In our search for the best roller skating the UK has to offer, we were ecstatic to find Leeds on our list of cities to explore. We were sure that the Green Belt and all of those parks and open spaces would offer plenty of places for people to get their skate on.
We weren't disappointed!
The title UK's second financial capital aside, Leeds is renowned for its culture of sports and leisure so, when the skating craze swept the country last year, Loiners were completely on-board with it. Not to say that Leeds didn't already have strong ties to the sport; just witness Leeds-based Roller Girl Gang, who won the Roller Skate Service of the Year award last year.
The long and the short of Leeds is: it's a fun-loving place where fitness is a base currency. And what could be more fun than rollerskating your way to fitness?
Come with us now as we skate our way around Leeds and point out the best skating venues.
AJ's Roller Disco
Just a few miles outside of Leeds, in Bradford, you will find the Zara Sports Centre. There are lots of fun and sporty things to do there, from playing tennis and netball to enjoying all of the amenities their fitness suite has to offer.
And, on Sundays, you can skate to your heart's content at AJ's Roller Disco.
The disco is held in one of the centre's already-existing facilities, decked out especially for the affair. That might lead you to believe that you could skate to your favourite disco songs any day of the week but this particular party is reserved for Sunday afternoons, from 2-4 pm.
You don't have to be an expert skater to join in the fun; you don't even have to have your own skates. AJ has an assortment of sizes from infant to adult, as well as safety gear to loan out on a first-come, first-serve basis. You are welcome to bring your skates, either inline or quads, but make sure they are well-maintained so that they don't cause a safety hazard to you or any other skaters.
If you're not quite steady on your skates after they've lingered in the closet for so long, AJ's staff can help you get your legs back. They also have at least one first aid responder on the premises at all times.
Note: the skate hire and safety equipment loan are free but it costs £5 per person to get in the door.
You might wonder why, if skating is so much fun, AJ doesn't keep the facility open all week. They tried that a couple of years ago but the turnout was too low to justify lugging all of the DJ equipment and lights all over town, setting everything up and welcoming just a handful of skaters.
Perhaps now, with the renewed interest in skating, more people would turn up if the facility were open during the week. That's up to you, Loiners! It's not enough to register an interest only to not follow through by going there to skate when the opportunity presents itself.
Now, for the caveat.
Zara Sports Centre and AJ, following government pandemic guidelines, are currently closed. However, AJ anticipates the re-launch of their Sunday Roller Disco events starting on the first of August.
As they used to say, back in the day: be there or be square! Some still say that about the roller rink events in Manchester...
Skate With the Roller Girl Gang
You might think we would have opened with this dynamic group of skaters seeing as we mentioned them in this article's introduction. We opted to build anticipation by writing about the Gang second; its position in this article doesn't indicate that it is considered secondary to AJ's venture.
Also, just because 'girl' features in their name, it doesn't mean that only girls can attend their classes or events. After all, it would be rather strange if only female skaters attended their parties and occasions, such as their annual Valentine Skate Party at the Corn Exchange, wouldn't it?
Speaking of events...
The Roller Girl Gang's calendar is already loaded up with a whole slew of exciting events, from their Sunset Skates on the Bodington Playing Fields that will carry on through the summer to one-off events like their Whole-Track Sunday, which will see the Gang take over Bodington for an entire afternoon of skating, workshops and fun.
The one event you should not miss is this year's Worldwide Rollout Day. Initiated by skating Instagram sensation @SkatefantaCee just a few years ago, July 11 is meant as a call to action, bringing communities and people together.
On that day, Roller Girl Gang will descend on Sovereign Square and skate around some of Leeds' most renowned landmarks, such as:
- Briggate
- Waterloo Palace
- the Royal Armouries
- Leeds Playhouse
- Millennium Square
Don't count on this being just a straight shot around these installations; there will be plenty of detours and sideshows along the way. It's going to be a fun but long evening so it's best you bring snacks and water, as no refreshment stops are planned.
Oh, and if you wanted to refresh your skating skills before heading out on any of these or other events the Roller Girl Gang has planned, you could join their in-person classes, online classes or one-off workshops.
We scoured all of Cardiff's skate centres and couldn't find such a deal!
Skate with Leeds Roller Derby
For some reason, it seems that women are far more invested in skating than are men in Leeds. The Leeds Roller Derby attests to that. Of course, appearances are deceiving; roller derbies are contested by male and female skaters alike but Leeds' roller derby team is all-female.
Roller derby is a contact sport in which one team attempts to skate more laps than the other by blocking the opposing team while skating around the blocks that their opponents throw up. It's one of the few sports that call for simultaneous offensive and defensive play.
Leeds Roller Derby is celebrating its 10th anniversary; a part of their longevity was spent as rival clubs until they merged in 2016.
Well aware that derbying is not for everyone, this Derby allocates a portion of their time to teaching beginners how to skate and, should those students want to progress into competitive skating, there are lessons for that, too.
Note that, if you are a competitive skater and would like to take part in a roller derby, they welcome guest skaters every so often.
If you enjoy the vibe this group of skaters gives off and want to continue hanging out with them but don't want to derby, you could become a derby official - either a referee or a scorekeeper.
Some roller derby teams in London offer the same deal.
Parks for Roller Skating
As mentioned in this article's introduction, Leeds prides itself on its many parks and green spaces. All of them, from the 62-mile Leeds Country Way to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal offer cyclists, walkers and skaters lots of choices when it comes to getting their skate on.
And let's not forget the cityscape. After all, if the Roller Girl Gang can make regular forays into those public spaces, so can individual skaters.
Leodensians know all about these potentials for skating and they're rightfully proud of them. If fact, even if you're not (yet) a skater, you've likely seen plenty of people with wheeled boots on, enjoying the freedom of gliding along with the wind in their hair.
You may be less familiar with skateparks so, now, let's talk about this type of skating venue that recreational roller skaters might have shied away from in the past.
There's a good reason for that. Typically, these parks are designed primarily for skateboarding, rollerblading and BMX biking. That tide is turning, though, and skateparks are becoming more inclusive. Their design now incorporates features meant for roller skaters as well as wheelchair skaters.
In Leeds, THE skatepark to go to is LS-TEN.
It's hard to know where to start in describing this amazing facility. From the outside, it looks like an abandoned warehouse but that impression is soon replaced by the awe you will feel when you first behold its meticulously laid out, fantastically maintained interior.
LS-TEN has something for everyone.
Experienced skateboarders and skaters can whizz down the... they have everything any skatepark enthusiast could dream of and more. If you're not that experienced or a complete novice - or the parent of a young child who wants to learn how to skate and/or trick on their scooter, the LS-TEN gang offers lessons.
Even their café is remarkable!
Pay As You Feel is a project meant to curb food waste that started in 2013. It involves collecting surplus food from surrounding outlets and creating a menu with what's on hand. That means, of course, that the menu will change from day to day but this team still strives to cater to special dietary needs.
And the price? You can take your cue from the projects name: pay however much you feel the meal is worth. Note, though, that the café charges for drinks, just as any other eatery would.
It's almost a shame that we saved LS-TEN for the last segment - or was it the best idea? We could continue gushing about all of the wonderful features this amazing skatepark has to offer but we need to head to Brighton, to check out the skating scene there.
When you visit LS-TEN or any of these skating ventures, won't you let us know what you liked the most about them?
Find roller skating near me here on Superprof.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
