For lots of gardeners it is the Spring and Summer months that bring the most reward after hours of caring and preening result in beautiful flowers, bountiful shrubs and immaculate lawns.

For many people though, Winter is a time when we try to make plants just stay alive and leave them until Spring. All it takes though is a little investment to capitalise on your outside space all year long.

Keep leaves cleared during winter visits, good garden hygiene helps reduce diseases. Decomposing leaves and other debris on hard standing will supply enough nutrients for weeds to self- seed in cracks, grow and then spread – they can also make paths slippery.

Weeds will continue to grow during a mild winter, ensure all borders are weed  free to allow border plants to grow in spring.

Wrapping pots in bubble wrap can protect against the frost, and horticultural fleece can keep vulnerable plants safe – using twine can help protect your garden against the wind and cloches can protect your plants and help things grow when the temperatures drop, but keep them somewhere protected from the wind like a wall, edge of a building or hedge.

If you have a greenhouse then this is the best way to keep plants warm and safe.

Some plants are dormant during the winter months but as long as soil is not frozen or waterlogged then these plants can be re-planted before they ‘wake-up’ in spring.

Lawn seed can be applied in winter as grass grows above 5 degrees.

Winter is a good time to dig a new border, leave soil in clumps – the winter rain and frost will help it break down naturally – this will also expose any pests to natural predators and the cold. Checking your soils PH levels is crucial, especially if you are a regular compost user (this can gradually increase the acidity of soil and throw levels off).

Digging over vegetable plots or preparing new ones can also be done during the winter months – cabbage, watercress, beetroot and other hearty plants and herbs are perfect to grow through the winter months.

In winter you are seeing your garden in its bare bones, and what repairs are needed  - leaky shed roofs, loose paving, blown down fences – this is the time of year to do these tasks.

While it may seem obvious in the winter months , most people often neglect to clean their decking, but this is the most cost effective way of maintaining its longevity – tackle any debris, moss or mould that may have formed on the top of the decking by sweeping repeatedly until clear, then go-ahead and wash using a hosepipe or better still a pressure washer.

To keep it looking its best protect your decking once a year using a decking protector, decking stain or decking oil – this will absorb any water, creating a translucent, water-proof layer. Decking stain comes in a variety of colours, and as well  as weatherproofing the wood will make the decking look fantastic.

So now your garden is ready for the winter months, and the work you have done in preparation will ensure a beautiful garden in Spring

If you are looking for a property with beautiful gardens then Bramhope and Adel certainly have properties that tick all the boxes, and if you are thinking of selling in the New Year and would like a free market appraisal call David Phillip estate agents on 01134 676 400

W: davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds road, Bramhope, Leeds  e: info@davidphillip.co.uk

Recently, the Government announced that as Part of the Covid-19 Plan B, that where possible employees shouId be working from home again where possible.

In today’s busy working world, the distance from home to work can often be a long and difficult commute.

The impact of driving to work can also eat into your working day, whilst also impacting on the environment – home working can reduce your carbon footprint with car emissions as well as saving travelling expenses.

Today you do not necessarily need to physically go to work, you just work regardless of the location, and as long as you have the right environment in which to work, supported by the best technology and it works well for you as well as for the company you are employed by then this can be a viable alternative as long as it doesn’t impact on the Customer experience

If you are a small business then, working from home can also provide the advantage of not paying hefty business charges too.

So how do you make this transition from travelling to work to arriving straight to your ‘desk’ which can be a bit jarring first thing on a morning! - go straight to your ‘ to-do’  list and by starting first thing, this can be much more effective than starting with breakfast and allowing the morning sluggishness to set in  – have your breakfast mid-morning when you are ready for a break

Structure your day like you would  a working one (pretend you are actually going to work), working from home means you are your own personal manager, but try to segment what you do over the course of the day, and don’t feel guilty if you take a break!

Take advantage of morning hours to plough through meaty projects without any distractions, and leave calls and virtual meetings for the afternoon, having uninterrupted time can help with higher productivity, and modern technology means you can still attend meetings albeit in a virtual way .

Find out what music motivates you for different tracks, this can help if you have been used to having  noise from an office in the background.

