We’ve been out and surveyed the various tattoo shops in Leeds, and we’ve put together this list of our top recommendations.

Inputting together this roundup, we’ve looked at various factors, including online reviews from multiple sources, how long they’ve been established, the range of services they offer, the diversity of their work, opening hours and a few other factors.

Read our guide to:The 25 BEST Restaurants in Leeds

Of course, there are others, which come highly recommended! But for now, here are our top recommendations on where to get a Tattoo in Leeds.

Ultimate Skin Tattoo & Piercing

Find Them: 33 New Briggate, Leeds LS2 8JD

Found within the trendy Northern Quarter of Leeds City Centre is Ulitmate Skin. Tattoo enthusiasts in Leeds will undoubtedly be acquainted with their exceptional reputation and will look in awe at their previous work.

Often praised for their extremely hygienic, friendly environment – they have four in-house artists, who’re often booked for months in advance.

A testament to their skill and popularity, if you’re interested in booking some time with them, get in touch with them ASAP – they’re in demand.

If you’re flexible with your dates, you might be able to beat the crowds by keeping an eye out for cancellations on their Facebook page.

Opening Times:

Mon – Sat 11am – 6pm
Sun 12noon – 4pm

Ratings

Our Rating: 4.8/5
Facebook: 4.8/5
Google: 4.8/5

Snake and Tiger Tattoo

Find Them: Thorntons Arcade, 11, Leeds LS1 6LQ

It’s hard to believe that Snake & Tiger only opened their doors in 2015. Founded by tattooists with almost 30 years experience, they set about on their new project to improve the quality of Leeds’ tattoo enthusiasts.

Since launching, they’ve tattooed thousands of people, including some famous names like Game of Thrones actress Lena Headey and boxer Nichola Adams.

They’re extremely skilful and are happy to talk through creative ideas you might have.

Of course, customers comment on the high levels of hygiene, so you can be confident with Snake and Tiger. You can see lots of examples of their work on their Facebook page.

Opening Times:

Tues – Sat 10am – 6pm

Ratings

Our Rating: 4.7/5
Facebook: 4.7/5
Google: 4.7/5

Rude Studios Tattoo & Piercing

Find Them: 13B North Lane, Leeds LS6 3HG

In the Headingley suburb of Leeds, you’ll find Rude Tattoo and Piercing.

They’ve been a prominent studio in the region for over a decade and have since grown to have no less than 3 studios.

They employ a team of highly skilled tattoo artists, who’re all about helping you achieve your perfect ink.

They use a range of techniques and also offer body piercing, laser tattoo removal and semi-permanent make-up.

As well as regular joes, they’ve worked with celebrities including The Kaiser Chiefs, Sugar Babes and various others. For a flavour of their work, check out their Facebook page, where they post regular images of their work.

Opening Times:

Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm

Ratings

Our Rating: 4.7/5
Facebook: 4.7/5
Google: 4.7/5

Artistic Crew Tattoo Studios

Find Them: 402 Kirkstall Road, Leeds LS4 2JX

Artistic Crew Tattoo is a wonderful tattoo studio found on Kirkstall Road in Leeds.

They’ve got a big reputation and specialise in the more artistic tattoos.

If you’re after a portrait or something intricate, it’s worth getting in touch and seeing if they can help develop your idea into something awesome.

What’s more, they’ve got scores of great reviews from people who couldn’t be happier with the results. Take a look at their Facebook page for inspiration.

Opening Times:

Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm
Sun 11am – 6pm

Ratings

Our Rating: 4.7/5
Facebook: 4.6/5
Google: 4.8/5

Think you deserve to be on this round up? Get in touch – News@theyorkshirepress.co.uk

Leeds is famous for being the birthplace of many famous people and brands. Retailer Marks and Spencer opened their first shop in the Kirkgate Market over a hundred years ago. First World War Prime-minister Henry Herbert Asquith was born in Morley. Leeds United were once a top flight football team which dominated the sport for many years. As well as the famous names to be born in Leeds, it has a rich industrial history and once produced much of the worlds cloth as well as other materials.

With that in mind, I thought it’d be fun to share some of the most interesting facts about what Leeds is famous for. There are some surprising and little known gems, as well as some more well known things about the fantastic city many of us call home.

Read our guide to: The 25 BEST Restaurants in Leeds

Fizzy drinks were invented in Leeds 250 years ago

Fizzy drinks first came about in 1767, when Joseph Priestley discovered a way of infusing water with carbon dioxide. After suspending a bowl of water over a beet vat at a brewery in Leeds,  The result was a cool  refreshing beverage and he soon began offering it to friends. In a paper published in 1772, he described how he developed his process by dripping Sulfuric Acid onto chalk to produce carbon dioxide and then encouraged the gas to infuse with water.

