It has the highest proportion of adult GP patients diagnosed with depression
Belle Isle North resident Vicky Keeting(Image: Leeds Live)
Life in Leeds’ most depressed area is plagued by anti-social youths regularly “fighting and riding around in groups,” according to locals.
Belle Isle North has the highest proportion of adult GP patients diagnosed with depression in the city. Almost a fifth of adult patients, at 18.2 percent, have been diagnosed in the area, according to the House of Commons Library, from the latest data collected over a year ending in March 2025, and published on Saturday June 4.
It’s is one of the most deprived areas in Leeds and falls within the top 3 per cent most deprived neighbourhoods, nationally, according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). According to a 2021 Leeds City Council report -a ‘Health Needs Assessment’ – 14.5 per cent of the working age population collected benefits.
The report also stated 32.2 per cent of children aged under 15 were living in a low-income household. It added that rates for domestic violence were higher in Belle Isle North than for the whole of Leeds, at the time.
General view of Belle Isle Parade(Image: Leeds Live)
According to Police.UK, with latest data sourced from West Yorkshire Police, there were 112 crimes, including 49 violent or sexual offences, reported in the area, in May 2026, 125 in April and 104 in March.
West Yorkshire Police has responded with the ways they’ve been tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and dangerous and illegal driving. Leeds City Council said wellbeing support was a “key priority” and said there were available options through the local NHS and voluntary sector services.
‘It’s getting worse’
Belle Isle North resident Vicky Keeting(Image: Leeds Live)
Retired blue-collar worker Vicky Keeting, 73, spoke about the area’s issues. Vicky said she fears youths in the area and says the area experiences a lot of mental health issues.
Vicky said: “It’s getting worse, my house got broken into. All the youths gather on a basketball court, and you’ve got to go through there to get to where I live.
“People have been battered on there and they’ve been mugged. They’ve put more lighting on there, but it doesn’t make a difference. They’re going up and down on motorbikes and scooters. Anybody does what they want down here.”
The 73-year-old said there were a lot of people living in the area dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse. Vicky said: “There’s alcoholics, druggies, and sc*****s. I feel sorry for them.”
Lorry driver Gary, 57, spoke about how he fears for his safety in the area. Gary said: “I don’t think it’s very safe. You’ve got a load of kids riding around on scooters and e-bikes, balaclava-ed up all the time. At nights, I come home at 3/4am and they’re still out in group, in gangs. It just doesn’t feel safe.”
Gary was not surprised the area had a high proportion of depression cases due to the “state of the place”. He said the ongoing issues were “constant”.
Pizza Pan owner Farzad ‘Faz’ Dabiry(Image: Leeds Live)
Farzad ‘Faz’ Dabiry has owned Pizza Pan, on Belle Isle Parade, since 2002. He spoke about his relationship with the customers.
Faz was surprised by the statistics, he said: “That’s surprising. I never ask people for their problems. I know them as customers so that comes as a surprise to me. To be honest, the weather doesn’t help either, it’s a cold country. It’s getting warm but it’s not warm.
“All the people I see are friendly and smiling. I don’t know if that’s just with us but most of these people have grown up with us.”
Café owner Angela ‘Ange’ Nudd, 57, has run Greedy Monkey Café, also on the parade, for 10 years. Ange said she was “quite surprised”. She’s known “plenty of people who have suffered with depression” but says that was generally a “phase” triggered by an event in their lives.
Greedy Monkeys Cafe on Belle Isle Parade(Image: Leeds Live)
Learning of the statistics, Ange said: “That’s knocking on for 20 per cent. There must be reasons behind it. I would have thought if that was the case, they haven’t been looked after in general, maybe the doctors have let them down or the community has let them down.”
Shopkeeper Raj Patel, 37, works at his family corner shop and post office further along the parade. Raj said: “I didn’t know about that. I wouldn’t think anyone would be depressed – no one shows it anyway. I have no idea.”
He said working in the shop has been a good experience over the years. Raj added: “It’s not bad. I know everyone, it’s not bad anymore.”
Belle Isle North shopkeeper Raj Patel(Image: Leeds Live)
Inspector Mark Lund, of the Leeds South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can have an awful effect on residents’ day to day lives, and work to address issues in the Belle Isle area has been ongoing, including with businesses and third party partners.
“NPT officers and partners from the Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team have issued dozens of anti-social behaviour contracts to young persons involved in ASB in the Belle Isle and Middleton areas so far this year with conditions including exclusions from areas they have been offending in.
“Investigations into reported offending continues, and officers have also recently been door knocking and letter dropping at addresses in the Belle Isle area to encourage residents to report any ongoing ASB in their communities.
“Wider work also continues regarding vehicle related anti social behaviour as part of Operation SPARC (Supporting Partnership Action to Reduce Road Casualties) a targeted initiative by West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council aimed at reducing dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour on local roads.
General views of Belle Isle North(Image: Leeds Live)
“Activity so far this month has included operations with the Leeds Off Road Bike team to target those involved in illegal riding, This work led to seizures of electric bikes with one rider summonsed to court and vehicles also seized for offending including driving without insurance.”
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “Leeds has a wide range of mental health and wellbeing support available through local NHS and voluntary sector services.
“Ensuring everyone can access the support they need is a key priority, helping people get the right help at the right time. Support includes peer support, group activities, befriending services and tailored one-to-one support.”
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