Leeds or London

Leeds lass Tina Walsh now works as a freelance journalist in London, having left Leeds some 15 years ago. We thought it might be interesting to get her to give us her opinion of the main differences between the two cities.

"Leeds may not yet be the faux Milan the folks at the Council would have us believe but neither is it the grim northern town famous only to outsiders for its football team and ageing, manky goths.

Barely a decade ago, the only reason a Londoner would have been seen dead in Leeds was to change trains at the station for his/her onward journey to somewhere more interesting. Now, they're being lured up north by the city's cutting-edge nightlife.

When I first moved to London almost 15 years ago, I remember one 'Cockney sparra' asking me - no irony intended - whether they 'have hot water in Leeds'.The only shocking thing is that I wasn't shocked. It was more or less a given to those south of Watford that anywhere north of said town was a vast, barren wasteland full of people with weird accents and pasty complexions from eating too many chips. If he asked the same question today you'd know he was either a) a moron, or b) couldn't read - Leeds' spectacular face-lift has been more than deserving of all those column inches it has inspired.

And what is it with the opening hours? On recent visits to Leeds I've been surprised to find myself still drinking in a bar at 1/2am. Try to do the same in London and you either have to head off to a club at closing time (which is not always good for the soul if you're the wrong side of 30) or blag your way into some private members' bar - if you know where to find one.

Then there are the people. It might be a cliche but they're definitely friendlier up north. Never interrupt a Londoner to ask directions - especially if they're on their way to work - you'll know this by the grim, despondent look on their faces. And if you're trying to negotiate a map, forget it. They'll cross the street rather than show you how to get to Trafalgar Square or Covent Garden.

Buying a property in London is still a nightmare for anyone who earns less than £50k a year and hasn't got a trust fund. But with Leeds having sold it's first million pound appartment recently, it looks like it might be catching up fast.

Of course, there's a reason why so many northeners head south, and it's not just to find a job. Nowwhere else in the UK will you find a city that can recreate London's buzz - walk through Soho at midnight and you can forgive all the grime, the £3.50 pints and the crap transport.

Most non-Londoners have a love/hate relationship with the capital. Once that the ratio swings more than 50% in favour of the 'hate' you know it's time to leave. But I think I'll be staying a while yet." - Tina Walsh