During the later part of the eighteenth century, J. J Schweppe developed a new process for producing carbonated mineral water, based on the process discovered by Priestley. It was from here, that the Schweppes brand was born.

Jeremy Paxman was born in Leeds

Award-winning Journalist, Author and TV Presenter Jeremy Paxman was born in Leeds in 1950. He spent only a very brief part of his life in Yorkshire before being raised in Hampshire and educated at Cambridge University.

Back in 2006, Jeremy took park in the BBC television programme ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’  to discover more about his ancestry. It was during this time that he learned most of his paternal ancestors were from God’s Own County. Despite being raised in the south, Paxman has always been proud of his Yorkshire roots:

“I’ve always been very proud of the fact I was born in Yorkshire because it’s one of the few counties that has a very definable sense of itself.”

JRR Tolkien was a professor at the University of Leeds

Yorkshire is often cited as one of the main inspirations for JRR Tolkien’s classic ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Although many will know that there’s a connection between the influential writer and Leeds, few people know the full details. 1920 was the year that he took up a position as Reader in English Language at the University of Leeds.

He later became a professor at the university. In a description of Tolkien’s connections with Yorkshire, Dr. Lynn Forest-Hill of the Tolkien Society said “Tolkien’s familiarity with Yorkshire began in 1916 when he went on a course at Otley but the county’s scenic influence on his work began somewhere around late May or early June 1917 when he had been posted to the Humber garrison.”

It’s likely that during his Professorship in Leeds, Tolkien became influenced by the dramatic Yorkshire landscapes, which are familiar in the descriptions of the Middle Earth that he famously created as the backdrop for his epic tale.

Michael Marks opened his Penny Bazaar which grew into Marks & Spencer

Benchmarking quality in British retail in 2019, Marks and Spencer has a far reaching reputation as one of the leading shops in the UK. But did you know that the now prestigious brand has humble beginnings, within the Kirkgate Market no less.

It was in 1884 when Polish immigrant Michael Marks opened his now famous Penny Bazaar. After years of successful trading, Thomas Spencer, who was from Skipton (about 45 minutes from Leeds by train) invested in the idea and the brand Marks and Spencer was born.

In 2019, if you visit the Kirkgate Market – among the 800 traders you’ll find a homage to the original Bazaar. Although stocking a far smaller product line than the other shops in the chain, you can pick up a delicious coffee and enjoy standing in the spot where it all began.

Ernie Wise was born in Leeds

Comedy Legend Ernie Wise is best known for being one half of double act Morecambe and Wise who became a national treasure for their work on television – most famously their Christmas Specials.

Ernie was born in Bramley, near the centre of Leeds and grew up in the area. After meeting Eric Morecambe in 1940, they quickly became some of the most popular performers in the UK.

In Morley, a short distance from his birthplace of Bramley – there’s a statue of Ernie to commemorate his connection to Leeds.

The world’s first moving pictures were shot in Leeds

Cinema is undoubtably one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. Over the years, there have been countless advances in the field. And yet, the humble origins of the moving picture lay in Leeds.

Thomas Edison and the Lumiere Brothers are often cited as the origin of film. However, those of us from Leeds tell a very different story.125 years ago, on 14th October 1888, in a garden in Roundhay, a Frenchman named Le Prince shot a short silent film – which historians believe was captured several years before Edison and the Lumieres came to fame in the field.

Although it might seem unbelievable – it was the subject of a recent documentary and it seems to add up.

Prime Minister Henry Herbert Asquith was born in Morley

Arguably amongst the most controversial Prime ministers of the 20th Century – Henry Herbert Asquith was responsible for bringing Great Britain into WW1.

Bright, liberal and controversial, Asquith was born on the outskirts of Leeds in Morley. Over the years, he faced a lot of accusations and was eventually forced out of office. Although controversial, it’s undeniable that he played a big part in many major legislation changes – which impact the way that the entire of British society has developed.

More interesting facts about Leeds

• Alan Bennett Playwright born in Leeds
• Denis Healey Politician born in Leeds
• The Middleton railway is the longest running commercial steam locomotive in the world since it first ran in 1758.
• One of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution with the likes of John Marshall, Matthew Murray (whom Watt and Boulton spied on to perfect their steam engine) & John Smeaton – the father of civil engineering
• Soft Cell, Gang of Four, Sisters Of Mercy and the Kaiser Chiefs are all bands from Leeds.

