YEP Readers' Panel confirm Leeds hasÂ what it takes to be culture capital

Bid backers Cluny Macpherson, head of culture and sport at Leeds City Council, Northern Ballet dancers Tom Holdsworth and Hannah Bateman as well as Bollywood dancer Deeba Amin

"We're Leeds and we're proud of it" was YEP's coverage message as the city submitted its bid to become European Capital of Culture 2023.

High-profile figures from fields including arts, music, education, sport and business all backed the bid to join Berlin, Paris and Madrid as cultural capitals, support echoed here by our reader panelists.

Joanne St Lawrence

The re-designed, open plan city centre is ideal for cultural activities and the council certainly excelled in delivering the cycling Grand Depart which was greatly admired by everybody including the French organisers. We have excellent theatre venues, good parking and public transport access and a great variety of restaurants and cafes. Bring it on!

Jim Kirk

Leeds is a vibrant, progressive city with a diverse community that creates a modern cultural phenomena worthy of special honour.

Liz Goodwill

Leeds has a very diverse culture, many excellent museums, a great art/sculpture gallery, the theatres are second to none, and many excellent diverse restaurants.

Dean Fallows

Yes, of course, Leeds has what it takes to be the European Capital of Culture. It’s diverse, vibrant, ever changing and very welcoming to all. Those of us who live in around Leeds already know this, but you do not just have to take our word for it. The Lonely Planet named Leeds as one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2017. Enough said!

Dennis Appleyard

Obviously it is a great idea but will we be disqualified post-Brexit? Any attention that the great city of Leeds receives it deserves and is welcome.

Golam Kibria

Yes, Leeds definitely has got many cultural aspects to become the European City of Culture in 2023. The vibrant multicultural communities of Leeds from different ethnic backgrounds have made this great city so colourful ! It's great thing in Leeds that every culture here is celebrated with huge enthusiasm. For example, the carnival, the vaishakhi, the eid, the pujas. All these social and cultural events are tremendously contributing towards the enrichment of Leeds life.

Come and join our Community Forum: if you’re over 18, and live or work in Leeds, email [email protected] with your name, age, occupation and interests.