Just one month to go before Leeds becomes a real life Monopoly game, so it’s time to unleash your inner Sir Alan Sugar, and begin to formulate a business plan.
The fun, games and wheeler-dealering begins on 27th July when the city centre will change into the playing venue with 22 key locations. There will be puzzles to solve, games to play and, of course, the giant tokens we all know and love.
When I say giant tokens, that is just what I mean, no losing the top hat between the sofa cushions here, and the Scottie dog would frighten the living daylights out of you if it were to burst into life, you would also need a black bin liner for a poo bag!
Local streets and landmarks will take the place of the ones in London, probably because there are no banknotes large enough now to handle all of the zeros needed to purchase a garden shed in the capital, let alone a hotel.
It all makes perfect sense to turn the city over to this venture as Monopoly was manufactured in Stourton by Waddingtons, who also made other games under license from US company Hasbro, as well as playing cards and, their main source of income, packaging.
The stations will comprise, Leeds Bus Station, City Station and the lifting tower, which was once part of Leeds Central Station, with the water taxi stop added for good measure. The utilities are represented by a floating tap for the Water Works and a light bulb for the Electric Company. You can have as much fun as you like, but better behave though, as there is also a cell should you have to Go To Jail.
The game will be played by utilising a map, highlighting the main game areas in coloured zones, each with its own token. You then choose how you want to proceed in order to complete the puzzles on the back as you work your way around the board finding the clues, which are in plain sight.
You can select which route to take and which of the twenty-two streets to visit, so no two games need be the same. Each of the properties has a value so by the end you should be able to work out how much it will cost to buy back the city.
To add to the atmosphere, students from Leeds Conservatoire will be posing as characters inspired by the game’s tokens, and will be available to offer help, check puzzles and hand out stamps for correct answers.
The fun and frolics begin on 27th July and run until 1st September, by which time Leeds will have probably been bought by Elon Musk and shot into space!
MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover has been organised by Leeds BID with key partners Child Friendly Leeds, Leeds Corn Exchange, Merrion Centre, Royal Armouries, St John’s Centre, The Light, Trinity Leeds, The Junction and Victoria Leeds.
Full details at https://monopolyleeds.com
For more about Leeds BID please go to http://www.leedsbid.co.uk and Welcome to Leeds is at http://www.welcometoleeds.co.uk
Tyke It To The Limit 