So you’re a prospective student looking for the perfect city? The main things to consider should be the nightlife, the activities, the events on offer and the accessibility of the city. With Leeds, you get a thriving city, offering everything you need and loads more. From student hubs to cultural hotspots, from easy-to-use transport services to huge nightclubs – Leeds is the city that you’re searching for.
We understand that the nights out are an important part of student life and Leeds offers every type of night out. Headingley, the student capital of Leeds, boasts a fantastic selection of modern bars and pubs while the City Centre offers just about everything you could want for a big night out. With a range of lively nightclubs, fantastic drinking and dining destinations and just about everything in-between at budget prices. Aside from being a fantastic night out, Leeds City Centre is a world-class shopping destination with high street shops, such as Harvey Nichols, and glamorous shopping malls, such as the Trinity Leeds and The Merrion Centre to mention a few. It’s worth noting that most shops, bars and restaurants will offer suitable student discounts too!
Leeds is a passionate sporting city with popular football, cricket and rugby teams. As a result of this, there are chances to watch lots of sport! However, more importantly, there are opportunities to play sport! With hundreds of amateur football, cricket and rugby sides, a wide variety of surprisingly affordable gyms to join and several sport centres just waiting for you to use them, it is easy for you to stay active while at university. You can see other ways here.
Don’t worry, though. Leeds isn’t just a good night out, a bit of sport and a nice day shopping. It’s a fabulous city of culture with dozens of places to visit including museums, galleries and theatres – plenty free of charge! The Leeds Art Gallery showcases stunning collections and constantly changing exhibitions while the Royal Armouries Museum is Britain’s national museum of arms and armour! You can see more cultural attractions here and you can see what’s on at the theatre through December here.
With this much going on in Leeds, you’d expect it to be hard to get to each of them. The truth couldn’t be any further away! With buses, trains and various taxi services available all year round, it is easy to get from A to B at affordable prices. Plus most of the action is in the City Centre which is only a ten minute walk from the main universities!
You can find much more about Leeds on this website.
Why Live in Leeds?
Leeds is also a great place for students to live as the city has some fantastic properties available for students.You can find more details on where to live on our property page.
Leeds University –
Leeds University boasts a student population of 33,500 students and, as a member of the prestigious Russell Group Universities, is considered one of the best universities in the country. The University is located near the centre, right in the heart of the city centre and You can see their prospectus here or check out their website here.
Leeds Beckett University –
Formerly Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Beckett University offers fantastic facilities and teaching for all courses. It is ranked as one of the top universities for any sports-related course and came second in The Times’ University of the Year competition in 2006. With over 25,000 students, the university is popular all over the country. You can check out their website here.
Leeds Trinity –
Leeds Trinity has nearly 3000 students and specialises in specific subjects such as media, journalism, marketing and education. The university offer a professional, relevant work placement with every degree and due to this, 93% of all students are in further education or in employment within 6 months of graduating. Leeds Trinity is also famous for it’s fantastic postgraduates courses in journalism and teacher training. You can check out their website here.
For higher/further education, there are some fantastic colleges and sixth forms such as:
Notre Dam: They offer over 34 A Level Subjects to study and are ranked in the top 10% of sixth form colleges in the country. You can see their website here.
Leeds City College: Leeds City College cater to over 40,000 students and operate out of six main campuses and have dozens of provisions over the region. You can check out their website here.
Leeds Art College: The College of Art offer a range of courses which range from BAs to smaller qualifications. It’s a great opportunity to study in a close-knit community with a creative possibility. See their website here.
Leeds Music College: Leeds Music College also offer a range of short courses and BAs. With an acclaimed music scene and a vibrant student population, it is a great place to be for any young musician. See their website here.
Leeds College of Building: The Leeds College Of Building offers something for everyone with a range of course awarding various different certificates on a variety of topics. See their website here.
