Brighter Days Festival is a new Leeds-based day festival that aims to bring the best of Ibiza to Temple Newsam this summer.
This electric gathering is set to feature two stages and headline sets from Faithless (DJ), Kings of Tomorrow feat Julie McKnight, Roger Sanchez, Fat Tony, Lovely Laura & Ben Santiago, Angel Lee, Dave Robinson, Kirsten and plenty more.
The event is a duel-location festival, with one day fest at Temple Newsam in Leeds on Friday 12 August 2022, whilst another will take place in Herrington in the North East on Friday 8 July 2022.
The festival is in its second year, but this is the first time that the festival will take place in Yorkshire.
"Brighter Days Festival enters into its second year after been put together at the end of the first lockdown, the seeds were already there and action was taken. It wasn’t with a challenge as Boris delayed the reopening of our industry, meaning Brighter Days was postponed and pushed back to August and moved venues.
"Determined not to be beaten we threw an amazing party at Rainton Meadows in a huge big top which saw thousands of ravers flock for a Sunday afternoon of killer vibes from the master Patrick Topping! The day went off and here we find ourselves going into year two with quadruple the amount of artists and stages, sit tight…"
Image: Brighter Days
The team behind Brighter Days have been in the game far longer than lockdown though. The team have over 15 years experience promoting cutting-edge house parties in the North East, starting at The Arena club in 2007. Putting themselves on the map by bringing names like Avicii, Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler, Eats Everything and The Martinez Brothers, the club closed in 2013 but the pair went on to develop some huge outdoor shows, most notably the Redcar Beach site at Majuba.
Leeds's Temple Newsam Park is the team's latest project and they promise to bring "what will be a little slice of White Isle party heaven this summer. The production, the sound and the vibes will all be served up with plenty of famous Balearic spirit and wild hedonism".
Image: Brighter Days
The escapist location of Temple Newsam, is well acquainted with festivals and its rolling green park surrounded by woodland that hosts some of the North's most essential festivals makes it the perfect location for Brighter Days to debut.
With capacity set at 5,000 people with one huge main stage and a VIP Area as well as food stalls, fairground and licensed bars to keep dancers fuelled. Expect next level production that will fire the synapses while the world class DJs serve up the scintillating sounds at what might just be one of Leeds' most exclusive festivals on the year.
In another hit to the high streets, Claire's Accessories is shutting up shop across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration yet again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire's will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire's closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded in America way back in 1961, Claire's has enjoyed a presence across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they've struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They filed for bankruptcy in the US in August 2025 after having already concluded operations in Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
For many, the outcome isn't all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
Slam Dunk festival’s statement in full as director steps down amid allegations
Daisy Jackson
Slam Dunk festival has shared a statement confirming one of its directors has stepped down, in the wake of allegations.
The popular punk festival takes place next month across two sites, one of which is here in Leeds.
This year's line-up is set to include headline performances from the likes of Good Charlotte, Knocked Loose, Sublime, and Taking Back Sunday.
But Slam Dunk has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons this week after allegations against one of its directors came to light.
Slam Dunk said in its statement, which did not get into specifics about the nature of the allegations, that the festival 'remains committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all employees, partners, and customers'.
They added that the director has stepped down, but 'strongly refutes' the allegations.
The statement then promised 'transparency and honesty' and said that more updates would be provided when appropriate.
Slam Dunk wrote: "We are aware of allegations published yesterday relating to one of our directors. We take these allegations seriously and understand that they may be distressing and hard to process for our community.
"Our Slam Dunk fans, staff, and artists are, as always, our top priority.
"While he strongly refutes these allegations, the director in question has agreed, in consultation with the board, to step down from Slam Dunk operations while this matter is ongoing.
"Slam Dunk remains committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all employees, partners, and customers.
"Our values and culture are fundamental to how we operate, and we are committed to upholding them.
"It would be inappropriate for us to comment further on an ongoing legal matter.
"However, we promise transparency and honesty to our Slam Dunk community and will provide updates when it is appropriate to do so."
Slam Dunk returns to Temple Newsam in Leeds on Sunday 24 May.
Sophie Smith -
29th March 2022 
