The Calls
The Calls is a riverside district in Leeds city centre, on the north bank of the River Aire, where old warehouses have been converted into flats, offices, hotels, bars and restaurants. The name is old; it has been linked to "callis", a medieval word for a path or passage, but its origin is uncertain.
In practice
The river was once Leeds's main trade route, connected to the Aire and Calder Navigation and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and the Calls was lined with warehouses and workshops. As the trade ended they fell empty, and from the 1980s onwards the area was among the first parts of the city to be redeveloped for living and leisure. Today it forms part of a waterfront that runs east to Leeds Dock, with riverside paths, footbridges and some of the city's best-known restaurants.
Why it matters to newcomers
The Calls is a central, walkable place to live or meet, close to the Corn Exchange and the station. Flats here are close to bars, so check the noise level before you sign.
Related
- Corn Exchange - a few minutes' walk away
- Snicket - the narrow lanes that lead down to the river
- Victoria Quarter - shopping across the centre
Source: Leeds City Council.