a city of more than 750,000 people, Leeds has a friendly atmosphere. Newcomers are made to feel at home.

Downside

Unless you want an flat - more than 1,000 are said to lie empty - there is little choice of property in Leeds city centre. Traffic is always heavy on commuter routes to and from the north of the city. Areas such as Harehills and Beeston have much to offer, with spacious properties, but need investment in infrastructure.

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