If you work from home, but have other members of the family around then maybe they need reminding that just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you are ‘home’, as it is easy to get distracted by things going on around you.

Put a loose definitive ‘finishing time’ in each day – you would if you had a train to catch, and try not to let your work life bleed into your home life – a boundary for both areas is important

Choose a dedicated work space, this provides you with a place where you specifically ‘ work’, it might be a local coffee shop, table or chair, but you may want to create a room within your home that provides a place to work

• It could be the extra bedroom that you don’t use, bedrooms tend to have good natural light as well as overhead lighting, and usually there is some sort of wardrobe that can be used for storage
• If you don’t have space below, then maybe you have space above such as an attic, this can provide enough distance from the main relaxing area of the home , but can also provide an area of peace and quiet
• Always wanted a library at home, then this may make sense to turn this area into somewhere you would want to work too.

If you are thinking of selling your home and your property has a designated study, then this is a key factor for people looking to buy, this can also add a price premium to your property too.

So if you are considering selling your home – and January is a great time for marketing, call now for a free market appraisal with David Phillip FRICS on 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds

As an exceptionally busy 2021 draws to a close, the prediction from Rightmove is that it expects a closer to normal though still busy market in 2022.

One sign of the traditional norm is the continuation of the seasonal fall in the price of property coming to market, down by 0.7% compared to a 0.6% fall this time last year.

Rightmove state that house prices are forecast to rise by another 5% in 2022, however some of the edge will be taken off sellers’ pricing power by increasingly stretched buyer affordability, and more buyer choice boosted by previously hesitant sellers now gearing up for a New Year move. This would be quite timely, as most agents are seeing fully available stock for sale at a record low. Promisingly, requests from homeowners to estate agents to have their home valued are 19% up on this time a year ago, indicating that much-needed buyer choice will be coming to the market in the New Year.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s Director  of Property Data commented “the kind of frenzied market we’ve seen in the last 18 months happens only a few times in most home-owners ‘buying and selling’  lifetimes, exacerbated by the even rarer event of a global pandemic, pushing homes higher up most people’s priorities. While the pandemic is still having an ever-changing impact as we head into the New Year, we expect a housing market moving closer to normal during the course of 2022”.

Owners who come to market in the next few months and are judged by prospective buyers to be asking an affordable price, will therefore find their chances of a successful sale very high. That will put those sellers looking to buy again in a very powerful position to secure their next purchase, where they could well be in competition with several other buyers. Being a ‘power buyer’ who has sold subject to contract or can buy without selling has increasingly become a requirement this year and will continue to be the case in 2022. Proving you have access to funds, including a mortgage agreement in principle is also becoming a ‘must-have’, not only to get higher up the pecking order, but also to speed up the process.

A sign of the property market’s frenetic activity is that seven out of ten properties on Rightmove are sold subject to contract – this number has never been higher and with two months of data yet to be reported, 2021 has already seen the highest level of completed home sales since 2007.

David Phillip commented, some sellers are already gearing up to selling their homes in the New Year which starts with the Boxing Day Bounce on Rightmove and continues through January. However, despite high demands, buyers will have limits to what they are expected to pay, and with the availability of stock so low, any property that hangs around will stick out like a sore thumb – setting too high an asking price, may seem a good idea at the time, but in the long term this could have an adverse effect on your property sale. At David Phillip Estate Agents, we price realistically but competitively, this gets more people looking around the property and therefore more people likely to offer, generally resulting in an ‘over asking price’ sale”

Yorkshire and Humberside continue to perform well according to Rightmove at plus 0.3% v the previous month and plus 6.1% v the previous year, with an average of 36 days to sell.

So if you are looking to sell and take advantage of what has been forecast as a buoyant January call David Phillip FRICS for a free market appraisal on 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds.

Illumination Street is an annual event that celebrates the passion, flair and effort that people across Britain undertake to brighten up their streets in the build-up to Christmas. It’s cold outside but gardens can still dazzle all through winter. And festive displays give streets a huge lift on gloomy nights, shining a festive light on spectacular shrubs and trees. 

