Leeds City Council has just confirmed that it has cancelled its 2021 bonfire and firework events, citing a lack of ability to plan due to COVID restrictions.
Community bonfires managed by the council typically take place at six different locations around Leeds and attract roughly 100,000 visitors every year.
However, this year the council-organised events at East End Park; Roundhay Park; Woodhouse Moor; Springhead Park in Rothwell; Middleton Park and Bramley Park will not go ahead.
The events were also cancelled in 2020 for a similar reason.
In a statement released today, the council explained that they would've had to put in place ticketed arrangements for each event in order to comply with covid restrictions and that this would've added significant costs to the running of the events.
The full city council statement released today said: "To ensure that this could be delivered in an appropriate manner, the council would have had to put in place ticketed arrangements for each individual event.
"To support crowd management, these tickets would have needed to be distributed to each attendee before each event took place, with no capacity to pick up on the night.
"In addition, a substantial amount of supplementary infrastructure would also be necessary to control access and check COVID status and tickets.
"This would mean that gaining entry would take a lot longer for everyone and could mean that those without evidence of their COVID status not being able to gain access.
"There would also be significant additional costs of putting these measures in place, which added to uncertainty about any further COVID changes that may be made prior to the bonfire events, has meant that following an assessment, a decision has been taken to not to host the events in 2021."
As for other bonfire and firework events taking place around the city, these will be monitored by Leeds City Council’s Safer Strong Communities Team.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles said:: “We certainly did not take this decision lightly, and we know that this news will come as a real disappointment to many people, and this is something that we too very much share.
"We will be continuing to monitor all the guidance and relevant information that is available to us to inform and guide any final decisions that might be made regarding other individual council events scheduled in the future.
Feature image - Leeds City Council.
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Luxury Leeds steakhouse to undergo huge £1.2 million renovation
Leeds restaurant The Cut & Craft has announced further expansion plans for the spring.
Swanky all-day dining restaurant and bar, The Cut & Craft, is expanding its popular Leeds site, investing a whopping £1.2 million to create a new adjoining elegant bar, lounge and private spaces.
Located within the former historic Collinson’s Cafe, the renovation will transform the former neighbouring Paul Smith store, to extend the existing brand offering.
The extension will celebrate the original beauty of the space, whilst acknowledging the legacy of Wallace Hartley - a talented musician who played at Collinson’s Cafe in the early 1900s before his role as bandleader on Titanic during its maiden voyage.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The Grade II-listed building’s features including its iconic glass dome, stained glass and circular central bar will remain, with the addition of two beautifully designed private dining rooms.
The extension is due for competition this spring and will transform the existing venue into a space with seating for an impressive 370 covers.
Oscar Akgul, CEO at The Cut & Craft said: “Planning for this new chapter began within the first year of opening. By year two, it was clear that we required additional space to serve the city’s appetite for The Cut & Craft’s signature hospitality.
Image: Supplied
“The brand’s deep affinity with the Victoria Quarter and the heritage of the building played an essential role in the decision to grow here.
“We want to thank our regular guests and everyone who has joined us at The Cut & Craft Leeds since opening and we look forward to entering this exciting new chapter with you all.”
New BBC TV drama starring Bel Powley and Harley Squires to be filmed in Leeds this spring
Clementine Hall
The BBC has announced a brand-new crime drama set to be filmed in Leeds and Hull.
We all love a BBC drama, and luckily for us one is about to be filmed right here in Leeds.
The new drama will be titled Shy & Lola, starring Harley Squires from The Night Manager and Bel Powley from The Diary of A Teenage Girl.
The six-part series has been described as a "dark comedy" about two women caught up in a murder in the criminal underworld.
The plot follows an unassuming pair in a small coastal town in northern England where the pair both realise they have a hidden talent for crime.
The series synopsis states: "As they build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, opposing futures beckon – using their earnings to fund a fresh start, or becoming the new bosses in town."
The show is based on a popular French TV series and is written by Amanda Coe, an acclaimed English screenwriter and novelist.
Amanda Coe spoke about the announcement: "With such a rich and spiky central relationship at its core, Shy & Lolais a dream of a show to write, full of fun, action and emotion. I can't wait to see our hugely exciting cast and director bring it to life."
Rachelle Constant, executive Producer for Clerkenwell Films, said: "Amanda has written a brilliantly bold series centred on a dynamic female duo, which blends dark comedy with propulsive storytelling.We’re thrilled to have Hayley and Bel as our leads, alongside an exceptional cast and crew."
The new series will begin filming in Leeds and Hull this spring and will air on BBC One and iPlayer and we'll absolutely be tuning in.
Georgina Pellant -
21st September 2021 