The post Why Leeds is the Right Choice appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The post Bongo’s Bingo is coming to Leeds! appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>Bongo’s Bingo – the rather chaotic and ironic version of the game played by your blue-rinsed nan – is debuting in Leeds on Wednesday 9th December for a festive special, then will be running weekly from the end of January.
After 6 months selling out every week in Liverpool’s Camp and Furnace venue for 700 people and turning away between 200-500 more, Bongo’s Bingo recently launched at Manchester’s Albert Hall to further great acclaim – and the new Leeds version is going to be at the very least as equally messy and as popular.
Featuring big cash prizes, crap prizes, rave intervals and dance-offs hosted by the mercurial master of ceremonies, Jonny Bongo, a decidedly sedate British pastime has now been given a vibrantly new lease of life. Jonny is a truly larger than life character, who very proudly holds the World Record for the biggest ever pub quiz.
Organiser Joshua Burke explains: “We still cannot believe the popularity of the Liverpool version and are now having to do two events per week. This is no doubt thanks to our amazing host Jonny Bongo who works the room into a frenzy shouting things like “I’m in Love with the Coco” amongst many other bizarre rituals and hilarious tangents. The audience is really broad and we get big companies calling up asking for tables of 120 for their staff; Bongo’s Bingo appeals to a huge variety of people who all absolutely love it. Manchester has already been a huge success, so now we are coming further north to Leeds and are really excited to be bringing the concept to this great city. It’s an insane and unique atmosphere and has turned into a bit of a phenomenon really – it has to be seen to be believed!”
Entry is just £3 for a book and doors open at 6pm, and pens are available at the venue.
Booking is currently not possible so please attend early to avoid disappointment as the event is expected to be very busy.
Bongo’s Bingo
Wednesday 9th December
@ Canal Mills, Brandon St, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS12 2EB
Featuring big cash prizes, crap prizes, rave intervals and dance-offs and more!
£3 entry
Doors open from 6pm
To keep in touch with everything Bongo, please follow: https://twitter.com/bongosbingo88
www.facebook.com/BongosBingo
The post Bongo’s Bingo is coming to Leeds! appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The post Super Retro Games Fair appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The buzz for all games old continues, as the Super Retro Games Fair comes to its biggest venue yet, at Leeds Town Hall this January.
It has only been around for less than a year, but the Retro Games Fair is getting bigger, better and, this time, a whole lot more Super. That’s because after events at The Marriott Hotel, Leeds Central Library and Belgrave Music Hall, they’re stepping up for their biggest one yet in January by taking over Leeds Town Hall.
From 11am until 6pm on Saturday 30th January 2016, the Super Retro Games Fair pouring into the venue’s Victoria Hall with a slew of games, consoles, merchandise, computers, accessories and art. Makes a change, from your usual scouring on eBay or at car boot sales.
Better still, it’s only two quid for adults, and free for those under 16, making Leeds Town Hall the perfect venue to round up the young ones and open them to a world of gaming before our current line up of super high resolution eighth generation consoles like Playstation 4 and Xbox One.
And while you can get games and stuff for those consoles there, for once, it’s not all about them. The Super Retro Games Fair delves into the history of gaming and gives you the chance to relive all those memories once again.
Stalls at Leeds Town Hall will be run by the likes of Console Passion, who’ll be bringing a huge selection of consoles, games, computers, guides and accessories, Sore Thumb Retro Games, who specialise in Japanese SEGA and Nintendo games, and Rockarabilia, who offer a decent selection of classic 8-bit computers and games form the likes of the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Atari 2600.
But it’s not just about the games themselves at Super Retro Games Fair, but the culture around it. So, pick up some Sonic merchandise from Shopping Spree and Knuckles, pixel bead artwork of retro game characters from Cave of Pixels and original gaming artwork from Ben Redfield.
That merely scratches the surface of Super Retro Games Fair. Leeds Town Hall is set to be taken over by over 100 tables for its biggest ever event, with all sorts to keep you, and people of all ages occupied for a good few hours – just make sure you’re a part of it.