A decade ago, it was just a few hardy souls who went wild for Christmas. But with the advent of inexpensive, reliable LED lighting, gardens up and down the country are transformed into attention-grabbing winter wonderlands throughout December. We want to celebrate the best displays across Britain, from those dedicated home owners who raise money for charities, to others who just want to make their streets sparkle. These displays can really brighten up communities as the nights draw in – and anything that encourages an inclusive community experience through their garden lighting displays is a good thing. 

The aim of Illumination Street is to inspire adults and children to use their imagination and light up the country during the festive season.  

If you look around the streets there are some beautiful Christmas Decorations in the Leeds area. Such as Bramhope, Adel, Cookridge and Pool-in-Wharfedale. 

If you are considering selling your home, we can arrange to have your property photos taken before the Christmas decorations go up for marketing at the beginning of 2022 – remember Rightmove see the greatest audience traffic on Boxing Day and in January. 

For a free market appraisal with David Phillip FRICS call 01134 676 400. 

 W:davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds. E: info@davidphillip.co.uk 

At David Phillip Estate Agents we are currently keeping a very close eye on Government advice around the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, which may be more transmissible than Delta, but there are still many unknowns at play.

Our business has been designed to ensure everything is ‘cloud-based’ which means most interactions can be handled remotely. We are still able to have visits in our offices but are asking that all visitors wear facemasks as we will be doing.

It is really important that we keep our customers and employees safe at all times so please see below an update regarding our protocol for viewings and valuations

Viewings

Initially we recommend that all viewings should be conducted via 3D virtual tours from the comfort and safety of your home – if you are interested in potentially making an offer on a property then we will follow up with a ‘physical’ viewing.

All viewings will take place by appointment and only involve members of a single household, with no more than two people from the same household. Unfortunately we ask that children do not attend the viewing.

When viewing the property we ask that you wear a face mask and use hand sanitiser.

If you would please avoid touching door handles, stair bannisters and work surfaces during the viewing, these will have been wiped down prior to the viewing for your protection. We will also be following the guidelines around PPE .

We will keep our distance whilst undertaking all viewings and stand side by side rather than face to face.

We recommend that all owners of properties stay outside the property whilst the viewing is taking place.

When viewings are unaccompanied both the viewers and the homeowner should conduct themselves in the way we advise to ensure the safety of all parties.

Once the viewing has taken place the homeowner should ensure that surfaces such as door handles, bannisters and work-surfaces are cleaned with standard household cleaning products and if towels have been provided these should be washed or disposed of safely

To ensure everyone’s safety, we will not be carrying out physical viewings if:-

• Someone in your household has shown symptoms of Covid-19 or been in self- isolation
• There is someone living in the property classed as ‘at risk’ – please see Government guidelines

Valuations

We are comfortably able to conduct ‘physical’ valuations, but do have the option of conducting virtual valuations too if you prefer . If you decide to market your property with us then we will follow this up with a ‘physical’ valuation to re-assess the price of the property.

During the valuation we will keep our distance as recommended and stand side by side rather than face to face.

We request that you stay outside the property during the valuation if possible – or remain in one room.

All internal doors should be left open prior to the valuation and door handles, work surfaces and stair bannisters should be thoroughly cleaned prior to the visit

Once the valuation has taken place the homeowner should ensure surfaces such as door handles are cleaned with standard household cleaning products and towels disposed of safely or washed where appropriate.

We will leave you with a marketing pack for your information – we will than follow-up with a call to answer any questions.

To ensure everyone’s safety we will not carry out physical valuations if:-

• Someone in your household has shown symptoms of Covid-19 or has been in self- isolation
• There is someone living in the property classed as ‘at risk’ – please see Government guidelines

Thank you for following these guidelines, at David Phillip Estate Agents your safety is a priority us.

Cyber Monday 2021 falls on Monday 29th November. 

Cyber Monday is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, an online-focused extension of Black Friday that can be a brilliant opportunity to scoop up deals, discounts and offers from a variety of retailers ahead of Christmas. 

And much like the Black Friday deals, you can expect price drops on all types of gear, including many of the best smartphones of the year, some of the best tablets on the market – and likely we’ll see Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals, too. 

