Beeston, Leeds: Difference between revisions

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Beeston is an area of south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England with a population of about 16,000.^[1] Large parts of the area are deprived, particularly around the Beeston Hill area.

History

Looking towards Leeds City Centre from Beeston Hill.

Beeston is mentioned as Bestone in the 1086 Domesday Book. Cad Beeston manor house has been dated by dendochronology to about 1420, and is a grade II* listed building; it is used as private offices with no public access. Beeston was one of the chapelries of the ancient parish of Leeds. Beeston was a township and civil parish 1866-1904, then was absorbed into Holbeck civil parish before this was absorbed into Leeds in 1925.^[2] Beeston was formerly home to Waddingtons, the factory was vacated in the 1990s and is now home to Nampak Cartons.

Geography and Demographics

Beeston is primarily an inner-city area. While located close to Leeds City Centre, Beeston is severed from the areas to the North by the M621 motorway. Beeston is two distinct areas separated by Cross Flatts Park: Beeston Hill to the east, and Beeston Village to the west. Besston is seperated from Middleton by Middleton Park and Cottingley by the Leeds Outer Ring Road.

Beeston Hill Area

Beeston Hill is comprised largely of areas of terraced housing and social housing. As a particularly deprived area, Beeston Hill along with Holbeck was the beneficiary of [Objective 2] European funding. In April 2008, a £93m PFI scheme to build 700 new private and housing association dwellings and regenerate some existing stock was announced^[3]. The Beeston Hill Area has a significant ethnic minority population. Beeston Hill has many unoccupied houses as well as commecial premesis, such as The Malvern public house. A-Z Road Atlas' often mark the Hunslet Hall shopping centre in this area, however in reality it could hardly be fairlyn described as a shopping centre.

Beeston Village/Cross Flatts Area

Beeston village is centred around a shopping centre comprising a large Co-operative store and a number of smaller shops. Housing in Beeston village is comprised largely of late Victorian and early 20th Century terraaced housing to the east of Old Lane, and newer family and housing association properties to the West of Old Lane. Like Beeston Hill, most housing is victorian terraces, but mainly through terraces which fetch a higher price. Around Beeston Village and the Heath Estate is the most affluent area of Beeston. Cross Flatts is situated around Cross Flatts Park. Estate agents are often keen to specify these areas of Beeston to distance it from more rundown parts of Beeston.

Transport

Beeston has a mainline railway line running along its Western edge, all of the services between Leeds City Station and London Kings Cross and London St Pancras run down this line, but there are no stations along it as Beeston. Beeston is however servied by many bus sercices along Dewsbury Road, Elland Road and Town Street. There is no central bus station in Beeston (with the exception of the matchday bus station at Elland Road), however bus services run throughout the area. Beeston has good links with the M1, M62 and the M621. Many taxi companies operate in the Beeston area.

Employment

Much of Beeston's traditional heavy industry and fabrication works have closed throughout the last forty years. Beeston itself offers little employment these days, however is surrounded by areas which have become popular with businesses, such as Leeds City Centre, Tingley and many of the business districts along the south side of the River Aire. Nampak Cartons (who operate in the former Waddingtons factory) are probably Beeston's largest employer. The neighbouring White Rose Shopping Centre employs thousands off full time staff.

Education

Beeston is home to the Leeds College of Technology School of Mechanics is situated towards the south side of Beeston. Beeston has one secondary school,Parkside Secondary School (Cockburn High School). Mathew Murray High School situated between Beeston and Holbeck recently closed down and was merged with Melyn Rees High School in Belle Isle, to form South Leeds High School in Belle Isle. There are seven primary schools in the area. Neighbouring Morley has three secondary school, all of which attract pupils from the Beeston area.

Stadia

Beeston is home to two stadiums, these being Elland Road (home of Leeds United AFC) which is a 41,000 capacity, fully seated modern stadium. This is situated on Elland Road, adjacent to the M621 in the North end of Beeston. The South Leeds Stadium (part of the John Charles Centre for Sport is situated on Middleton Grove (off Dewsbury Road) in the South end of Beeston. This is home to Hunslet Hawks RLFC, as well as hosting athletics and aquatic sports in the new Aquatic Centre (the replacement for the Leeds International Swimming Pool). This opened in October 2008 and provides an Olympic standard swimming pool and diving pool.

Local facilities

Beeston probably has the best facilities of any area in Leeds. It has two large health centres, the White Rose shopping centre on its doorstep, Elland Road stadium and the John Charles Centre for Sport which includes indoor bowling, indoor Tennis Centre, athletics stadium, rugby pitches and 5-a-side pitches and a full size swimming and diving pool. The city centre of Leeds is only a short bus ride away and the M1 and M62 motorways are easily accessed. Beeston also has a park [Cross Flatts Park] with many facilities, which include 5-a-side football pitches, tennis courts, two separate play areas one for older children and one for younger children and a bowling green.

London bombings

Beeston was the focus of unwanted attention following the 7 July 2005 London bombings when it was revealed that the bombers had lived in the area. On 12 July, two properties in Beeston were raided by police in connection with the attacks. According to West Yorkshire Police, a significant amount of explosive material was found in the raids and a controlled explosion was carried out at one of the properties.

After-effects

Following the 7th July bombings, the Muslim population of Beeston was in a state of both shock and fear. When news began to emerge of the Beeston link to the attacks, the majority of the population came out to condemn the atrocities. Since that time the community has cooperated closely with the police, but the local economy is still recovering from much of the negative media attention.

There was a significant pulling together of people across the community with two Beeston Together for Peace marches being held. Each were joined by hundreds of people, some as the procession passed. The second procession ended at Millennium Square in Leeds city centre, uniting with people from other parts of Leeds for an interfaith vigil.

Location Grid

References

^ Area Statistics for Beeston Ward (as it existed before June 2004), based on 2001 census.
^ A vision of Britain through time. "Relationships / unit history of BEESTON". Retrieved 2007-11-05.
^ "At long last Leeds is in the money". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2008-05-27.

External links

53°46′N 1°34′W / 53.77°N 1.57°W / 53.77; -1.57

[1] Area Statistics for Beeston Ward (as it existed before June 2004), based on 2001 census.

[2] A vision of Britain through time. "Relationships / unit history of BEESTON". Retrieved 2007-11-05.

[3] "At long last Leeds is in the money". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2008-05-27.

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 Beeston has a mainline railway line running along its Western edge, all of the services between [[Leeds City Station]] and [[London Kings Cross]] and [[London St Pancras]] run down this line, but there are no stations along it as Beeston.  Beeston is however servied by many bus sercices along Dewsbury Road, Elland Road and Town Street.  There is no central bus station in Beeston (with the exception of the matchday bus station at Elland Road), however bus services run throughout the area.  Beeston has good links with the [[M1 Motorway|M1]], [[M62]] and the [[M621]].  Many taxi companies operate in the Beeston area.
+== Employment ==
+Much of Beeston's traditional heavy industry and fabrication works have closed throughout the last forty years.  Beeston itself offers little employment these days, however is surrounded by areas which have become popular with businesses, such as [[Leeds City Centre]], [[Tingley]] and many of the business districts along the south side of the [[River Aire]].  Nampak Cartons (who operate in the former [[Waddingtons]] factory) are probably Beeston's largest employer.  The neighbouring [[White Rose Shopping Centre]] employs thousands off full time staff.
 == Education ==