'It's a great place to visit' say Leeds Dock tourists, after Royal Armouries defends drop in visitors

It comes as a rebuttal to claims the Royal Armouries saw a 10% drop in visitors last year, despite other Leeds attractions seeing footfall increase year-on-year.

The Armouries blamed last summer’s unusually hot weather and the World Cup for the drop, adding numbers were otherwise on the up and that recent investment had hugely improved tourists’ experience.

Since then, the Yorkshire Evening Post has been out to speak to business owners and visitors to the Docks to see what they said, painting a very different picture to the original report of a plummet in figures.

“Business has been great this year” were the words from Leeds coffee roasters North Star, who are based next to the Armouries at The Boulevard, while one family on a day out claimed they spent “six hours” happily ambling around the museum.

But despite this, one tourist admitted the Dock had not had the publicity it merited as an attraction.

Previously known as Clarence Dock, Leeds Dock was taken over five years ago by private property development company Allied London, which also owns Manchester’s Spinningfields.

Businesses based there include North Star coffee shop, Primal Gym and the Nova Bakehouse.

Laurence Gamble, who is Assistant Manager at North Star, said: “This year, we have actually been busier. We are experiencing more people coming in now that we are more well-known.

“Our coffee is our speciality - I don’t know many places who serve up consistent high-quality coffee.”

Meanwhile, Primal founder Craig Megretton said the Dock was a great base due to the number of young professionals with sedentary jobs living in surrounding flats who relied on the gym to improve their fitness.

Craig said: “Most of the workers here are computer geeks - we want to convert them to more of a healthy lifestyle. After all, sitting is the new smoking.”

The gym even runs ‘Round the Dock’ bootcamps which helps get workers away from their desks at lunchtimes.

At the throne of The Boulevard meanwhile sits the Armouries, known across Leeds as one of the most important visitor attractions in the city.

Angela Daniel came from Cambridgeshire to visit the museum with her family.

She said: “We loved it - we arrived as the doors opened and were there for six hours”.

Angela’s sons Aaron and Lewis added: “Our favourite parts of the museum were the swords and the big guns!”

Lucie and Ben Hattersley had also travelled to Leeds to visit the museum with their daughter.

Ben said: “I’m from here, so this really is my childhood. I wanted to bring my daughter to see it.

“But they need to advertise Leeds Dock more. We brought a picnic - we had no idea there were all of these restaurants!”

Allied London defended reports of a drop in visitors, but admitted there were still buildings which had 'untapped potential'.

A spokeswoman said: "Today, we have a great portfolio of contemporary creative workspace, complemented by independent food and drink operators, a yoga studio, a progressive gym and the Royal Armouries Museum.

"Leeds Dock is proud to be home of eleven digital and tech companies, as well as Sky’s Digital HQ, whose building won the 2017 British Council for Offices Award for Innovation.

"We have over 1,800 residents, an on-site workforce in excess of 2,000, and work closely with key stakeholders and cultural partners such as the Lumen Prize, Light Night and the Royal Armouries to provide a programme of cultural events and activity across the estate and throughout the city.

"We’re committed to building on these successes and driving the future of Leeds Dock. The creative and media community will grow as our new spaces are created, which include floating workspace boats, an events platform on the water, and a new life for the buildings with untapped potential."