Make no mistake: browsing the internet during Cyber Monday will be confusing, overwhelming and may quickly leave you in a daze. Are you actually getting a good deal? Do you really need a new 75-inch TV? What store is best? Deal-hunting is a bit of an art – so here are some of the key points to consider: 

1. Do your homework: It’s advised to have a rough plan in place before hitting the websites. Make a list of what you are actually looking for. If a new TV is your priority, look at some models beforehand (and don’t miss our best TV to buy guide) and then create a wishlist. Your dream model may come down on Cyber Monday. Try not to buy an item just because it’s discounted. 
2. Compare pricing: Before buying everything in your online basket, do a quick search of the other retailers’ websites because they may be undercutting the price of an item. Most will aggressively price-match, but Amazon especially is known for going under its rivals. Make use of the CamelCamelCamel price tracker, which shows you the gull price history of an Amazon product. 
3. Pause, and take a breath: It’s easy to get caught up in the moment or feel a strange type of pressure when so many items are discounted. Perhaps you get a dose of FOMO. If you are at all concerned about spending too much of your money – or that you are buying too many items you don’t actually need – take time away from the computer and come back with fresh eyes. 
4. Use social media and newsletters: Most retailers will tease upcoming sales on Twitter and Instagram accounts, so it’s advised to follow them ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In addition, the majority of stores will have mailing lists or newsletters that promote upcoming events or discounts. Why not take advantage of them now and consider checking out our newsletter, which will showcase some of the latest tech deals as they are released. 

Best Cyber Monday offers: 

• Amazon Cyber Monday sale: Like Black Friday and its own Prime Day sales event, Amazon will be one of the big players on Cyber Monday this year – with discounts likely for smart speakers like the Amazon Echo Dot, the Ring doorbell series, and its Fire HD tablet range. But that’s not all. Expect drops on TVs, audio, fitness trackers, laptops and much more. 

• Currys Cyber Monday sale: Currys is likely to be one of the biggest competitors to Amazon and will be a hotbed of deals on tech gear, including phones, TVs, smartwatches, laptops, fitness trackers, home projectors, gaming consoles, cameras, and tablets. Keep in mind that Currys always makes a keen effort to price-match with other major retailers. 

• John Lewis Monday sale: John Lewis is likely to offer some great discounts on tech during this year’s Cyber Monday and is known for dropping the price tags on smartphones, tablets, home appliances and high-end TVs. The store has a well-regarded approach to customer service, and like Currys, will use a price-matching scheme to help rival Amazon. 

• Very Cyber Monday sale: The retailer Very has a wide variety of tech products on its website and is likely to be another player in Cyber Monday in 2021. It routinely gets involved in sale events, and this Black Friday/Cyber Monday will probably be no different – offering solid discounts on TVs, smartphones, laptops, headphones, smart home tech and cameras. 

More and more people are now doing shopping online, and at David Phillip Estate Agents we are also offering more online options too. 

Take a look at our 3d vitual tours and area videos – viewing properties in North Leeds from the comfort of your armchair has never been easier.  

People buy an area not just a home – have a look at our local area videos – we are not just about static marketing and literature. 

If you are looking to book a viewing or arrange a valuation with David Phillip Estate Agents then this can all be done online too 

December is potentially a great time for selling your home, there tend to be fewer properties on the market which can often result in higher prices and a quicker sale. If you would like a free-market appraisal call David Phillip FRICS on 01134 676 400  

W:davidphillip.co.uk e: info@davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds.  

Leeds has a wealth of places which are offering festive party menus on the run up to Christmas and Christmas Day menus for the big day itself. 

Here are some of the best places to explore: 

• The Roundhay Fox has a Festive Menu, which runs from 26th November until 29th December, alongside a Christmas Day menu which includes 3 courses for £56.95. The Festive Menu includes everything from the classic roast turkey with all the trimmings to a range of seafood. This pub is also open on Christmas Day, offering four courses for £75.95. 