Super Retro Games Fair is at Leeds Town Hall from 11am to 6pm on Saturday 30th January 2016.
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]]>The post Merrion Centre raise £20,000 for Poppy Appeal! appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>Leeds locals have really dug deep into their pockets and helped Town Centre Securities (TCS) raise an amazing £20,000 for The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
For the first time ever, the directors from TCS’s, Merrion Centre owners, swapped the board room for the shop floor in an effort to raise money for the Poppy Appeal. Four directors took it in turns to run and manage a stall selling a range of Poppy merchandise to shoppers, including brooches, key rings, bags and cufflinks. They each had a team of nine TCS members of staff and three days to sell.
Edward Ziff, Chairman and Chief Executive of TCS and his sales squad came out on top, taking £3,471. Combined with the money raised from the other teams, resulted in a grand total of £12,724 for the Pop-Up Poppy Shop Stand.
Edward Ziff commented; “What better way to encourage sales entrepreneurship and boost staff morale, than a little bit of healthy rivalry. The competition, set up by my daughter Charlotte-Daisy whothankfully was part of my team, was to see who could sell the most, but what really inspired us, was the desire toraise as much money as possible for such a worthy charity. We hope we can join forces with the Poppy Shop again and raise even more money, hopefully my team will be triumphant again next year!”
In addition to the special Poppy Shop Stand and collection tins at the stall, Poppy Sellers spent 12 days in the Centrecollecting donations from shoppers in exchange for the classic paper poppy.This combined with the directors money raising efforts, pushed the overall Merrion Centre contribution to over £20,000.
Holly Bannister-Haynes, Poppy Shop Retail Sales Manager, comments; “This is the first time the Merrion Centre has had a Pop-Up Poppy Shop Stand and we can’t thank them enough for manning the stores. The shoppers have been so generous and we are delighted with the amount raised. The Merrion Centre’s contribution to the Poppy Appeal is comparable to some of the larger shopping centres in the UK, a great achievement for Leeds.”
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]]>The post Gigs of the Week (26th Oct – 1st Nov 2015) appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>Asylums
10/26/2015 Concorde 2 Brighton
10/31/2015 The Institiute Birmingham
Asian Dub Foundation
10/26/2015 Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
10/27/2015 Dome Brighton
10/28/2015 Arts Centre Warwick
Cattle & Cane
10/26/2015 Phoenix Exeter
10/27/2015 The Islington London
10/28/2015 Bullingdon Arms Oxford
10/29/2015 Louisiana Bristol
10/30/2015 Buffalo Bar Cardiff
10/31/2015 Chantry Hall Bedale
Darwin Deez
10/26/2015 O2 Academy Oxford
10/27/2015 Islington Assembly Hall London
Dan Baird & Homemade Sin
0/31/2015 MANCHESTER ACADEMY Manchester
Emilie & Ogden
10/26/2015 Koko London
10/27/2015 Trinity Bristol
10/28/2015 Gorilla Manchester
10/30/2015 Brudenell Social Club Leeds
10/31/2015 Oran Mor Glasgow
11/1/2015 Rescue Rooms Nottingham
Heaven 17
10/31/2015 MANCHESTER ACADEMY Manchester
John McCullagh & The Escorts
10/30/2015 Live Room Manchester
John Bramwell
10/26/2015 Junction Cambridge
10/29/2015 Telford’s Warehouse Chester
10/30/2015 The Continetal Preston
10/31/2015 Louisiana Bristol
Josh T. Pearson
10/28/2015 Scandinavian Church Liverpool
Orphan Boy
10/29/2015 The Sebright Arms London
The Orielles
10/30/2015 Corner Shop Sheffield
Peter Hook & The Light
10/30/2015 – Manchester Academy
Songhoy Blues
10/26/2015 Hare & Hounds Birmingham
10/27/2015 Fleece Bristolr
Storms
10/26/2015 The Lexington London
The Ordinary Boys
10/27/2015 The Haunt Brighton
10/28/2015 Mr Kryps Bournemouth
10/29/2015 Bullingdon Arms Oxford
10/30/2015 Brixton Jamm London
10/31/2015 The Square Harlow
11/1/2015 Waterfront Norwich
Tom Robinson
10/26/2015 Convent Stroud
10/27/2015 Apex Bury St Edmunds
10/28/2015 Arlington Arts Centre Newbury
10/30/2015 Harpenden Public Halls Harpenden
10/31/2015 Assembly Leamington Spa
11/1/2015 Picturedome Holmfirth
Vitamin
10/26/2015 Bodega Club Nottingham
10/27/2015 Sunflower Lounge Birmingham
10/28/2015 The Horn St Alban
10/29/2015 Oslo London
10/31/2015 Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar Brighton
11/1/2015 Joiners Southampton
******
To attend any of the shows or request interviews with the above artists – please get in touch with Sonic PR.
