Residents in one of Leeds’ most deprived areas have said it’s “lovely” and “like a village”.
The Hunslet and Riverside ward ranks as one of the most deprived areas in the country, according to Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Leeds City Council’s Leeds Observatory said the majority of residents living there are living in the “most deprived fifth” of the city in 2018.
Locals and business owners have admitted the area has its issues and lack of footfall at the shops – but have hailed the friendly community that lights up their day. They spoke of the “chatty, friendly” vibe of the community and have said it’s close-knit with many of the residents knowing each other by name.
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Malcolm and Lynn Ratcliffe, both 73, have lived in the area since 1977. Over time, they’ve seen the area change vastly with the area redeveloped to suit modern living, while losing some of the old “character” of the former back-to-back neighbourhood.
Church Street, Hunslet -Credit:Samuel Port
Lynn said: “It’s lovely. It’s like a village, everybody knows everybody else which is nice. Coming from Batley, it’s a lot friendlier.”
Malcolm said: “I’ve watched a lot of Hunslet get knocked down and get rebuilt into flats. A lot of public has been lost, a lot of character has been lost, unfortunately. Everybody used to live in backdoors, and someone’s backdoor would lead to somebody’s front door.”
Barbers Honar Ali and Zee Rahman -Credit:Samuel Port
Honar Ali, 36, has owned Five Star Barbers, in Church Street, since 2021. He spoke of how chatty the locals are – but says it takes getting to know people and developing a relationship over time.
Honar said: “People who know us, they’re loyal, they keep coming back and things go absolutely fine. They all know us because we’ve been here for a while. We’ve got that sort of a connection.”
Barber Zee Rahman, 25, said: “It’s good. We’ve never had any trouble or any headaches. The people are nice, down to earth and chatty.”
Beautician Dawn Saunders -Credit:Samuel Port
Honar, who is originally from Kurdistan, said he has found people in the area very accepting of people from different backgrounds. He said: “I’ve not had any trouble of any kind. As long as you are respecting the rules in the country, wherever you are. If you blend yourself in to the environment you’re in, things go well for you.”
Dawn Saunders, who co-owns Quintessential Hair Beauty and Tanning, in Church Street, has also lived in the area for a long time. Dawn has been working as a beautician in the area for around 30 years.
Hunslet Library -Credit:Samuel Port
Dawn said: “I don’t think the footfall is the same as it used to be. It’s a little bit sad, really. We need things to bring people down here, again. It’s just like loads of charity shops, and that. I don’t know what we need, really, but it is definitely quieter than it used to be.”
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