• Browns is offering a Festive Menu and a Christmas Day menu, both of which include a roast breast of turkey, with chestnut & cranberry stuffing and red wine gravy. The Christmas Day menu offers 5 courses for £74.95.
• Kendells Bistro offers a Christmas Party Menu with dinner for £32.90 and lunch for £27.90. Dishes include breast of turkey with chestnut & sage seasoning and calvados gravy. 

• Brasserie Blancs Christmas Day lunch includes a whopping eight for £95 per person and starts with a chilled glass of Bucks Fizz. 

• The Lamb & Flag offers a Christmas Dining menu with 2 courses for £26.95pp and 3 courses for £32.95pp. The Christmas Day menu includes a range of starters, mains and desserts for 70pp.  

• Tuana, Adel offers a Christmas Party Menu with 3 courses and a welcome Bellini cocktail for £23.99. The Christmas Day menu includes a range of starters, mains, and desserts. The prices vary, adults cost £49.99, Children cost £26.99 and under 2’s eat for free! 

• Gusto, Cookridge offers a range of amazing options, such as the Festive Lunch which includes a 3-course meal for only £21.95, a Festive Evening, which includes a 3-course meal for £29.95 and a 4 course Christmas Day menu for £79.95. 

• The Fox and the Hound, Bramhope has a delicious 2 or 3 course menus, which oozes festive flavours combining all things traditional along with some new and original dishes. Their Christmas menu will run from Friday 26th of November to Friday 24th of December 2021 alongside our normal menu. 2 courses – £22.95, 3 courses – £27.95. 

• The White Hart, Pool-in-Wharfedale offers a festive menu, which is available from the 18th November to 30th December (excluding Christmas Day and Boxing Day), their Classic, Indulgent and Extra Special Festive Menus are the perfect treat for you and your friends and family during the most wonderful time of the year. The kid’s festive menu, which consists of three courses costs £11.95. Three premium courses with a glass Freixenet Prosecco, Italian Sparkling Rosé, Peroni (draught or bottle) or a House Soda on arrival, and Green & Black’s chocolate to finish costs £33.95. Three premium courses, including a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne, Peroni (draught or bottle) or a House Soda and Breads & Olives on arrival, with Green & Black’s chocolate and a Cocktail to finish, costs £48.95. Their Christmas classic menu costs £75.95, the Christmas special menu costs £91.95 and the Kids Christmas menu costs £39.50. 

• Heaney Mill, Leeds offers a mouth-watering 3 Course Festive Menu for £34.95 per person. They also have a festive Dine at home Christmas Menu, which you can order on their website. Childrens 3 course dine at home portion costs £25 and Adults 5 course dine at home menu costs £49.95. 

December is potentially a great time for selling your home, there tend to be fewer properties on the market which can often result in higher prices and a quicker sale. If you would like a free-market appraisal call David Phillip FRICS on 01134 676 400  

W:davidphillip.co.uk e: info@davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds. 

Think Christmas is a quiet time for a property search? – think again. Every year Rightmove’s traffic at least doubles between Christmas Day and early January.

In January 2021, visits compared to the previous year were up by 30% year on year and on January 4^th 2021 there were over 6 million visits on Rightmove.

Boxing Day also has a huge spike with viewing figures up by 54% year on year

If you want to take advantage of this huge spike in buyers then now is the time to start getting your home market ready.

At David Phillip Estate Agents we use lots of clever techniques and some of the best technology to ensure your home is marketed to its full potential in the dark months of winter:-

• 3D virtual tours means your property can be viewed 24/7 by a potential buyer from the comfort of an armchair, your property is always show-home ready too.
• Local area videos showcase Bramhope and the surrounding areas. Filmed in summer and showing the lovely surrounding countryside, local shops and the community. At David Phillip Estate Agents it is more than just buying a home, people buy the area too.
• Using Hi-Viz for sale boards, your property board is reflective in the dark – working 24/7 for you especially now the nights are longer
• Most agents use floor plans but we use site maps too which means that when your property is viewed online potential buyers can see the size of the outside space which is not always easy to see when the nights are dark.
• We have a relevant and fresh database of people looking to buy properties in the Bramhope area..
• Your home could be marketed as a premium listing on Rightmove and we also use the On the Market, Boomin and Zoopla portals too to ensure your home reaches the greatest audience, our heavy use of social media will mean you are engaging with a greater audience too.

