What’s next for Elland Road, a Leeds-Bradford tug of war and too much matrimony

Dear readers — today is a red letter day: it’s our first writer’s edition. That is, an edition written by one of the Exchange team — this time by me, Brad — with tidbits about what the writer is up to, how they’re spending their time and what they’re thinking about at the moment. It’s a bit looser than our usual journalism, but gives the reader a sense of what that writer’s version of the city is. That’s important because my version of West Yorkshire is probably very different to yours (unless you’re also a 31 year-old who grew up in Leeds and moved to Bradford, in which case, there may be some overlap).

But it’s also because we’re not huge fans of faceless journalism. Yes, we’ll do our utmost to give you an objective take on whatever we’re reporting on and avoid ‘putting the thumb on the scale’. But our journalism isn’t cranked out by bots, but people. And so perhaps it’s worth getting to know each other a little better. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this type of newsletter — drop me a comment after reading. 

Hi, Brad here. I'm one of the Exchange's small but mighty team and the one behind this very first writer's edition.

Today's article is exclusive for our 500+ paying members, where you can get to know me more. From a Leeds-Bradford corridor identity crisis, courtesy of my upbringing, to my adoration for Leeds United and pondering over Elland Road's redevelopment and its wider implications.

We're not egotistical, but we firmly believe you, our readers, should know who's behind the fantastic journalism we bring you. What makes us tick, where our passions lie and the back stories that underpin all that.

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Writer's edition: Brad Deas

What I’m thinking about: the Leeds-Bradford corridor

For the longest time, my life has felt like a tug of war between two powerful entities: Bradford and Leeds. I was born in Leeds General Infirmary and spent the first half a decade of life in a cute cul-de-sac in Calverley. Fast forward five years, we’d moved to Idle, just over the border in Bradford. But I kept attending the primary school in my old village, before moving onto Benton Park High School in Rawdon, on the Leeds side of the border again. This is what I now affectionately call the “Leeds-Bradford corridor”. Much subsequent yo-yo-ing took place after university (Idle—>Rawdon—>BD2), but I’ll save the deep dive for my memoir.