Welcome to one of the happiest cities in the UK
Off-plan property investment is a great investment strategy for all lifestyle goals, provided you buy in the best places to invest in property UK. Our research tells us that Leeds is one of those places. It is regularly rated as one of the UK’s best lifestyle cities, with a relatively low cost of living and a growing local economy. As if this isn’t enough to make Leeds one of the UK’s happiest places to live, the city is home to some amazing leisure, shopping and cultural amenities for residents to enjoy.
Here are a few reasons why people want to live in Leeds, thus making it a great place to invest in off-plan buy-to-let property.
A great city for retail therapy enthusiasts
Leeds is a fantastic destination for shoppers. You’ll find the very best of retail here, from high street stores, through local independents, to sensational street markets.
The city benefits from two of the UK’s best shopping malls: the ultra-modern Trinity Leeds and stunning Victoria Gate. Stores include Apple and Victoria’s Secret. In the shopping arcades dotted around the city centre, you’ll find some of the world’s best-known retail names and luxury brands, such as Harvey Nichols and Louis Vuitton.
Kirkgate Market is an impressive retail and historical destination that attracts more than 100,000 visitors each week to a retail experience and offers a variety of foods, cultures, and goods and services. Visit Kirkgate Market and you also get to experience the only Marks & Spencer stall in the UK – a homage to the birthplace of one of the UK’s best-known retail brands.
A second-to-none dining experience
Whatever your favourite cuisine, the chances are that you’ll find it in Leeds. There really is a world of food available here. There are plentiful bars, bistros and restaurants, including all the major fast food and restaurant chains. If eating on the go is your desire, then you won’t find many cities better catered for street food than Leeds. At the other end of the scale, the fine dining scene has been expanded with The Ivy opening its first restaurant in Leeds in the Victoria Quarter.
A top city for sports
Sports is a big part of life in Leeds. It is home to one of the most iconic football teams in the UK – Leeds United, the last winners of the old Division 1, which is once again knocking on the door of regaining its place in the Premier League. One of Rugby League’s top teams, Leeds Rhinos are based here, and the city regularly provides top athletes to the Great Britain Athletics squad for the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.
Marvellous for music
You’ll find plenty of venues that play live music in Leeds, including the amazing First Direct Arena and the O2 Academy. Some of the world’s best acts play in Leeds and at the Leeds Festival (sister to the Reading Festival), and the city has given birth to many popular artists such as the Kaiser Chiefs.
Not-to-be-missed nightlife
Music venues aside, the Northern Quarter and Call Lane offer residents and visitors a host of magnificent nightlife. There are plenty of bars and nightclubs to suit all here, and you’ll find that students through to pensioners happily fill the streets shoulder to shoulder at the weekend. Little wonder that the city is regularly rated as one of the UK’s best nightlife destinations.
Terrific theatre and fantastic film
Leeds may not be London’s West End, but theatre-goers and film buffs still have plenty of choices here. The Leeds Grand Theatre is where you’ll find West End shows as they travel around the country.
The Leeds Playhouse is the beneficiary of a near £14 million facelift, which includes a new studio and interior refurbishments. Along with the City Varieties Theatre, you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of shows in Leeds, from stand-up comedy to Disney and a range of plays including those written by local legendary playwright Alan Bennett.
For film fanatics, Leeds is home to one of Europe’s largest film festivals and to one of the UK’s oldest cinema’s, The Cottage Road Cinema (which started life as The Headingley Picture House in 1912).
Rural richness
It’s not only the hustle and bustle of city life that tempts so many people to live in Leeds; the city is at the heart of what the locals call ‘God’s own country’. Yorkshire really is a stunningly beautiful county, and Leeds city centre is within a few miles of some of the world’s best-loved countryside. Perfect for walking, cycling, jogging, or a Sunday drive to a country pub for lunch.
Isn’t it time you invested in your lifestyle goals?
The reason I invest in property is to achieve my lifestyle goals. What better place to invest than a city that offers its residents the very best in lifestyle? Leeds may be known as the heart of the region’s industry, with a huge financial sector, a rapidly developing knowledge economy, and some of the country’s best education establishments, but you shouldn’t forget about the importance of leisure and lifestyle – and Leeds has more than most.
To discover our up-to-date property investment opportunities in Leeds that could propel you toward your lifestyle goals, get in touch with Gladfish today on +44 207 923 6100.
Live with passion
Brett Alegre-Wood