by Mel Blackwood @troubleon8wheels
"But there is no rink, so there is no point getting a pair of roller skates!"
True, for now. There is still no roller rink in Leeds. Over the last century though, there have been! Read about the history of roller rinks in Leeds here! We are working to build the community in Leeds, so that one day a dedicated roller skate space can be established. If you know someone who can support this goal, send them our way!
Indoor skate spaces
We hold classes and sessions for adults at the Ramgarhia Sikh Sports centre - these are weekly and we suggest you book ahead to avoid disappointment. We have different capacities for the various sessions we run, and many do sell out in advance.
We currently run our roller disco, called Friday Night Social, on Friday evenings and classes and workshops on Sunday afternoons. When weather permits we also offer outdoor meet-ups and roll outs. Please take a look at our list of sessions to see what is coming up.
Can't make our classes? You can get our new on-demand video classes here.
We also host an annual Valentine's Roller Skate Party (it feels posher than a roller disco) in Leeds Corn Exchange. We hold it in February as it coincides with our company birthday on February 14th! At these events, we skate around the shopping centre in the evening. It's a magical experience.
We are proud to offer sessions and classes that our participants tell us they feel safe to learn in. We have recruited a brilliant team of instructors to support you - they know how it feels to learn as an adult - and we have a fabulous crew of volunteer skate marshalls too, to look after your wellbeing at events.
Other indoor spaces for individuals or friends:
Consider hiring a badminton court to skate on at your local sports hall. It will be for private use - you won't be able to invite all your pals!
Some dance studios will allow you to roller skate.
The Dance Studio Leeds and Yorkshire Dance are two we have used.
The best way to meet other roller skaters is to carry your skates.
Outdoor Skate Spaces
Spaces that are accessible to you will depend on how confident you are.
Beginners look for quiet, flat, smooth spaces - these are the holy grail of skate spots, and you will usually need to compromise on something! We recommend taking a broom to sweep debris before you skate in Autumn, and avoid wet days outside, or you will need to quickly clean, dry and re-lubricate your bearings.
Bodington Fields Cycle Track offers traffic-free smooth skating. Check their timetable for a session called 'The Coffee Run' which is suitable for all non-cyclists. All track users must wear a helmet. We held weekly lessons here in 2021, and hold an annual Summer Skate Picnic here now. Our Summer Skate Picnic is a family friendly event.
Outdoor skate parks can offer smooth, flat ground, but be sure to stick to quieter times and other users won't enjoy you skating around the flat ground only if they are using the ramps. Be sure to read up about skate park etiquette before you go if you plan to use these spaces when it is busy.
Not all skate parks offer the smoothest ground either. Concrete skate parks offer the best choice - metal ramps sited on tarmac are better for larger wheels of bikes - our small wheels tend to get stuck - be prepared to step or jump over these so you don't trip!
Outdoor Skate parks in Leeds
Hyde Park (iconic space, can get busy, some flatground options and smaller obstacles)
Horsforth (some smooth parts, larger ramps)
Kippax (small and low level but smooth)
Garforth
Micklefield (transition that builds in size, smooth concrete)
Roundhay
Potternewton Park
Beeston
Hawksworth (great little park)
Rothwell (smooth concrete)
Morley
Woodlesford
Armley Park
The outdoor section of LS-TEN skate park is a private space, only accessible when the park is open, but super smooth and worth a visit.
Parks and Public Spaces
People will skate anywhere they can! Tennis courts are a good bet, just make sure you are not on private tennis club grounds. Roundhay Park, Potternewton Park and Middleton Park have tennis courts that have been upgraded in recent years. If folks do turn up to play tennis, make sure you share!
There are plenty of lovely cycle lanes around Leeds now that offer smooth ways to navigate the city. We suggest these are for more confident skaters, who are skilled at controlling their speed. If you are wanting to build up your confidence with hill skating, choose a time when the space is quieter and start at the bottom of the hill. Take shoes in a backpack so you can never be 'stuck'.
City centre - We've seen a huge amount of development in recent years and there are now lots of cycle paths that are smooth, though not necessarily flat, around Leeds city centre. If you are using these, please be aware of e-scooter and e-bike users as they come very fast and can surprise you. The development called Aire Park will be complete in 2024 and looks to offer a flat area. Currently the space close to The Tetley is one of the flattest. We also like the wide pavement near Leeds College of Building at Sheaf Street, as well as parts of Leeds Dock and along the canal towards Kirkstall.
East Leeds Orbital Route - this traffic free pavement and cycle path is a lovely way to spend an afternoon or evening. It is set away from the road so is child friendly too. The gentler sloping end is between the A64 and A58, as you head towards The Springs, the path becomes more of a roller coaster! Check out our video below.
Please take care of yourself and your belongings if you are skating in public spaces. We strongly recommend you never leave belongings unattended and always take your shoes.
We encourage roller skaters to be respectful of others in public spaces. This may be common sense you think, but we have seen plenty of roller skaters scaring members of the public, dogs or horses because they are screaming and out of control. Help us give roller skaters a good name!
Roller Skate Map
We are building a skate map for roller skaters in the UK!
We need this resource, as cycle tracks are not always smooth tarmac, sometimes they are gravel! Help skaters looking for spaces near you and visiting skaters find decent places to skate.
You can view the map and submit a spot by following the link here.
Other Skate Groups in Leeds
There are plenty of other groups that offer indoor roller skate sessions in Leeds too. Please check their social media for up-to-date information and sessions. There are plenty of offering for families and children, and new groups popping up all the time offering spaces close to you - these are just the ones we know about.
Potternewton Rollers
Leeds West
Leeds Skates
Middleton Skaters
LS-TEN Skatepark is the only indoor skate park in Leeds.
Northern Roll is the annual roller skate event offered by LS-TEN.
The Skate Scholarship work in partnership with the skate park and some community groups to provide roller skating.
Leeds Roller Derby offer fast-paced, competitive roller sports. They are based in Rothwell sports centre in south Leeds. Check their social media and website for their next recruitment event or to watch a bout! They will train you with everything you need to know to play roller derby, just be prepared to spend significant time honing your skills - leagues spend a lot of time ensuring players are fully trained and safe to play. This helps to keep everyone on the track as safe as possible. If you can already roller skate and just need to learn the rules and play of roller derby, you can expect your training to be accelerated.
We hope you can see that Leeds has a thriving roller skate community - and that you will join us!
It is our dream to one day open a roller rink. By supporting our classes, sessions and shop, you are helping to make this a reality. (On the other hand, if someone opens a rink before we do, that would be ace, as we can all just go and enjoy it!)
Are you looking for roller skating near you, but you're not based in Leeds? We suggest looking up your local roller derby team and starting from there.
If you haven't yet started roller skating, it's definitely not too late! Drop us an email skate@rollergirlgang.co.uk, connect on Instagram @roller_girl_gang or join in the chat in our FaceBook group Roll With the Gang.
Later Skaters!
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