The ultimate chicken wing showdown returns this weekend.
Just one hour from Leeds city centre in Manchester, Love Factory is preparing to host Wing Fest, aka the biggest chicken wing festival in the UK.
Championing street food traders and restauranteurs from across the UK, over the course of the weekend there'll be more than 100,000 drums and flats churned out from kitchens as they compete for the titles of Best Buffalo Wing, Best Wild Wing, and the Best BBQ Wing, a brand-new category for 2023.
Taking place this year on 12 and 13 August, this year will see the introduction of a new format inspired by the classic beer festival, reports The Manc.
Organisers have taken on feedback from previous years about queue waits, and for 2023 Manchester Wing Fest will be divided into sessions with reduced capacity - starting with a Saturday afternoon, followed by an evening session, then finishing with a bang on Sunday afternoon.
This means less time waiting, more wings, and a more seamless festival experience. Expect profound poultry eating, music thumping, axe throwing, beer and bourbon drinking of epic proportion.
Guests can expect a seriously saucy line-up for 2023, with wings from returning champs Eat The Bird, and local favourites Yard & Coop.
Wings at this year's London event. / Image: Wing Fest
Image: Wing Fest
For those wanting wings from further afield, Poor Boys will be showcasing flavours from the big smoke, alongside Birmingham wing slingers, Filthy Wings.
All traders will be competing to win your vote and guarantee their spot in the Hall of Flame, chicken wing fans will have the opportunity to cast their votes across each of the two categories.
Wing Fest’s legendary competitions will be held on both days, and it’s set to get seriously heated with the deadly Lava Wing Challenge.
Hosted by Clifton Chilli Club, it’s the UK’s hottest wing challenge, renowned for the carnage it causes and strictly for the brave. If you’re a true wing aficionado, then it’s time for the Sweet Baby Ray’s Wing Eating competition hosted by Food Review Club.
Competitors who are hungry enough compete against each other to see who can eat the most chicken wings in the fastest time - easily the messiest spectacle across the two days.
Not just a festival for Wing aficionados, expect plenty of beer from Tiny Rebel, some of the best bourbon around from Horse With No Name, and whiskey from Jameson Black Barrel.
Entertainment includes axe throwing, beer puppeteers, chicken pinatas, and donut eating challenges, alongside live music – best enjoyed with a wing or two in hand.
You know the venue, and you know the operators behind it, but things are looking a little different over on Sovereign Street.
Leeds' very own Kirkstall Brewery has teamed up with street food legends Little Bao Boy to totally reinvent the city centre taproom formerly known as North Taproom.
At the all-new The City Taproom, you'll find a way cosier space alongside their sun-soaked terrace, as they aim to reimagine a traditional city centre pub.
Across 16 tap lines there are loads of Kirkstall Brewery classics, like Kirkstall Pilsner, Virtuous and Judicious, plus a rotating selection of guest beers from top British breweries - and Guinness, of course.
The City Taproom will also feature two new cask lines: one serving Three Swords as a staple, and the other on rotation starting this month with Golden Hour.
There's a bigger kitchen for Little Bao Boy too, which means an even larger menu of bao and Asian street food, like loaded fries, noodles, and rice bowls.
Little Bao Boy was founded 10 years ago by James Ooi, specialising in home-made bao buns and traditional Asian street food with a contemporary western twist.
Kirkstall have injected the huge space with the traditional essence of a proper Kirkstall establishment, with that kind of cosy atmosphere you know them for at the brewery's other sites.
Little Bao Boy at City TaproomKirkstall Brewery pints and cocktails
This is yet another of the local brewery's openings in the city centre, joining their recent renovation of The Victoria & Commercial in partnership with Whitelocks, plus their stewardship of the historic Tetley brewery building.
James Ooi, founder of Little Bao Boy said: "We have been part of this venue since day one, through COVID, outside seating, and new owners, and we are so excited for this refurb.
"On the food side, expect more collaborations, faster service, and a better overall customer experience. We are extremely grateful Kirkstall saw the value in this refurb and can't wait to get back open."
Steve Holt, founder of Kirkstall Brewery, said: "We're delighted to unveil a new presentation for the Taproom on Sovereign Street.
"It has been named The City Taproom after a famous but long-gone Leeds pub known as ‘The City’, which was situated where the statue of the Dortmund Brewer now stands. Images of the original City pub are a feature in the new look City Taproom, which can best be described as a 're-imagination' of a traditional city-centre pub.
"The City Taproom celebrates Leeds and its rich pub and brewing heritage. We hope that it will become a popular addition to the amazing and diverse venues that make Leeds such a vibrant City for hospitality and entertainment."
It's all the bits you loved before, just a little bigger and a whole lot better.
The City Taproom opens at 3 Sovereign Street on Thursday 23 April.
Much-loved West Yorkshire cafe announces closure after heartbreaking health diagnosis
Daisy Jackson
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.
The Hoot -
4th August 2023 
