Leeds Town Hall

You'll feel properly fancy walking up those sweeping steps beneath the towering Corinthian columns – this is how the Victorians did civic architecture when they really meant business. The ornate facade promises grandeur, and the interior delivers with soaring ceilings and elaborate plasterwork that makes even a Tuesday night comedy show feel like an occasion. The programming here swings from classical concerts where you'll want to dust off your best jacket, to raucous comedy nights where you definitely don't need to. It's that rare venue where the building itself is half the entertainment – though given how some acts have you craning your neck in the upper circles, you'll be grateful for something beautiful to look at.