The post Gigs of the Week (26th Oct – 1st Nov 2015) appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The post Award-winning Ballet Black returns to Leeds with a dynamic Triple Bill appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>Following acclaimed performances in 2014, Ballet Black, Cassa Pancho’s company of black and Asian classically trained dancers, return to Leeds with a stunning new Mixed Programme at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre from 20 – 21 November 2015.
The Company is delighted to present a triple bill of exciting works including a revival of Will Tuckett’s 2009 (The Royal Ballet) ballet Depouillementand a new pas de deux from Kit Holder, To Fetch a Pail of Water. Completing the programme, award-winning choreographer Mark Bruce makes the Company’s newest narrative ballet Second Coming, inspired by Yeats’ poem of the same name and also the obscure ambiguities of Grimms’ fairytales. Bruce presents a hybrid fairytale filled with beauty and darkness, irony and humour, and the content of the human heart.
Founded in 2001, Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black is an award-winning, neo-classical ballet company dedicated to diversifying classical ballet. The Company is made up of eight international dancers of black and Asian descent. The entirely original repertoire covers a broad spectrum of ballet, from classical work to highly contemporary pieces. Since 2001, they have built a varied repertoire from the best emerging and established choreographers including Liam Scarlett, Shobana Jeyasingh, Martin Lawrance, Richard Alston, Christopher Hampson, Christopher Marney and Javier De Frutos.
Tickets for Ballet Black’s Mixed Programme at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds are on sale now and can be booked online attheatreleeds.com or by calling the box office on 0113 220 8008.
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]]>The post Mecca Bingo Hunslet Review appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>It’s safe to say that I hadn’t ever considered bingo before but with a resurgence in retro pastimes, bingo had started to make its way onto my social radar.
Friends of friends were posting dabber selfies online and I’d even heard of a couple going as an ironic twist on Valentine’s Day. So when Mecca Bingo, Hunslet invited me down to prove the game is no longer just for the blue rinse brigade, my interest was piqued.
I won’t lie, walking into the building I was still worried that I would be the youngest there by a good few years but seeing the line of players streaming in I let out a sigh of relief. The groups of girls and couples queuing for their books proved my preconceptions were wrong.
Having never played bingo before (apart from once in the local pub) I needed all the help I could get understanding what on earth was going on and I took advantage of the friendly staff to help me get my head around the rules. In no time I was dabbing away frantically but soon swapped to the techie option of Mecca’s electronic pads (a bit like a big iPad) which will automatically cross off your numbers for you. Handy if you’re slow to keep up like me.
We soon got hungry. Luckily for us there was a great menu full of comfort food and a variety of healthy choices to choose from. Vegetarians are also catered for. I tucked into fish and chips in one of the breaks and was pleasantly surprised. The batter was light, crisp and tasty – just the way I like it. I was also delighted to see an extra-large dollop of mushy peas on my plate, for me it’s the peas that make the dish. With a large range of food choices there are options for everyone. Our after work food pangs were subdued and we got with our bingo.
