Dubbed the Glastonbury of food festivals, the market town of Malton is set to host a Food Lovers Fest to kick off 2022.
Due to overwhelming public demand, there will be two Food Lovers Festival this year, rather than the usual one.
Set across the quaint streets of Malton, known as Yorkshire’s Food Capital, the flavoursome feast will welcome visitors from across the country to celebrate the finest produce from Yorkshire and beyond.
Home to plenty of artisan producers and award-winning independent businesses, visitors to the Malton Food Lovers Festivals will not be disappointed.
This year, expect a huge array of unique stalls with tasty treats and gorgeous gifts, celebrity chef talks and demonstrations, live music and fun for all the family. The exact line-up is yet to be announced, but across the six day event, visitors can expect only the best of home-grown goods to be in attendance.
Doubling the servings, the Malton Food Lovers Festivals will be sandwiching the summer with two events: first at the very beginning of summer, across the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, Friday 3- Sunday 5 June 2022), and again across the August Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 27 - Monday 29 August 2022, during that final weekend of sunshine before autumn arrives in Yorkshire.
The 2021 event was the first three-day Food Lovers Festival since Malton's festival beginnings over a decade ago. Both 2022 events will take place over three days thanks to the support that last year's festival received.
Image: Visit Malton
Benoit Blin, Master Pâtissier and judge from Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals, who headlined the Main Stage of last year’s festival, commented: “Malton is a lovely place to be. It’s so nice to see people being able to come out and enjoy some street food and the atmosphere once again. I’m sure I’ll be back; it’s a fantastic place!”
If you can't wait until June to visit the foodie capital, the first Monthly Food Market of the year will take place this weekend on Saturday 12 March in Malton, which will then take place every second Saturday of the month.
Stallholders can now register their interest in attending the Food Lovers Festival on the Visit Malton website.
The Food Lovers Festival is free to attend, and a Park and Ride is available at each entrance to Malton from the A64, with a free shuttle bus service to the event.
Feature Image- Visit Malton
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Leeds City Council asks public to help shape plans for eastern side of city centre
Leeds City Council is asking people for their views about transport options and public space in the city centre.
Got some thoughts and feelings about how you'd like Leeds city centre to operate? Well now's your time to speak up.
Because people are being invited to give their feedback on current issues and improvements they would like to see around St. Peter’s Street, York Street, Eastgate, Duke Street, Kirkgate, Crown Point Road, Marsh Lane and East Street.
This area of Leeds is vital for those travelling in and out of the city, with many integral and busy bus routes passing through here.
The area is also home to leisure, cultural and educational facilities, as well as Leeds bus station, and has a large and growing residential population, making it a key area for people using the bus, walking, cycling, and travelling by car.
Between 2014 and 2024, there were 260 road related casualties in the area, including 32 serious casualties and three fatalities.
The council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority will use feedback to develop plans for safer ways of travelling for everyone and more welcoming public spaces.
Councillor Tom Hinchcliffe, Leeds City Council’s executive member for transport and planning, said: “This is an important step towards a transport system that prioritises efficient public transport and supports all forms of travelling, making it easier and safer for people to get around the city.
“Public spaces are there to be used and enjoyed by everyone, and it's important that we make these spaces welcoming, accessible and well connected.
"We urge everyone that travels through this area — whether you walk, cycle, drive, or take the bus - to take part in the consultation and share your views. By sharing your experience of travelling in the area, we’ll be able to make the right improvements to make it a safer, more welcoming space for everyone.”
Have your say before Tuesday 17 November by filling in a short survey, or attending a drop-in event. You can view the drop-in events here.
Leeds City Council confirms plans to repair historic Lower Kirkgate with work set to begin this month
Clementine Hall
Leeds City Council has confirmed that work to stabilise buildings on Lower Kirkgate is set to begin later this month, with repairs expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
Back in 2024, Lower Kirkgate in Leeds city centre was closed following the partial collapse of a building, leaving one of the city's oldest streets inaccessible.
Since then, the street has remained closed while plans were developed to address the structural issues affecting the buildings.
Now, almost two years after the initial incident, the council has confirmed that a contractor has been appointed to carry out the work.
The buildings are privately owned, but Leeds City Council says it will step in to carry out the stabilisation work to prevent further deterioration and protect the historic properties.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “We are pleased that, following months of careful planning and preparation, we are now in a position to begin stabilising these privately owned buildings.
“A contract has been awarded for the work, which is scheduled to get under way later this month and is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
“It should be stressed that the situation on Lower Kirkgate is not of the council's making, with the owners of the buildings allowing their condition to deteriorate over many years and then failing to take the necessary steps to address the resultant structural issues.
“By stepping in and carrying out this work itself, the council will be able to arrest the deterioration of important heritage assets on one of Leeds’s oldest streets. As always, we thank the local community for their continued patience and support.”
Further details about the work, including when the street may be able to reopen, have not yet been confirmed.
Sophie Smith -
10th March 2022 
