Spring has well and truly arrived, so there's no time like the preset to whack on your swimmers and go for a dip.
It's not often we're blessed with glorious weather in the UK, but when the sun does occasionally pop his hat on there's nothing better than visiting a lovely lido.
Whether you're in it for the laps or just to lap up the rays, an outdoor pool is a novelty that we will never get over.
In honour of the arrival of spring, the team at Betway Casino set out to discover the most popular lidos in the UK - and one in Yorkshire made the top ten list.
Ilkley Lido just squeezed in at number ten, and was the only lido to feature in the whole of the north.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The research found that Ilkley Lido has been tagged 1,258 times on Instagram and searched for 177,600 times over the past year.
We're not surprised, the lovely spa town of Ilkley is boasting a lot of things but the historic lido is one of the very best.
Having first opened its gates in 1935 as part of King George V’s silver jubilee, the lido is is an iconic part of the town’s history.
The mushroom shaped pool consists of 4,800 square meters of water, features the famous wedding cake shaped fountain and in peak season can welcome up to 4,000 visitors per day.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
From the famed ‘Ilkley Lido Solstice Swim’ that invites swimmers to greet the summer sunrise to various fitness and wellness events, the lido remains etched in the collective memory of the community.
Taking top spot though was Brockwell Lido followed by London Fields Lido and Tooting Bec Lido.
The UK Aids Memorial Quilt is set to go on display across Wakefield this summer.
The quilt - consisting of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels, representing over 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS - will go on display at WX Wakefield from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June 2026.
All 42 quilts will be on display, with WX working in partnership with the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Conservation Partnership.
Across the same weekend, selected individual panels will be displayed at different venues across the city including The Hepworth Wakefield, The Art House Wakefield, Theatre Royal Wakefield, Pontefract Castle and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Part of the world’s largest community art project, this is a huge opportunity for the city of Wakefield. The project started in the USA back in 1985 by activist Cleve Jones, commemorating friends, family and loved ones lost to AIDS.
Individual panels were then stitched together to create larger quilts, which were shown outdoors as a form of protest to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.
Today, the quilt stands as a crucial reminder of those who were lost and of the continuing affect that HIV and AIDS has on the people of today.
At WX Wakefield, viewing the quilt is completely free and on Friday 5 June there will be a special late night opening up until 10:30pm to view the exhibition.
And on Saturday 6 June at 2:30pm, there will be a very special and poignant reading of the names of those commemorated on the quilt.
Featured image - UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, installation view at Tate Modern, June 2025. Photo: AM Hanson
Leeds
Leeds’ first frozen yoghurt bar is opening in Headingley this weekend
Clementine Hall
The frozen yoghurt craze is on its way to Leeds as Kefiyo is set to open in Headingley in just a few days.
It's a phenomenon that has caught the attention of the TikTok and Instagram girlies as of late, with frozen yoghurt bars popping up in Manchester and going viral online.
The ice cold sweet treat is supposedly 'healthy' and with a slogan of 'eat Clean. feel Light. live Better.' - this new spot in Leeds seems to be going down that route too.
Kefiyo will be opening in the old Sixes site on Ash Road in Headingley, and they've just announced that they'll be soft launching this Sunday 19 April 2026.
The space is already sporting a super cute pastel green and pink exterior, and it's exactly matching the aesthetic that you'd expect with froyo.
Kefiyo will offer a range of frozen yoghurt flavours with a whole bunch of toppings for you to customise to your tastebuds, as well as fresh acai bowls.
Situated slap bang in the centre of Headingley, we've got a feeling it'll be very busy with students on their way to their morning lecture or at night for those looking for a sweet treat that doesn't feel too naughty.
We'll keep you updated on more Kefiyo updates as and when we find out.
But in the meantime, you can keep an eye on their socials here. We'll see you soon for a scoop Leeds.
Clementine Hall -
11th April 2025 