Leeds is a popular destination for lots of reasons, it’s brimming with great shops, restaurants, bars and places to take the kids. If, like me, you’re worried about wasting valuable time searching the city, looking for a place to park your car – fear not, this roundup of the best, cheapest and most accessible car parks in Leeds City Centre is here to help. The information found in this article will help you make the most out of your trip to Leeds – and even save you a bob or two as we say up here in the north!

Read our guide to: The 25 BEST Restaurants in Leeds

Dedicated car parks, On-street parking and high rise, privately owned parking lots are abundant in Leeds City Centre. We’re ranking them from cheapest to most expensive to give you a well-rounded overview of your options. Saturday is the busiest day in Leeds, so we’ve summarised the price of parking for 5 hours on a Saturday and gone into more detail below. We’ve also included the distance from Briggate, which is the central point of Leeds City Centre and a good base to explore the city from.

Map of where to find the cheapest car parks in Leeds City Centre

Off-Street Car Parks in Leeds City Centre

£7.20 – Castle Street

Castle Street, Leeds, LS1 4PH

A little out of the main attractions of the City Centre, Castle Street Car Park is more affordable than the privately owned options. Monday to Friday, you can expect to  £2.60 for an hour to £7.20 for up to 5 hours. At the weekend, it’s more affordable, costing a pound an hour, on Sundays you can expect to pay £2 for up to 4 hours or £5 for anything over that. No matter what day you park here, if you’re there from 6pm-10pm it costs £3. There are spaces for 275 vehicles and they operate a cash-only Pay and Display system – so make sure you’ve got change with you.

£5 – Hunslet Lane

Hunslet Lane, Leeds, LS10 1ES

A great option if you need to be in central Leeds, Hunslet Lane is a small car park just across the road from the Adelphi pub. Parking here costs up to £7.80 if you’re planning on staying for over 8 hours. As a result of only having 35 spaces available, it’s very busy Saturday. On a Sunday, it’s more reasonable, with 4 hours costing just £2 and anything over that £5.

£4.30 – International Pool

Westgate, Leeds, LS1 4PH

Formerly an indoor swimming pool, since being demolished the site has been used as a car park. Although a 5-minute walk from the attractions of the city centre, it’s one of the cheapest in the city centre, with a 1-hour stay costing £1.70, 5 hours costing £4.30 and anything over that £7.80. Sundays see the site reduce in price, with 4 hours costing £2 and anything over that £5. They’ve got 140 spaces available, so there’s often spaces free.

£5 – Meadow Lane

St Cecilia Street, Leeds, LS9 8AH

48 available parking spots make Meadow Lane one of the smaller car parks in this roundup. Directly adjacent to Asda’s Head Office and just a couple minutes walk from Leeds Bridge, it’s one of the cheapest options which is in a central location. Getting there early is a good idea, as spots fill up quickly. Starting at £1 for a 30-minute stay and £7.80 for anything over 8 hours – Meadow Lane Car Park is open 24 hours, so if you’re in Leeds for a whole weekend, it could be a good option.

£7.50 – Quarry Hill

St Cecilia Street, Leeds, LS9 8AH

On the opposite end of town, but still a short distance from Leeds City Centre, Quarry Hill is a great option if you’re seeing a show at Leeds Playhouse, or want to be close to the action. Prices are slightly higher than some of the other car parks, but with 368 spots available – they’re one of the safest bets for securing a spot. For a 5 hour stay, you’ll be charged £7.50 and 1 hour is £2. It’s the same pricing structure on on the weekend too, which makes it a bad choice as you can find much cheaper options on Saturdays and Sundays.

£4 – West Street

Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4PD

Open 24 hours, seven days a week West Street Car Park is on the outskirts of the City, near Grosvenor Casino and TGI Fridays. Although it’s a bit out of the way, this is reflected in the price as a 5-hour stay will cost you £4. Prices start from £1 for a 30 minutes stay and anything over 5 hours costs £7.60. On a Sunday, their pricing structure is simplified with up to 4 hours costing £2 and anything over that £5.

£7 – Woodhouse Lane

Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 3AX

With over a thousand spaces available, Woodhouse Lane car park is only five minutes from First Direct Arena, Leeds General Infirmary and Leeds City Museum. It’s a bit more expensive with 6 hours costing £7. The pricing’s the same no matter which day you go, and when events are on at First Direct Arena it’s slightly cheaper at £6.60 for 6 hours.