Eats

Much-loved West Yorkshire cafe announces closure after heartbreaking health diagnosis

'News which I never wanted to share'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 22nd April 2026

A popular cafe and bake house in West Yorkshire has announced it will close at the end of the month, after its founder received a devastating diagnosis.

Lucy's Little Bake House in Halifax has shared the 'very difficult news' that it will be closing its doors in just a few weeks' time.

Founder Lucy Chapple told followers that she has sadly been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.

She now plans to step away from the business so that she can 'focus all of my time and energy on treatment and being with my beautiful family'.

Lucy's Little Bake House has been flooded with messages of support ever since sharing the news this week.

Lucy wrote that she will 'always be deeply grateful for every order, every visit, and every kind word' received since launching the cafe.

She was first diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer a little over a year ago, and ever since has been sharing symptoms and warning signs to raise awareness, encouraging people not to ignore any signs that don't feel right.

Announcing the imminent closure of Lucy's Little Bake House, she wrote: "Hi everyone, After a lot of thought, I need to share some very difficult news. News which I never wanted to share.

"Lucy's Little Bake House will be closing its doors at the end of April. This is because I've recently been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel c-ancer

"I need to step away from the business and focus all of my time and energy on treatment and being with my beautiful family.

"Our last day will be Thursday 30th April. Before then we are open as usual so please come and see us. I would love to see you!

"Running this business and serving our Gorgeous customers for the past 7 years has meant the world to me. Your support, kindness, and loyalty over the years have helped make Lucy's Little Bake House so special, and I will always be deeply grateful for every order, every visit, and ever kind word.

"Thank you for supporting my small business and for being part of this incredible journey. With so much love and gratitude, Lucy XXX

"P.S. Please please share this post so I can reach as many customers as possible"

We've got a few weeks left before Lucy's Little Bake House closes for good, so head over to Dean Clough and show them some support.

Read more: Beloved local bakery set to expand with a new Chapel Allerton cafe

Featured image: Instagram, @lucyslittlebakehouse

Eats

Beloved local bakery set to expand with a new Chapel Allerton cafe

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Beloved local bakery Bluebird Bakery set to expand with a new Chapel Allerton cafe

Bluebird Bakery, a firm favourite for freshly-baked loaves and cakes in Leeds, has announced it's opening a brand new cafe.

The much-loved local business has been trading out of Kirkgate Market for almost a decade, selling hand-crafted loaves and loads of other beautiful bakes.

Bluebird Bakery already has locations dotted all around Yorkshire, including in York (where founders Al and Nicky Kippax launched the business from their kitchen table), Beverley, and Holmfirth.

And now they've announced big plans for a second location here in Leeds, setting their sights on Chapel Allerton.

The Bluebird Bakery team said they hope the 'West Yorkshire appetite for our loaves and cakes will continue into this vibrant suburb'.

They're taking over a site on Stainbeck Lane, where we'll all be able to tuck into bread, cakes and pastries, plus coffees from Roost Coffee.

And there'll even be outside seating at the new Bluebird Cafe too.

Bluebird Bakery is expanding with another Leeds cafe
Bluebird Bakery is expanding with another Leeds cafe
Bluebird Bakery currently operates from Kirkgate Market in Leeds
Bluebird Bakery currently operates from Kirkgate Market in Leeds

Sharing the news on Instagram, they wrote: "Big news. We are thrilled to announce that we are opening a shop and cafe in Chapel Allerton this summer.

"We love our Leeds Kirkgate Market shop and we hope the West Yorkshire appetite for our loaves and cakes will continue into this vibrant suburb, which is full of independent businesses like ours.

"We’ll be based on Stainbeck Lane where there’ll be both inside & outside seating, brilliant @roost_coffee and all the bread, cakes and pastries Chapel Allerton can eat!

"We’re recruiting soon - so do keep an eye on our socials if you’re a brilliant barista, an experienced cafe assistant or a hands-on supervisor.

"Chapel A - we’re comin’ for ya!"

Read more: Ilkley Food and Drink Festival drops full line-up, including big tribute acts and… banana jousting?

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

Eats

A Leeds icon has been reborn as The Smithfield opens in former The Reliance site

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

The Smithfield is finally here - and we're pleased to report that it's every bit as special as you were hoping.

This newcomer to Leeds has taken over the site that was home to The Reliance for more than two decades.

The team's transformation of the site started with a paint job - probably the most-talked-about paint job in the city - taking the site's exterior back to its memorable dark red.

That move immediately won over fans of The Reliance, with one person writing: "Seems the team here held the Relly in high regard and rightly so! Hopefully they can recapture some of its magic."

But the efforts to recapture the essence of the iconic old venue go way beyond that.

The Smithfield, a collaboration between Crooked Brewing and Chef James Donovan, is setting out to mix up relaxed hospitality with simple dining.

It's all about connection - to seasonal food, to the heritage of the building, and to the community that will make connections here.

Co-founder Steve Dawson outside The Smithfield
Co-founder Steve Dawson outside The Smithfield
The Reliance has been reborn as The Smithfield
The Reliance has been reborn as The Smithfield
Wayward Wines
Wayward Wines
The dining room
The dining room

If you're wondering what sort of things will be on the table, allow us to enlighten you.

There are sharing plates like grilled leeks on romesco, pigs head croquettes (a must-order), and whipped cods roe with radishes, all served on charming mismatched plates.

The bigger dishes include a comically massive pie for sharing, packed with chicken, leek, and tarragon. It's a mighty thing, especially paired with their crispy-edged chips.

You can also order a whole wild Cornish seabass for a real feast, or a fantastic beef sirloin with wild garlic butter.

There's a fantastic selection of natural wines from Wayward Wines, as well as (unsurprisingly) great beers.

Steak, pie, and charred leeks
Steak, pie, and charred leeks
A spread of the plates at The Smithfield
A spread of the plates at The Smithfield
Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding
The Smithfield has taken over the old The Reliance
The Smithfield has taken over the old The Reliance
Pigs head croquettes with gribiche
Pigs head croquettes with gribiche
The chicken and tarragon sharing pie
The chicken and tarragon sharing pie
A sharing pie and chips at The Smithfield
A sharing pie and chips at The Smithfield
Beef sirloin with wild garlic butter, and purple sprouting broccoli with ricotta and mint
Beef sirloin with wild garlic butter, and purple sprouting broccoli with ricotta and mint
Wild Cornish seabass with kohlrabi, fennel, and chervil - plus an orange wine from Wayward Wines
Wild Cornish seabass with kohlrabi, fennel, and chervil - plus an orange wine from Wayward Wines
The Smithfield is now open
The Smithfield is now open

Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, and his business partner chef James Donovan, were drawn to the old The Reliance site and are seizing the opportunity to contribute to the area's dining legacy.

While Steve's focus is on creating a social meeting point, James will focus on the casual, social dining, taking inspiration from the building's reputation as a cutting-edge gastro pub.

They'll be sourcing seasonally and locally, with menus that will change with the seasons.

The space itself inside is still familiar - those huge windows are the stars of the show, with the bar still standing centrally, while the dining room at the back is stripped-back and simple overlooking the open kitchen.

It's very early days for The Smithfield - they're just out of their soft launch period and gearing up for their first 'proper' weekend.

On their soft launch period, they wrote: "We were so grateful to welcome friends, neighbours, and the Leeds hospitality community to The Smithfield. Seeing the bar and dining room full after weeks of cleaning, painting, and graft has truly made it all worth it.

"A huge thank you to everyone who came along, showed their support, and has made this journey possible. Not least the Kitchen and bar teams, whose incredible service has kept the plates coming and the drinks flowing."

We feel pretty confident in saying Leeds will be very proud to have The Smithfield in our city.

Read more

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

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