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Your ultimate guide to the wonderful Leeds Corn Exchange

Eat, shop, see, do.

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 10th July 2023

The Corn Exchange is a Leeds landmark in the heart of Kirkgate which is home to some of the best independent retailers, restaurants and creatives in the city.

Designed by revered British architect Cuthbert Broderick, the Grade 1 listed building first opened its doors to corn traders all the way back in 1864. The building cost £360,000 to build and the distinctive dome design was based on the Bourse de Commerce in Paris.

The exchange was converted into shops and food traders after a period of disuse in 1988 and has been a hub for creativity and community ever since.

aerial view of Corn Exchange.
Image: Leeds City Council

More recently, Leeds City Council have a revealed a brand spanking new green space after years of renovation just outside the exchange, which has brought a new wave of people to the area. So, here is our guide to the best independents inside the Corn Exchange for when you make your next visit.

Where to eat

If you're after a bite to eat then you've come to the right place. Home to three fantastic independent eateries, the Corn Exchange boats some fantastic food and drink which you can enjoy in a beautiful setting.

In the main atrium is Bruschetta, a cosy coffee shop and cafe serving a seasonal menu made with locally sourced ingredients from Kirkgate market just round the corner. Their menu may be small but it is mighty; the dishes are fresh, vibrant and flavoursome whilst also being great value for money. I recommend the Full Algerian breakfast which consists of harissa spiced cannellini beans on toasted bruschetta, topped off with an oozing poached egg and spiced merguez sausage.

 
 
 
 
 
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Stop by The Cheesy Living Co. for a delicious focaccia sandwich on your lunch break, a fondue Sunday roast at the weekend (yes, really) or a selection of cheeses and charcuterie to take home with you for the evening.

Everything is local and everything is delicious, these guys really know what they're doing and are as independent as it gets.

A fondue Sunday Roast.
Image: The Hoot Leeds

Where to shop

When it comes to shopping you are spoilt for choice here, there's a plethora of independent boutiques and shops that will have you browsing for hours.

Looking to pimp up your wardrobe? Go to Mki Miyuki Zoku for contemporary, Japanese streetwear or head to All Blues Co., which are the first store to showcase a number of high-profile Korean menswear brands into the UK. Both boutiques will make sure to leave you pleasantly suited and booted.

An aerial view of the shoes for sale in All Blues Co.
Image: Leeds Corn Exchange

You then have to make a visit to Colours May Vary, an independent bookshop and gallery where you can find everything from quirky cook books and architecture magazines to literature classics with funky, re-worked covers. Just the rainbow of colours emerging from the shelves is a sight to behold at this lovely shop.

An image of the shop floor inside Colours May Vary.
Image: Colours May Vary

Make sure to stop by TOM-O, a sustainable fashion store where every single item is unique. Using spare fabrics from charity shops, donations and beyond - owner Sarah breathes new life into every item and creates something absolutely beautiful.

Whether it's a patchwork dress you're after, a bucket hat for festival season or a pair of snazzy dungarees, TOM-O can do it and can do it well.

What to do

Just after a mooch about? No problem. Cole's Gallery have ongoing exhibitions that showcase new and established artists from Yorkshire and the UK. Just metres away are newcomers The Sculpture Gallery where, you guessed it, you can view an array of sculptures in a range of mediums from a broad list of resident artists.

The inside of Cole's art gallery.
Image: Cole's Gallery

Whilst you're there why not get your haircut at Mr Men's Barbers, get pierced at Red Tattoo and Piercing, flick through the hundreds of records at Released Records or try on a pair of roller skates at Roller Girl Gang.

Inside Released Records in the Corn Exchange.
Image: The Hoot Leeds

There's so much to see and do in this glorious building that we have barely scratched the service, but whilst you're there don't forget to say hello to the amazing people who make up the creative community which makes The Corn Exchange such an asset to Leeds.