So,  if you are looking to sell in January and keen to reach the Rightmove spike straight after Christmas, when families are generally together and thinking about their plans for the next year, start thinking about the marketing now and call David Phillip Estate Agents for a free market appraisal t: 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk  e: info@davidphillip.co.uk  a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope.

If you are thinking of marketing your home, then making sure that it has great kerb appeal is really important. In December your garden will not be as photogenic as in summer, but there are ways you can make your property look more inviting – Christmas wreaths are a great way, as well as some sparking Christmas lights. 

Wreaths are a popular Christmas decoration, adorning homes around the world throughout the festive period. Making your own Christmas wreath is a fun and rewarding craft project, giving you the chance to create something completely unique to decorate your home with. 

What You’ll Need: 

• Gloves 
• Thin wire bent into a large circle 
• Thin twine or gardening wire 
• Evergreen foliage (ivy, conifers and spruce all work well) 
• Decorative berries, flowers, pinecones, and extra foliage such as moss 

Instructions  

1. Take your evergreen foliage and begin to twist it around the metal circle. Wrapping the stem of the leaves around the metal wire, try and keep the end of the leaves facing outwards. Tie in place using the twine or gardening wire and continue around the circle until you have covered the wire in leaves. You may need to tie each stem in a few different places depending on how long each piece is.
2. Depending on how thick your evergreen foliage is, you may want to go back around the wire 2 or 3 times, ensuring the metal is completely covered. Overlap the stems so that the leaves of one are covering the bare stem of another.
3. Take your extra foliage and begin to add it in between the evergreen leaves. Moss works particularly well at bulking out your wreath. You can now add flowers to inject colour and brighten up the greenery. Keep securing these extra pieces with a single wrap of wire.
4. Finally, finish your wreath with berries or pinecones, for a seasonal touch. Try spray painting your pinecones, in gold, silver or fake snow to add even more festive spirit to your wreath!

Now all you need to do is find the perfect spot to hang your new wreath! If you’ve used fresh foliage, hanging your wreath outside will help it keep for about 4 weeks. If you hang a fresh wreath inside, it will last approximately 2 weeks – although this will vary depending on which type of foliage you’ve used. 

If using foliage isn't quite your thing, why not have a go at making this simple painted and embellished wreath for a quick and easy festive activity? You could even make a whole bunch of these adorable wreaths and string them together with ribbon to create a unique garland. 

Our friends at Lilys of Bramhope has spaces available for their Christmas Wreath workshop on Monday 29th November for those who want to learn from experts and socialise with others in a fun creative environment.

December is potentially a great time for selling your home, there tends to be fewer properties on the market which can often result in higher prices and a quicker sale. If you would like a free-market appraisal call David Phillip FRICS on 01134 676 400  

W:davidphillip.co.uk e: info@davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds. 

Christmas is the both the most wonderful time of the year and the busiest! To help you plan which events are perfect for your family, we’ve rounded up the top Christmas events and activities in Yorkshire.  Our list includes the best Santa experience, festive train rides and Christmas markets you won’t want to miss! 

Chow Down Winter Village. 11th Nov – 31st Dec, Temple Arches. Your favourite outdoor food experience is having a festive makeover. 

Christmas at Harewood. 13th Nov – 3rd Jan 

Celebrate the festive season at Harewood. Delve into a voyage of the imagination with Lord Whitney’s fantastic Upon a Christmas Wish installations in the House. Take a magical walk around the Lakeside Path, twinkling with festoon lights. Let the kids run free and explore the Woodland Wonderland and Adventure Playground, and see the Terrace Gardens beautifully decorated with sparkling lights and giant Christmas trees. Visit the Bird Garden and see how the animals are preparing for Christmas! You can even spend a winter evening exploring the house after dark. 