After finishing our meals a little quicker than we would normally, not wanting to miss out on a big win, we got stuck in to the next round of games. I hadn’t won a penny so far and my competitive side started sneaking in. I quickly got the impression that most of the bingo players were here to socialise and have fun. They were also here to win… you might be surprised at just how much you could actually win. Getting a ‘Full House’ on a normal game saw people celebrating wins of £150 to £500 and if you’re lucky and win a link game, you could go home with £17,000 or more!
Although I didn’t see a penny come my way, walking away with a dabber was a weirdly brilliant ‘booby prize’. If you’re a big kid like me, it is impossible not to dab every blank space in sight. Since a Mecca bingo dabber turned up on my desk, every memo, print out and colleague who walks past mysteriously becomes covered in pink dots.
I have to say that my experience at Mecca Bingo in Hunslet was a brilliant night out for both my friend and myself. It would make a great social event for anyone who fancies a chance to win some serious cash and try something a little different. With hearty comfort food, pitchers of beer and the perfect game for anyone with a competitive streak, it’s a great alternative night out.
FACT BOX
a: Balm Road
Hunslet
LS10 2HU
t: 0113 277 5960
w: www.meccabingo.com
fb: Mecca Bingo Hunslet
tw: @MeccaLeedsHuns
Open:
Mon – Fri 12pm – 11pm
Sat 11am – 11pm
Sun 12.30pm – 11pm
Mecca Hunslet is accessible by a number of bus routes and Leeds train station.
The post Mecca Bingo Hunslet Review appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The post Mecca Leeds Mayfair – Bingo Review appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The first thing I noticed was the mixed crowd. I had expected a sea of purple rinse in the main room, but there was no such thing and several younger groups and even some couples. Heading to the bar before the games begun, we ordered some food and drink to kick things off.
Apart from a selection of summer salads, the menu is awash with comfort food and guilty pleasures, and was far more extensive than I had imagined. For starters we opted for Chilli Poppers, which consists of sweet red jalapenos stuffed with kicking Hot Diggidy Dog chipotle cheese and a sauce of your choice – we chose the spicy firecracker.
We also chose the Classic Tortillas which came loaded with mozzarella, cheddar, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos. They were both really tasty and we polished off the lot, despite the fact we had our mains to get through, as well as a few more beers.
I went for the Southern Fried Chicken and my companion went for the old classic, Scampi in a Basket – both came with chips and a side salad. Now it was no surprise to see these two dishes on the menu as they are synonymous with Bingo, but I was surprised at how good they were, considering the low price they were delicious!
This kind of pub grub would usually be double the price in a Leeds boozer, so you really do get your money’s worth – just leave your diet at the door if you’re slimming down for your summer beach bod.
With the food demolished, the first game kicked off and I got off to an awful start! Not realising that I was supposed to be dabbing off all the numbers on the page (I was restricting myself to the top column like a complete douche) I completely flunked the first game and had a member of staff show me where I was going wrong – what a muppet.
Just a few weeks ago, a customer visiting Mayfair walked away with a whopping £250k cheque – sadly, it was not my night and I didn’t win a cent on the bingo itself. My luck changed at the slot machines however.
As a new member, you only need to spend a fiver on the slots and Mecca will match it. Lady Luck was looking over my shoulder as I played the Thai Flower machine and I strutted out £35 richer, which paid for my night out – who’s laughing now?!
If you’re looking for an evening full of good food, drinks and entertainment all without breaking the bank and a chance to win megabucks, then ditch the lottery and get down to your local Mecca. The staff couldn’t be more welcoming and will gladly show you the ropes.
Address: 50 New York Street, Leeds, LS2 7DY
Telephone: 0113 234 1773
Web: www.meccabingo.com
Facebook: Mecca Leeds Mayfair
Twitter: @MeccaLeedsMay
Open: Mon – Fri 10am – 10.30pm – Sat 10am – 10.30pm – Sunday noon – 10.30pm
Mecca Leeds Mayfair easily accessiable by bus and train.