To find out more about the Corn Exchange and to find a full list of their independents, take a peak at their website.

Read more: Leeds’ Corn Exchange celebrates new green and roadwork free space

Feature image - Leeds Corn Exchange.

News

The Crucible Theatre set for major £45m upgrade as World Snooker Championship stays in Sheffield

Danny Jones Danny Jones World Snooker Championship staying in Sheffield + Crucible Theatre refurb

Sheffield Theatres' much-cherished Crucible is set for a huge upgrade as the World Snooker Championships (WSC) are set to stay in the Steel City.

Great news for sport in Yorkshire all-round.

Estimated to be worth around £45 million, the Grade II-listed structure renovations won't begin for a little while just yet, but it is set to increase the capacity of the space by more than 50%.

Announced on Tuesday, 24 March, the major refurb will be partly funded by public money and topped up by the private sector and "philanthropic partners".

The UK government and Sheffield City Council will be pumping in approximately £35m, with a further £10m being added through the investment mentioned above.

Soon to allow the theatre to scale up or down in size, the hope is that the new 'in the round' format will enable the Crucible to serve its arts and sporting audiences for decades to come, as well as opening the big Northern stage up to new opportunities.

Due to start in the summer of 2028, it's still unclear as to the exact completion date, but the plans are in support of confirmation that the annual snooker tournament will stay put.

A fresh agreement with the WSC will see them stay in Sheff until at least 2045, with the Crucible's number of seats set to jump from just under 1,000 to 1,480.

It's also said there is an option in the deal to extend the contract until 2050, and as one of the biggest competitive events that comes to the city year in and year out, you would expect them to push hard for the Council and partners to push hard for this, too.

crucible theatre redevelopment
sheffield theatres investment
Credit: Bread and Butter PR (supplied)

Dan Walker, Chair of Sheffield Theatres Trust, said in a statement: "The Crucible is a wonderful theatre with a brilliant reputation, and the positive impact of this investment will be seen for years to come.

"As a proud resident of Sheffield, I know the importance of snooker to our city, but this isn’t only good news for Sheffield: this is amazing news for the north of England and the whole of the UK."

If all goes to plan, the overhaul should take around 18 months, with productions being hosted in the Lyceium and the newest room, the Montgomery.

All the while, the Sheffield Theatres will continue to present new work both domestically and around the globe over this period, with more details coming this autumn 2026.

world snooker champs staying in sheffield
Credit: Supplied

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News

Leeds bakery crowned one of the best in the UK for second year running by The Good Food Guide

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

The Good Food Guide has released its annual list of the top bakeries across the UK – and one in Leeds has made the cut.

The prestigious guide has been travelling across the nation testing out the joy of British bakeries, from pastries to loaves to croissants to biscuits. What a tough job.

The Good Food Guide has said that the nation is going through something of a ‘modern baking boom’ and selected one spot locally that are doing it better than anyone else.

And that bakery is the fabulous Nova Bakehouse that is co-owned by sisters Sarah Lemanski and Hannah Mather.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Located on Leeds Dock, Nova Bakehouse is a beautiful sun drenched spot that serve up irresistible morning buns, chewy cookies and speciality loaves.

They focus on 'flavour forward baking' using seasonal ingredients to create monthly specials that'll have you going back time and time again.

It was the only Leeds spot to feature on the list, for the second year running might we add, but elsewhere in Yorkshire Haxby Bakehouse in York and Baker’s Yard Bakery in Sheffield are included.

Image: The Hoot Leeds

Editor of The Good Food Guide, Chloë Hamilton, said: “Choosing just 50 winners was an almost impossible task given how diverse and highly skilled the British baking scene has become.

“From wood-fired sourdough in Perthshire to a central London café peddling pains au chocolat that take you straight to the streets of Paris, one thing uniting them all is sheer unadulterated deliciousness."

All of a sudden we're feeling pretty peckish for a croissant...what's your favourite bakery in Leeds?

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Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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