The best and the worst of Leeds’ smoking areas

Have you experienced them all?


Whether you’re a first time smoker, the “I don’t smoke” (but will happily steal half the pack) guy or a hardcore chainer, then here is the lowdown on the hottest smoking areas in Leeds.

Mission

Cream of the crop is Mission’s smoking area. Here you’ll meet everyone you ever know – be prepared to see your ex, your cousin and your cousin’s ex. With sofas upstairs and conveniently located toilets, this place is probably comfier than your student house. It even has a bar.

Beaverworks

Beaverworks? More like Beaverbae. Chilled and social, the good vibes are always running through this place. If you get a seat on one of the sofas (you should be so lucky) you can kick back and relax. You’ll most likely have a heart to heart with Becky from your first year seminar (you’ve never spoken before and probably never will again) all while being warmed by the iconic fire. The speed your jaw is moving isn’t the only thing keeping you warm tonight.

Canal Mills

Canal Mills appears to be one of the elites – it would be the perfect place to light up if you didn’t have to wait for your mate stuck in the horrendously long toilet queue. The bouncers patrol the perimeter like their life depends on it, meaning it feels more like a prison than a smoking area.

Pryzm

Apart from the obvious concern of being surrounded by Beckett, Pryzm does in fact have a pretty nifty smoking area. Located on the roof top with its outside bar, this smoking area is filled with Beckett downing their VKs (I remember when I went to my first house party in year nine too). Having said that, the smoking is pretty good. You ask for twos with a Beckett and end up getting three whole smokes – we all know their maths isn’t that good.

HiFi

What is Hifi? Smoking area or alleyway, nobody’s really sure. You spend your time here being serenaded by bouncers yelling at you to “GET ON THE OTHER SIDE”. Let us know when you can afford a proper smoking area.


Warehouse

Not so popular unless you want to skip the toilet queues and stand in the corner while having a cheeky light up. Girls, if you’re looking for a cheap night, try Warehouse on a Wednesday, you could always try it on with a rugby lad for a free fag – maybe the whole pack depending on how desperate they are.

Fruity

You need a break from dancing to S Club 7 so you head to the smoking area. You think you’re the coolest person there as you attempt to roll from your mate’s 25g of Amber Leaf before giving up and pulling out a Sterling Fresh Taste. It doesn’t matter how many cigs you have because in the back of your mind you’re thinking “Are you really that cool if you’ve spent your night singing to Frozen and miserably failing to pull?”

Wire

Wire is the only smoking area that has an added element of fun. That is if your idea of fun is play dodge the taxi while trying to have a fag. You stare at Blue Rinse wishfully, planning your next outfit for Beaverworks while longing for a proper smoking area. Wire does have some perks though. Ummar, second year Geology said: “if you hide your booze outside you can keep coming out once you have the wristband”. Top tip lads.

Control

Control? Bye Felicia.