Car parking is also available near by.
The post Mecca Leeds Mayfair – Bingo Review appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The post Mecca Bingo Crossgates Review appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The first thing that struck me was the size of the place, the building (which was an old supermarket back in the day) was ginormous with a thousand person capacity main hall and a separate slots room. On arrival our first task was to register which, with the help of the welcoming reception staff, was a very quick and easy process. With that done and membership cards in hand we were ready to get playing.
Initially choosing what games to play seemed a little confusing but after a quick lesson from the staff we were set up with our books, dabbers, and a tablet to play electronically if we wished (who’d had thought the classic game of bingo was so up with the times?!). I opted for the traditional dabber method whereas my partner was grateful for the tablet which automatically completed your games for you. A definite must if you tend to buckle under pressure!
Although we wanted our experience to be about playing bingo it was only right that we also took full advantage of all that Mecca had to offer by getting involved in the vast food and drink options. Typical for my partner and I to spot a cocktail menu – it was a Cosmo for me and a Mojito for him. Once in the flow of a game it is impossible to direct your attention anywhere else so the choice to have your food served during the intervals was a spot on service. To start we had the Ultimate Full House Platter which was perfect for our carnivore/vegetarian combo, the mozzarella dippers were undoubtedly our favourite. For mains my partner was more than satisfied with the home comforts of the Veggie Sausage and Mash, whereas I experimented with the ‘Chicken Your Way’ selection of chicken breast with rice, coleslaw and firecracker sauce. The standard, and variety, of the food and drink surpassed our expectations when compared to their price tag, with mains starting from just £3.99 you’re left with plenty of change to have a dabble on the slots.
With the intensity of the games, and bustling atmosphere, it was easy to see how so many people choose Bingo as their past time. The big game of the night was a link up with all the other Mecca Clubs across the country and with the chance of ‘winning forty four grand’ on the cards you could have heard a pin drop for the duration. Unfortunately for us, our luck wasn’t in at all that evening but it was for some. The lady on the table next to us happily walked away with just over four hundred quid in the bag!
For us, we were there for a bit of fun but for some it gets pretty serious. With the amount on offer to win it wasn’t hard to see why. Another pleasing factor of our trip was the evident sense of community – regulars were very friendly and only too willing to offer advice to us amateurs.
As mentioned earlier our visit to Mecca Bingo Crossgates was a first for both my partner and I, and to say we were surprised would be an understatement. Whether you’re looking for a new hobby or want a night out with a difference it’s unquestionably worth giving it a shot. It could also double up for a great celebration option, a birthday night out or an alternative girls night out?
The post Mecca Bingo Crossgates Review appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>The post Art Exhibition & Sale in Aid of St Gemma’s appeared first on Leeds Student Magazine.
]]>Opening hours:
Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st October
10.00am till 6.00pm
Sunday 1st November
10.00am till 4.00pm
This year St Gemma’s Leeds Art Exhibition and Sale returns to celebrate its 15th Anniversary! The event is a well-established showcase for professional and up and coming artistic talent from around the country. Whether your taste is for large dramatic landscapes, soft gentle pastels or cutting edge abstract pieces, the exhibition will have something to wow you! Over 900 pieces will be on display and you will be able to indulge in the Art Café, enjoying delicious homemade cakes, pastries and quality tea and coffee whilst you view the stunning artworks on show.
This year also sees the launch of our dedicated photography exhibition which will be held alongside our traditional exhibition.
As always the pieces on show are available to purchase and there is something for everyone’s pocket with pricing starting from £20 to over £1,000. A percentage of the sale price from each piece of art goes to St Gemma’s Hospice, to support the work we do in providing patient care to people living with incurable illnesses.
So get the dates in your diaries and get your eyes ready for the visual feast that is the Leeds Art Exhibition and Sale.
For other information:
Becky Hole
[email protected]
Tel: 0113 218 5505
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