Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Armley

Armley is an area of west Leeds, starting less than a mile from Leeds city centre. It is between the M621 motorway and Kirkstall Road, stretching from roughly the New Wortley roundabout (aka Armley Gyratory) to around the start of the Stanningley by-pass/Cockshott Lane where it merges into Bramley.

Armley is a predominantly and historically working class area, including many rows of back-to-back terrace houses. It is traditionally a strong Labour area, although current Labour policies, voter apathy and the creeping gentrification from Headingley (via Burley) is being to erode the landslide-style victories of yesteryear.

Armley Town Street includes a couple of high street names and charity shops as well as independent retailers typically of a suburban high street. There is especially good coverage of food retailers, plus excellent bus links into Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield.

Other features of Armley include Armley (Gott's) Park, Armley Jail (HMP Leeds), Gott's Park Golf Club and Armley Mills Museum, plus numerous former churches and cinemas.

As a place to live, Armley is both good and bad - it is convenient (for Leeds city centre, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and motorway links) and cheaper than most of Leeds but in parts, is also typical of most run down inner-city areas. The people are down-to-earth and friendly, and there are picturesque views over the rest of Leeds.