THOR’s Tipi. 19th Nov – 2nd Jan 

Celebrate Christmas in a Viking inspired, pop-up tipi bar nestled in the heart of the city! Once inside you’ll find cosy log fires, twinkling lights & Christmas cheer in abundance. Outside you can enjoy the Winter garden with Christmas trees, atmospheric lights and outdoor heating. Feast on wholesome Winter fodder, from outdoor BBQ’s, washed down with the best Ales, Mulled Wine, Hot Cider, Hot Chocolate, Prosecco and much more. 

Leeds Wheel of Light. 19th Nov – 1st Jan  

Looking for the best views of the city? Take a ride on the Big Wheel and enjoy the breath-taking views of Leeds! Located in Victoria Gardens, the 110ft Wheel will open on Friday 19th November and run right through until New Year’s Day. 

Carousel. 19th Nov – 1st Jan 

The dazzling Golden Gallopers will take centre stage on the new events plaza on Cookridge St between 19th Nov and 1st Jan. The traditional carousel ride, thought to have begun its remarkable life back in 1881, has captivated thousands of families in Leeds over many years at Millennium Square and is sure to remain a popular Leeds Winter Favourite! 

Briggate Tipi. Mid Nov to end Dec 

NEW Briggate Pop-up Tipi, with Christmas themed decorations, family café and seating. You can bring your own food and drink so why not make use of the stalls and street food vendors around the city. Mid-November to end December 10am to 8pm Mon-Sat, 11am to 5pm Sun. 

Ice Rink and Igloo Bar in Millennium Square. 26th Nov – 24th Dec 

Millennium Square will be transformed into a winter wonderland with an ice rink and Igloo Bar opening from the 26th of November and also new for this year are pop-up market stalls and a free festive themed family trail located around key locations across the city centre. The traditional Carousel returns to the newly created public space on Cookridge Street. 

Christmas at Temple Newsam. 26th Nov – 2nd Jan 

After Dark illuminated trail through the grounds. Discover sparkling tunnels of light, walk under giant baubles and beneath the trees illuminated in Christmas colours. For a moment of reflection, pause at mesmerising, flickering flames in the fire garden, gaze at the specially chosen illuminations and glimpse Father Christmas along the way! 

The Christmas Experience at Lotherton. 27th Nov – 2nd Jan 

The Christmas Experience at Lotherton returns this year, with Santa and his elves ready to welcome visitors. BRAND NEW for 2021 is the Festive Woodland Walk which will include larger than life Christmas traditions including interactive elements for all of the family to enjoy. Families are invited to come on down to the elven bivouac to meet Santa and the elves under the magical wishing tree for stories and elf tales. Gather reindeer food for Rudolf and post a letter to Santa before finally meeting the main man himself outside Santa’s Cabin. You can also join the elves and Mrs Claus for Christmas crafts and Gingerbread decorating. Then take a walk through the magical, interactive festive woodland walk, visit the Wildlife World with the playful penguins, flamingos and many more and see the house in all its Christmas glory.  There is even a shorter Santa experiences for pre-schoolers every weekday. Tickets and more information available here. 

Harewood: Father Christmas Family experience. 4th & 5th, 11th & 12th, 18th – 23rd Dec 

Make their Christmas magical with a private family visit to Father Christmas at Harewood from Saturday 4 December. This year he will be taking up residence in the historic Old Library, where twinkling lights and rich decoration make for a truly authentic experience. There will be storytelling and gifts to add a sprinkle of magic to all who visit. With each individual family group having their own short private audience with Father Christmas, tickets are limited for this unforgettable experience. Each child will receive a gift from Father Christmas and there will be an opportunity for a family photograph. 

The Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park. 20th Nov to 4th Jan 

What was once but a simple Christmas Tree shop, from this small acorn grew what came to be Stockeld Park’s most famous adventure season. Join Stockeld for Christmas fun, get active and discover large themed outdoor playgrounds within the beautiful woodland of Stockeld Park. Watch the Enchanted Forest come alive after dusk with their famous winter illuminations!  

November is potentially a great time for selling your home, there tend to be fewer properties on the market which can often result in higher prices and a quicker sale. If you would like a free market appraisal call David Phillip FRICS on 01134 676 400  

W:davidphillip.co.uk e: info@davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds