Did you know that during the twentieth century Leeds was home to Waddingtons, the leading manufacturer of board games and playing cards in Britain?
The well-known company produced the UK version of MONOPOLY from the 1930s and was responsible for the now famous London properties in the game before selling on to Hasbro in 1994.
And to pay homage to the city that first brought the game to life, Leeds will be hosting a huge city-wide MONOPOLY over the summer.
People can roll the dice, get out of jail free and pass go, with key sections of the city colour-coded into zones, and find a series of visual, mathematical and word puzzles to solve in a bid to buy back the city - designed for the whole family to get involved in.
And the whole event is completely free.
Image: Supplied / C81
The MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover, is brought to the city by LeedsBID and under license from Hasbro.
Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive of LeedsBID said:
“In our tenth year, we are delighted to bring a world-first to Leeds which reflects the heritage of our place. Working in association with global toy and game company Hasbro, MONOPOLY is the placemaking board game and this summer we’ll bring it to life on a city-wide scale, as a free event for all to enjoy. With its home in Leeds, Waddingtons was instrumental in bringing the London streets to many homes – we look forward to families seeing Leeds’ own Old Kent Road, Pall Mall and Mayfair.”
With only 100 days till the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover, excitement builds to the main event over summer with the opening of a special permanent Waddingtons display in Leeds City Museum this week, with a particular emphasis on MONOPOLY.
Image: Supplied / C81
Entitled 'Waddingtons and the MONOPOLY Story' display, you can find a number of special exhibits, including an original 1935 edition of MONOPOLY, a 1940s wartime set that was used to help Prisoners Of War escape; a 1960s deluxe set with silver and gold cast tokens, plus one of the 1990 MONOPOLY Leeds limited editions.
Waddingtons was also the creator of other iconic games such as Cluedo and Scoop,so you'll find plenty of memorabilia dedicated to those games, as well as an assortment of MONOPOLY merchandise from the 1980s/90s.
Many of the items on display have been donated by the Watson family, who had a three-generation connection with the company that spanned across 80 years.
Image: Supplied / C81
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, culture and education, said:
“Being the source of some of the world’s most popular board games is a fascinating chapter in the city’s story, and one of the many things which makes Leeds such a unique and historic place.
“Our museum’s collection includes some incredible examples of games from around the world, and bringing that story to life this summer will be the perfect chance to celebrate the city’s proud place in board game history while enjoying a programme of fantastic, fun events.”
If your skincare routine has been needing an upgrade, there's some good news waiting for you inside Trinity Leeds.
The shopping centre has just welcomed Moida, a brand-new beauty retailer specialising in authentic Korean skincare, bringing some of the world's most sought-after K-beauty products to Leeds.
Named after the Korean word meaning 'to gather' or 'come together', moida is all about making Korean skincare easy to discover and accessible for everyone.
Inside the new store that has taken over the old Claire's Accessories site, shoppers can expect an extensive range of handpicked products from some of the biggest names in K-beauty, including Beauty of Joseon, Dr. Althea, TIRTIR, Medicube, Biodance, and more cult-favourite brands.
The collection has been curated by a team of Korean beauty experts with close links to Korea, meaning customers can expect everything from viral TikTok sensations to exclusive products that are often difficult to get hold of elsewhere in the UK.
Moida K-Beauty has opened in Trinity Leeds. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: "With Korean skincare still increasing in popularity, moida brings an exciting new concept to the centre. Offering guests viral products alongside everyday essentials, plus the chance to browse new brands in-store will be a fantastic experience.
"We know moida is going to be a brilliant addition for both existing fans of K-beauty and those keen to discover it for the first time."
It's the latest announcement following the recent launches of Lane7, Footasylum, LEGO, Jerk Junction, The Fragrance Shop and schuh at Trinity Leeds.
Fantastic Leeds bakery owner claps back at one-star review calling him ‘silly man’
Daisy Jackson
One of Leeds' most popular independent bakeries has addressed a recent one-star review, which slammed them for being sold out of sandwiches.
Silver's Bakehouse, which comes from the same team behind Silver's Deli, suggested that the reviewer should 'work on their manners'.
The review hit out at the Farsley bakery for being sold out of sandwiches by the time they travelled 'an 80 minute round trip', describing owner Chris Riley as a 'silly man'.
The reviewer said they have been 'loyal high-spending customers since the first one opened' but wrote that they won't be visiting Silver's again after being left empty-handed.
They wrote: "It's all very good being mr instagram but things can go south very quickly silly man, make more sandwiches if you are going to be sold out in the first hour, don't risk the disappointment!!!"
Silver's Bakehouse has now publicly shared and responded to the review, stressing that they won't tolerate 'rudeness' and detailing the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
He said: "Let me explain again for you, David…
Inside Silver's Bakehouse in Farsley. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
"We start baking at 5am and rarely finish before 6pm. Everything is made fresh, by hand, often taking days to prepare, in a very small bakery. You can literally see how small it is - and we utilise every inch.
"We make as much as we physically can. Sometimes we sell out earlier than we’d like, and we’re incredibly grateful that so many people want what we make. But there is, unfortunately, a limit to how much we can produce.
"For the record, I’m not overly enthused about being “Mr Instagram” - what a truly horrendous phrase to conjure up. I managed to avoid it for years, but needs must and all that.
"I am genuinely grateful for your custom, David. Rudeness, however, I’m considerably less enthusiastic about.
"So yeah, we’ll keep working hard. You keep working on those manners."
Sophie Smith -
19th April 2024 
