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Leeds Council moves forwards with plans replace outdoor Kirkgate market with new container-style village
There's also regeneration plans 'in the pipeline' to bring a new hotel and commercial units on the ground floor on the George Street side of the markets.
Plans to add shipping-container style market to Leeds Kirkgate Market move forward after 'overwhelmingly positive' public response.
Leeds City Council has announced that the plans to add a new addition to the outdoor market space will move forward, and next week senior councillors will be asked to approve a 'package of measures' that could start to see the proposal come to life.
The idea for the container-style shipping container was first announced late last year, and last month the council was given the 'green light' to launch a consultation exercise and find out what the public think of the proposal.
The idea for the new outdoor market is said to be similar to those in London, Manchester and Bristol. BOXPARK is just one example of a successful container-style space that brings together food and drink traders in a 'village' setup.
Image: BOXPARK
The existing outdoor market space has space for a total of 185 stalls, with around 85 of them being filled on a typical day.
The launch of a consultation exercise seeking people’s views on the proposals, which have been drawn up with a view to safeguarding the long-term future of the outdoor area following sustained and significant investment across the market site as a whole.
During this time over 2,000 online questionnaires were completed, finding that 71.5% of those participating supported the idea, and 91% would be 'somewhat likely' or 'very likely' to the rest of the market space if they were there to visit the new container-style market.
There's also regeneration plans 'in the pipeline' to bring a new hotel and commercial units on the ground floor on the George Street side of the markets.
Currently less than half of the outdoor markets are used. / Image: Leeds City Council
The Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “We are hugely proud of both Leeds Kirkgate Market’s history and the important part it continues to play in local life, with the council’s multi-million pound investment in the site during recent years underlining our determination to ensure it remains one of the jewels in the city’s retail crown.
“Given the special place it holds in so many people’s affections, we are conscious that any new additions to the market must be handled sensitively, and must also complement and enhance its existing offer.
“That is why we carried out the consultation exercise on the proposals, with the results being carefully analysed and used to shape the next steps options that will be considered by executive board.
“Should these next steps be approved, then we will continue to engage with all parties – including traders, shoppers and stakeholders – as we gauge the level of operator interest in the proposals.”
Key elements of the council’s recent investment in the market include:
The creation of the popular Market Kitchen street food hall and event space as part of a £14m refurbishment scheme in 2016
An ongoing £10m project to repair, conserve and enhance the 1875 Blockshops, the oldest surviving structures on the market site
The provision of more than £1.4m worth of rent concessions to help traders cope with the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
There has been no rent increase since 2011
Hatch in Manchester is another example of a popular container-style food and drink hotspot. / Image: Hatch MCR
It is thought that once the senior councillors have met to approve the proposed plans, more information will be released about the new container-style village.
Feature Image- Hatch MCR / Leeds City Council
News
Here’s how you can get FREE Tony’s Chocolonely and Yorkshire Tea in Leeds next week
In honour of National Chocolate Week, two big brands are joining forces.
Fancy a freebie? Silly question, of course you do.
Tony’s Chocolonely and Yorkshire Tea have joined forces for National Chocolate Week to ask Brits to declare themselves a ‘Melt’...yes, really.
It comes after the brands discovering a new Gen Z dunking trend, with research finding that 80% of 18–24-year-olds say chocolate is their preferred tea-dunking treat.
To understand why the perculiar pairing has become so popular, the brands recruited Associate Professor of Psychobiology, Dr Lorenzo Stafford, to investigate what happens when tea and chocolate come together.
Associate Professor, Dr Lorenzo Stafford said: "It's fascinating to see how much thought Brits put into what makes a great dunk. Flavour, texture and temperature all shape how we experience food, and the combination of hot tea with melting chocolate creates a particularly enjoyable sensory experience.
"When it comes to dunking, tea and chocolate have great chemistry so it’s no surprise young people have embraced it."
If you want to try it out for yourself, then you can for free - but there is one catch.
From Monday 19 to Friday 23 October, anyone who walks into one of Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds and says ‘I'm a Melt’ will get a free mug of Yorkshire Tea and bar of Tony's Chocolonely.
Not only that, but the first 100 customers will also get a limited-edition ‘Melt’ cap.
Yorkshire Tea & Tony’s Chocolonely said of the partnership, “Brits love their tea and their chocolate and now the science shows why. This National Chocolate Week, we’re inviting everyone to give it a go, embrace their inner Melt and discover just how well chunky chocolate and a proper brew can work together.”
Leeds Bradford Airport strikes will NOT go ahead following ‘late offer’ over pay
Clementine Hall
This weekend's strikes at Leeds Bradford Airport have been cancelled.
Around 130 workers were set to walk out this weekend, Unite said, but this has been suspended to allow air traffic controllers to consider a new pay offer.
The Unite members planning on to go on strike were a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute had recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity which led to the decision to strike.
However, as of yesterday 15 October, the workers have been given new pay offers from the airport and the strikes will not take place to allow a ballot on the offers.
Air traffic controllers and hourly paid staff are being balloted separately on their respective offers.
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: "After receiving offers from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have suspended this week’s strike action in good faith to allow members to vote on pay deals.”
In a statement, Leeds Bradford Airport said: "While the ballot process continues with certain members of our frontline colleagues, we remain hopeful that a positive outcome can be achieved and that an agreement can be reached which works for everyone involved.
"Regardless of the outcome of this ballot, LBA has a robust contingency plan in place and will be operating as normal this weekend.
"Our focus remains on supporting a smooth and reliable experience for customers while maintaining safe and efficient airport operations."
Sophie Smith -
1st February 2023 
