Finally, Leeds Bradford Airport has unveiled its £100m terminal extension, with passengers now making use of upgraded facilities and a much more modern airport experience.
The official opening of the brand-new terminal marks the first phase of the airport's ongoing refurbishment.
Phase two will see the existing terminal refurbished to modernise the existing terminal infrastructure.
Inside the new and improved Leeds Bradford Airport, passengers now find a new baggage reclaim area, an upgraded passport control with advanced security technologies, and an 83% increase in seating with uninterrupted views of the runway,
There's also a much, much broader food and drink offering, including a new Tap and Brew bar with SALT beers on tap, Burger King, Monty’s Diner and more.
Leeds Bradford Airport is now home to two new premium lounges, including the new Six Eight One premium lounge that offers seasonal and local food and drink menus.
Upon arrival at the airport, passengers will notice there are still signs of building work outside, including a relocated Meet & Greet parking area - this is while Phase 2 is completed and more information is on the airport's website.
Leeds Bradford Airport has unveiled its new terminal extension. Credit: Supplied
Vincent Hodder, CEO at Leeds Bradford Airport said: "We are delighted to see our new terminal extension open and operational today.
"It has been an incredible journey to get here, and we know our customers are going to get a completely new experience from LBA from today.
"It’s an exciting time for us too; for our employees, stakeholders and business partners, the opening of this building is a huge achievement for all involved.”
John Cunliffe, Commercial Director of Leeds Bradford Airport commented: "Today is a huge milestone for Leeds Bradford Airport.
"Our new terminal is officially open and ready to welcome passengers, offering improve facilities and enabling us to deliver an enhanced experience for passengers in the region.
“As we transition into Phase 2 of the project, the changes will impact the usual passenger flows, and we’d like to thank passengers in advance for their understanding.”
Leeds has been ranked the number one city in the UK for construction growth.
Well well well, it seems we've got another accolade under our belt.
A new survey has revealed that Leeds leads the way in national construction growth, outdoing London and other major cities. How cool is that?
It's all down to a number of factors, including high housing completions, strong planning activity, and thriving construction businesses.
The findings are all down to Astrak’s new Construction Hotspot Index, which analysed job availability, planning activity, housing completions and construction businesses across 12 major UK cities.
Leeds performed strongly across all key indicators used in the index, beating the likes of Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham in the national rankings.
Key findings for Leeds included:
1,343 live construction job adverts – one of the highest in the UK
1,017 planning application decisions in Q2 2025 – a strong indicator of future developments
4,327 housing completions – the latest government annual data shows the highest rate per capita
3,760 construction businesses – per capita, second only to London
James Coughlan, CMO at Astrak, commented: “Leeds is clearly a city building for the future. With strong demand for skilled workers, a thriving business base and thousands of new homes completed, it’s a great time to be in construction here.
“The city offers a wide range of opportunities – from on-site trades to technical and office-based roles, and with even more growth forecast, we expect demand for talent to keep rising well into 2026 and beyond.”
We can't say we're surprised, and although it may be frustrating for construction to be popping up here there and everywhere the city is benefitting from recent developments such as Aire Park and the South Village.
A ‘Mini Mall’ full of independent food traders and local brands is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
The Merrion Centre is set to become the home of an exciting new retail and food destination this summer.
Introducing The Mini Mall, an innovative retail concept designed to create a flagship city-centre destination for local brands, artisan producers and independent food traders.
The new 4,885 sq ft ground-floor space will be completely dedicated entirely to independent Yorkshire brands, artisan producers, and local food creators.
Operating as a premium 'satellite department store', The Mini Mall provides established independent businesses with fully staffed, centrally managed retail bays.
Image: Supplied
Shoppers can expect a carefully curated selection of Yorkshire-based homeware designers, fashion labels, craft producers, and street food vendors under one roof.
The Mini Mall will open on Saturday 25July with an official public grand opening featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live brand showcases, and the full launch of the Mini Food Hall.to meet the makers behind the brands.
Shaz Westfield, founder of Eventszo, said: "The Mini Mall was created to give independent businesses the opportunity to trade in a prime city-centre location without the barriers that often come with traditional retail.
“Yorkshire is home to an incredible community of makers, creators and food businesses, and our goal is to provide a platform where they can grow, connect with new customers and thrive. We're delighted to be launching our flagship venue at the Merrion Centre and look forward to building a destination that champions local talent and entrepreneurship."
Charles Newman, asset management director at Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), owners of The Merrion Centre, said: "What makes the Merrion Centre different is the breadth and character of our occupier mix. We've always championed businesses that bring something unique to the city centre, creating a destination that offers visitors experiences they won't find elsewhere on the high street."
You can find out more about Leeds' new Mini Mall here.
Daisy Jackson -
18th June 2025 
