I grew up in Garforth, a small dormitory town in Leeds which as a kid I assumed was some countryside village, due to how sheltered everything felt.
However, as I have got older and look back at those years I realise how simple things were back then, and how simple the town remains. In a bid to see what had changed since I was a little kid, I went back to the street I grew up in.
When I say grew up in, I went back to the street I spent the majority of my childhood, I lived on three different streets in the 20 years I lived in Garforth but one place feels the most like home. My street was a little confusing, I lived on Barleyhill Road (very Enid Blyton) which was actually a busy road in the town, but directly next to the road was a long avenue, known as Barleyhill Crescent.
Read More: Police close Leeds United stadium Elland Road following security threat
We were on the corner, making us officially part of the road, not the street but ultimately it made no difference, that street was where I spent a lot of my time. I had a look at how different it is years later and as much as I would love to say it's leaps and bounds different, it isn't.
The houses are all the same, the road is exactly as I remember, even the gardens have a similar look to them. It's barely different and that's quite comforting.
The only major change is the rise in house prices, Garforth being a popular commuter town has had major increases in this area. For example, speaking with my parents the house I grew up in was bought by them for £60,000 in 1999, 24 years later it is valued at five times that close to £300,000.
The main difference I noted was more houses, the estate next to my street is filled with new build homes, meanwhile, Barleyhill sits pretty much untouched. The red brick house I lived in is still there and even has the same colour window sills and window frames.
Taking a wander down the main road this was all the same too, it might sound boring but after growing up there it's quite nice to see that it hasn't had a striking change made to it and the streets even have the same misshapen tarmac that must be as old as me.
Opposite the house and part of the street is a tennis court, bowling alley, park and greenspace. Again, this is barely different, sure the equipment is refreshed but the whole area feels the same.
Hell, even the Garforth Working Men's Club looks the same, and I mean exactly the same. It's untouched to time and why shouldn't it be? It doesn't need to look new and modern and to be honest, I have always been a fan of the red brick, old fashioned look.
It was a true pleasure to go back just for a couple of hours and it brought back those memories of school holidays, burning your feet on the hot pavement because you left without shoes, having a BBQ that was a 50/50 chance of receiving food poisoning and 'playing out'.
Now as an adult I can, within reason, do what I want and while that's phenomenal in terms of the freedom, it makes me less appreciative of the constraints I once had.
I used to find Garforth boring, wishing I could escape and when I did I loved it, by leaving I came to really enjoy my town and can understand why people of my age have settled back there once again.
Read next:
- Leeds man forced to 'eat bread and butter and cook once a week' as council flat electric is '£10 a day'
- Police charge four teenagers with murder of 17-year-old Trust Junior Gangata in Leeds
- Woman found dead in car in Bramley street in Leeds - police statement
- Armed police raid Huddersfield house
- Leeds stepdad Dale Manson stabbed love rival after agreeing to meet him for a fight
