What is it and where is it?
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White Rose is a shopping centre on the south side of Leeds. It's on the A653 Ringroad and accessible from the M621 (Junction 1) or the M62 (Junction 28).

The address is: White Rose Shopping Centre, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, LS11 8LU.

It's similar to Meadow Hall (Sheffield) or Trafford Centre (Manchester) but on a smaller scale.

Parking
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Parking at White Rose is free. There are 4,500 car parking spaces located across 6 customer car parks. Each car park is linked to a different shop entrance. The car parks are well maintained and I feel happy leaving my car whilst I shop. Even at busy times I have always been able to find a space without too much hassle. Christmas is slightly different and it feels like the whole of Yorkshire descends on mass to the centre. Heed my advice and get there when the centre opens to avoid car park rage!

Disabled spaces are available in each car park for those visitors with a Blue Badge parking permit.

A Sainsbury's petrol station is on site for those in need of re-fuelling before continuing the journey.

Public Transport Links
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White Rose has it's own on-site bus station and is well served by buses from Leeds city centre and surrounding towns (Morley, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield).

The bus station is covered by CCTV and on-site securty.

Opening Hours
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Monday 10:00 am - 08:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am - 08:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am - 08:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am - 09:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am - 08:00 pm
Saturday 09:00 am - 07:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am - 05:00 pm

Bank Holidays 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Layout
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White Rose is split over two levels. The lower level is where all the shops are and they run in a straight line from one end (Sainsburys) to the other (Debanhams). Scattered between the shops are boutique carts selling various items such as photo's, handbags, unique jewellery and whatever the latest JML craze happens to be! At each end there are also coffee bars, allowing you to rest your weary feet, relax and watch the other shoppers mill around.

The upper level is the food court area and in my opinion there's a good and varied selection including: Nando's, McDonalds, Ainsley's, Bagel Nash, Subway, KFC, and a Fish and Chip place. There is generous seating, although at obvious times (lunch and tea) you may find yourself wondering aimlessly for an empty table.
Also on the upper level are a couple of travel agents (Co-Op and Going Places), Supercuts hair salon (no appointment necessary), Sports Direct, Orange, and a Juice bar.

The Centre isn't huge and it is virtually impossible to get lost. However information stands and free maps are available to help you get your bearings.

The Shops
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White Rose offers a good selection of shops, particularly for women's fashion. Several major retailers have outlets including Marks and Spencers, BHS, Next, River Island, Primark, New Look, Monsoon, Dorothy Perkins, Warehouse, Ann Summers and Zara. Men are also well catered for in the fashion stakes with shops such as Burtons, Topman, Officers Club, Suits You and Envy.

For those with a shoe fetish White Rose offers Barrets, Clarks, Faith, Garage shoes, and Schuh.

General shops include Sainsburys, Argos, Debanhams and WH Smiths. For those looking for beauty shops there is Boots, Superdrug and the Body Shop. White Rose has an excellent choice of Jewellers (H Samuels, Beaver Brooks, Goldsmiths) and is great when hunting for a special present for someone.

Choice of electrical shops is limited to Currys however on a similar theme there is HMV and Game, and also numerous mobile phone outlets. For those with children there is Adams, Pumpkin Patch, Early Learning Centre, Build a Bear, and Disney Store.

Facilities
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With all these shops available a shopper needs access to cash. Halifax and Yorkshire Bank are available with cash machines, with one located at either end of the centre.

Disabled access is good. Above WH Smith is a mobility centre where it is possible to hire scooters. Two glass lifts link the lower and upper levels, and lifts are also available in some of the stores (MandS, Primark, BHS). Otherwise there are two main escalators or stair access between the 2-levels.

There are three separate toilet areas spread out across the centre which have baby changing facilities and vending machines where you can get nappies if you need them. I have always found the toilets to be clean and well maintained.

My Opinion
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I love White Rose. It's 10 minutes from where I live and I often find myself moseying around it on my days off when its cold or rainy. White Rose is small in comparison to other shopping centres, but for me this is a huge benefit. Instead of having to trawl around an endless maze of shops for hours and hours trying to find what I want I can be in and out of White Rose in 30 minutes if I need to be. The layout is logical and it has all the key shops and is especially good for clothes stores. It's perfect during sale season and I never feel as stressed as I do when I sale shop in bigger centres or cities.

It is bright and airy and is always well maintained and up-to-date in terms of décor. The coffee bars are a welcome treat at the start or end of a shopping trip, as well as been a good for socialising with family or friends and comparing purchases.

I love the fact that I can shop, drop in for a hair cut, and do my weekly shop in one location. The free parking is also a huge plus. Overall White Rose is the perfect shopping venue, especially for those who like shopping but don't like it to take up a full day!

For more info visit: http://www.white-rose.co.uk