The countdown is on until one the Yorkshire’s biggest festivals of culture kicks off – and the line-up just keeps getting better and better.
If you haven't got your tickets yet for the Leeds International Festival of Ideas, then there's no time like the present as a whopping 80% of tickets are already sold.
And it comes as no surprise, as this year's festival boasts a fantastic lineup presenting a diverse array of topics and discussion.
This year, conversations span from addiction, artificial intelligence, care, neurodiversity, and the impact of reality TV on our perception of reality amongst other exciting topics.
Image: Supplied
LIFI 2024 will see the likes of Kate Adie, Stacey Dooley, Kate Garraway, Goldie, Paterson Joseph, Nile Rodgers, Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self Esteem, Tim Spector, Carol Vorderman and many more take to the stage.
If you're not sold quite yet, then allow the four new speakers tempt you to get your ticket and join the discussions.
Jazz Boatswain, a former contestant on the second series of the BBC hit show The Traitors, will delve into reality television and ask 'How is TV Distorting our Reality?'.
Images: Supplied
Taylor Little, a plaintiff in the ongoing U.S. lawsuit In Re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, joins the panel on addiction along side Chris Sylvester, founder of Getting Clean CIC - an innovative project that aims to change the perception of addiction while addressing environmental issues.
Last but not least, renowned jewellery designer Daniella Draper will be hosting an engaging afternoon session with Grace Beverley, discussing everything from the gender pay gap to what it truly takes to be an important business woman.
When is LIFI24?
Taking place from Wednesday 2 October – Saturday 5 October 2024, the full event timetable for 2024 is as follows:
Courtyard Theatre
Quarry Theatre
Wed 2 Oct
7pm – How do we talk about addiction?
7:30pm – The evolution of creativity with Nile Rodgers (hosted by BEKA)
Thu 3 Oct
12pm – How to break moulds and influence people with Grace Beverley
7pm – Could AI be humanity’s saviour?
7:30pm – Trust your gut with Tim Spector (hosted by Dr Amir Khan)
Fri 4 Oct
7pm – How is TV distorting our reality?
7:30pm – Does the media need to grow a pair? With Carol Vorderman and Self Esteem
Sat 5 Oct
2pm – We’re all neurodiverse aren’t we?
7pm – Who really cares?
7:30pm – This means war with Kate Adie (hosted by Stacey Dooley)
Martin Dickson, Festival Manager, says, “The power of LIFI to bring the people of Leeds together and have a courageous, open, and honest conversation about major issues affecting us all in society today is one of the unique elements that sets this festival apart. There’s nothing as bold, confident, or influential in the UK today as a people-focused festival.”
Images: Supplied
“LIFI aims to shout louder about the city, confidently and boldly projecting an innovative, creative, exciting place to be and amplifying that to the world; that is what makes it the ultimate place-marketing festival of its type, not only in Leeds but the UK. The heartbeat of the festival lies in the experiences and sentiments shared by the people who came to witness it. After last year’s sell-out, we are super proud of this year’s line-up and hope many people join the conversation!”
How can I get tickets for Leeds International Festival of Ideas 2024?
Tickets are on sale and you can buy yours via the LIFI website here.
Food critic Camilla Long visited Leeds for her latest review for The Times with her sights set on Horsforth's finest - Bavette Bistro.
Ever since opening back in 2024, Bavette Bistro nestled in the leafy suburb of Horsforth has made waves across the country for its sheer brilliance.
It's pretty much received five star reviews across the board and been handed awards from left, right and centre. And rightly so.
The Good Food Guide crowned Bavette the best local restaurant of 2024, and Michelin handed them a well deserved Bib Gourmand - so it's safe to say it's not just us who think it's really something special.
So it was only a matter of time until The Times popped in for a review, and this one is truly glowing.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review labels Bavette as "warm, unmannered and unpretentious" as well as "authentically French".
Long describes the food as "gorgeous, confident, surprising" with a menu that "isn’t too long" and "filled with sturdy, noble dishes, whiffing mightily of the sea and the soil."
It continues: "All of it made with generosity and cheer, served fast by nimble waiters, with a long, if slightly eccentric, wine list. To bang out French dishes with this much fiddly detail and to do it to a full room is not easy. Yet all four courses came in under two hours, for about £75 a head, which in London terms is nothing.
"It’s not that this place was perfect, it’s that it was decidedly not perfect. A bit too much chat about the menus; the oeufs in the meurette not quite runny enough. But the point is: it didn’t matter. All of it came charmingly together. It felt relaxed, just right."
The review is then wrapped up with a pleasing five stars, the cherry on top of the cake.
It's a review only restaurants can dream of, and we can't think of a more deserving team - congratulations Bavette.
A new female-founded business has opened in Leeds and it’s a trinket-lover’s paradise
Clementine Hall
Lisa Angel has just opened inside the Victoria Gate and it’s an Aladdin’s Cave full of jewellery, prints, gifts and everything in between.
The best part? It’s a female-founded brand that has chosen our wonderful city for their first Yorkshire site. We absolutely don't blame them.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has gone from strength to strength every since.
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Shoppers can expect beautifully handcrafted jewellery, unique trinkets and wonderful staff who are open to have a natter.
It's the perfect shop for when you don't exactly know what to buy that someone special, just pop in here and you'll be hit with a wave of inspiration immediately.
We could've genuinely spent a good hour in there and come out with a much lighter wallet.
Lisa herself spoke about the opening: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Managing Director James Moody said: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
Clementine Hall -
29th July 2024 
