My town has been dubbed the country's 'Brexit town' but since moving here two months ago I've found out it is so much more than its stigma.
Morley is the largest town in the Borough of Leeds and was given its name "Brexit town" for its enthusiastic support in the referendum.
But since moving to Morley I can't seem to fathom out why it has this reputation - I couldn't think of one bad thing to say about my new home or the people here.
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I moved to Morley in March 2022, and in the short space of time I've been living here I've grown to love my new home, so much so I claim I'll never leave.
Rumour has it Morley was labelled the "Brexit town" because of its elaborate Brexit parties and St Georges Day parades following MP Andrea Jenkyns, a prominent Brexiteer and the Tory MP, pulling off the shock of 2015 by unseating Ed Balls.
Morley has since been named the 'most patriotic town in the UK', mainly due to its annual St George's Day festival which is the largest of its kind in the North - and the festival is a great fun-filled day out where thousands come together to watch. You can't argue that Morley isn't one for bringing the community together with a soirée.
The town itself has a great mix of independent retailers, an indoor market, and a range of restaurants, pubs and cafes. I have never found a town which has so many traditional working men's pubs and to be quite honest I'm thriving on it - they're a great laugh and cheap too!
But if you aren't one for an 'old man's pub' then there is the very sleek and quirky Morley Bottoms. For years the the oddly-shaped, four-pronged junction has been a featureless part of the town filled with empty units but that has dramatically changed.
Bottoms is the new up and coming night out in Leeds, of course it isn't as thriving as Call Lane or other parts of the city centre but with many restaurants and bars Morley Bottoms is a great night out - followed by a good old pizza from Rodeo's on the way home it makes the night perfect.
Although it wouldn't be a Friday night without a trip to Morley Dashers for a duet on the karaoke.
The Victorian market town lies around five miles south-west of Leeds city centre and has become increasingly popular with young professionals like myself looking for somewhere to live while commuting to the centre of Leeds.
My drive to the city centre is around 20 minutes depending on the traffic which is perfect, but you have plenty of public transport options to choose from too.
Morley is nestled between the M621 and the M62, meaning you can easily access other big cities by car such as Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, Bradford, or I can easily jump on the A1 to head back up North to my home town.
But not only is the suburb in a fantastic location it's also home to the Morley Arts Festival, Beer Festivals, Morley Leisure Centre, plenty of parks and walks and is close to a huge IKEA and Birstall Shopping Park with everything I could possible need.
And if all that isn't a reason to love my new town the people are absolutely lovely - I have never felt more welcome, invited and at home in a town before. Every person I've met so far has been so friendly, jolly and all-round welcoming.
Fun fact - it's also part of the Rhubarb triangle.
Looking back, I don't think Morley deserves its stigma and it most definitely is more than the name it has been given. I'll never look back from this move, it's been the best two months.
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