Photo by James Hardisty.

Chapel Allerton in Leeds has been named one of the UK's top 10 coolest neighbourhoods by Time Out magazine - and Content Soup is right in the middle of it!

We always knew it, which is why we love having our business here, but it's nice to see it recognised like this on a national scale.

“Leeds has plenty of lovely, leafy suburbs that feel village-like while remaining close to the centre – but Chapel Allerton is especially vibrant. Despite its serene nature, with nearby woods and one of Europe’s largest parks not too far, it’s also a hub for independent businesses spanning art, culture, food and drink." said the writer.

Here are seven reasons we feel lucky to work in Chapel Allerton.

1. Chapel Allerton knows good coffee. There's nothing we love more than popping into Opposite after the school run, picking up our flat whites for the team and bumping into friends for a quick chat before the day starts.

2. We have loads of lovely lunch and brunch spots to choose from. Crust & Crumb does the best bacon sarnies, soups and brownies (and has the kindest staff), House of Koko's menu is to die for (try the Lebanese specials), and being directly opposite George and Joseph, which offers a special 'chunch' deal - a cheese lunch - is reason to pay our office rent bill alone.

3. We get sidetracked on the walk home by great bars, restaurants and pubs. Mustard Pot is the cosiest pub in Leeds with the best beer garden, The Woods stays open late if we're feeling that way out, Further North sells weird and wonderful beers and bar snacks, and Wayward Wines is full of the good stuff (they even give you plates of sliced bread and posh butter to soak up the wine - now that's customer care). Rudy's opened recently and is a really welcome addition to the Chapel A scene, great pizza and atmosphere, our fave for a Friday celebration. And then there's Hern for laid back fine dining - tiny but mighty - and Alleycats for loaded hot dogs, curious cocktails and 80s video games.

4. There's always a place to get a last minute gift. Chirpy sells everything from cute candlesticks to art prints and disco ball keyrings. We never come out of there without something gorgeous! Perfumed Garden is our go-to for plants and flowers (and a chat with owner Carol brightens anyone's day), and the charity shops here are always worth a rummage for excellent knitwear and Le Creuset cast-offs! Katie & May is good for a pay-day visit for a new work outfit, and Caspar's Bottle Shop never disappoints.

5. Culture and creativity is on our doorstep. You're guaranteed to meet someone interesting in Chapel Allerton, always! Musicians, comedians, writers, artists, they're all here. You can usually find them in Seven Arts, where we go to catch a performance or open mic night mid-week. Our Content Soup Book Club also gives us an excuse to regularly drop into The Little Bookshop and pick our new monthly novels.

6. We can quickly swap the office for green spaces. We're not one to sit at our desks all day, so we take our team meetings outside, head to Chapel Allerton park for a game of basketball, or go for a lunchtime run in Gledhow Woods to clear our heads and make way for the creative ideas to come.

7. Community is everything in Chapel Allerton. There's always someone to wave or chat to - just sit on the benches near the willow tree and you'll be talking to someone interesting within five minutes. Visit Bob's Heel Bar to get a new key cut and meet some absolute characters who'll have you laughing all day long, The Fruit Stall for great veg chat, or Neil the butcher for some serious sausage intel. As an independent business here, we're surrounded by other supportive business owners who all look out for each other and pass business between each other. And we're grateful for organisations like CA Spaces, who are making Chapel Allerton greener and more colourful through commissioned street art, tree and wildflower planting, and public vegetable gardens.

If you're ever in the neighbourhood, come and see us! We'll show you all the good spots. We're at 4 Allerton Hill,Leeds, LS7 3QB. We also have space in our loft studio, either on a desk basis or potentially a whole (small) room - so if you're looking for a new work space in the UK's coolest neighbourhood, give me a shout at nina@contentsoup.co.uk.