Cute date ideas that won’t break the bank.
It can be hard to channel your inner romantic with your overdraft looming, but luckily for us students, Leeds provides plenty of opportunities to be a cheapskate whilst still maintaining couple goals. Here are just a few!
Hyde Park Picture House
A personal favourite, situated in the heart of student housing, Hyde Park Picture House has been around for over a hundred years and was even frequented by Chris Pine during his time at Leeds Uni. From cult classics to current critically acclaimed screenings, this old cinema has more to offer than just film screenings. The atmosphere inside shifts your orientation back to a simpler time of a movie and good company. Midnight screenings also offer the experience to see classic films, such as Mean Girls (we’re hoping this can be labelled a ‘classic’), which is showing next Saturday, 15th October, in the hope that your guy will give in and let you watch a chick-flick!
Curl up on the red velvet seats at a screening of the next cult classic and feel like a couple of lovesick 50s teenagers. There will be more to talk about than just the film. All of the excitement comes at only £5 for a student ticket.
Ecco’s Pizzeria
A teeny pizzeria in Headingley where you can watch your meal being made in front of you, Ecco’s is known for its half metre pizza’s, which at £14 each are more than enough for two people. If you share a love for food, this simple yet most pleasurable pizzeria is the perfect destination for a dinner date. Step in from the cold Leeds air and stuff yourselves with authentic Italian pizza, before enjoying a whole host of homemade gelato flavours.
Ilkley Moor
A short (and cheap) train journey away, Ilkley Moor is a chance to feel properly immersed in good old Yorkshire by enjoying some fresh air and beautiful landscapes. Walk up the hilly moor and enjoy your own little excursion away from the noise of the city. Enjoy some peaceful time together at little to no cost. Have a chat, help each other with the walk and enjoy the scenery. Afterwards, the town of Ilkley has some lovely teashops as well as independent businesses to check out. A nice pub lunch would make for a well-deserved treat after climbing the Yorkshire hills. A train ticket costs just under £5, leaving you with 20p change if you opt for a return ticket.
Roxy’s Mini Golf/ Ping Pong/Bowling
Roxy Ball Room is an American 50s style bar in the city centre featuring a whole range of cheap activities including mini golf, Ping-Pong and bowling. At £4.50 a game (£5 for bowling) Roxy’s is a fun and affordable date that allows you to act like excited kids …with the added bonus of alcohol. Whether you’re a pro-sports star or just there for the fun, this makes for a great, slightly competitive for some, date-night. This would be especially fun for a first-date idea, allowing for something different, affordable and something that will help break the ice! Not only that, all your drinks can be ordered at and brought to your table, meaning that your games won’t be interrupted, especially if you are the one who has a competitive nature. What more could you want?
Headphone Splitter
Headphone splitters cost about a pound online and provide the perfect date to make you feel like you’re in some quirky Rom-Com. Allowing two sets of headphones to connect to your phone/iPod will give your date a constant soundtrack, making everything you see and feel seem more memorable and beautiful. Make a playlist of your favourite songs and take a night-time stroll to make your date or your walk home seem like a scene from the movies. Super easy, super romantic.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
A good one for anyone who fancies a bit of culture and fresh air, Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a huge open air sculpture gallery in West Bretton. About half an hour away from Leeds but free to enter, YSP is a fun day out even if you know little to nothing about art. With scenic routes between each sculpture and stunning Yorkshire landscapes, you’ll be encapsulated by the breath taking views and stunning sculptures. This certainly scopes out the best of what Yorkshire has to offer, right on your student doorstep. Bring a picnic and get silly with your own artistic interpretations.
So here’s just a few ideas to keep you busy (and maintain money in the bank!) whilst at Leeds. Be creative, think casual, fun and easy and you’re bound to have plenty of fun.
Happy Dating!
Image One: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186411-d2526194-Reviews…
Other Images: Author’s Own