If you love a good brew, then you won't want to miss Leeds first-ever dedicated tea festival.
Held at Temple Newsam, the British obsession with tea will be celebrated with some specially chosen events including tea dances, themed crafting sessions and baking.
Taking place from Saturday 2 October, events planned for the festival include dance lessons, a chance to visit the walled garden and sew your own tea bags, and a visit from the Yorkshire Tea blending teamwho will talk about different tea varieties, tastes, and blends.
There'll also be an exhibition of a rather impressive stitched afternoon tea, created by Leeds crafters Love Art Leeds CIC, on display in the Still room throughout.
Fittingly, it transpires that the stately Leeds home where the festival will be held has its own connection to tea stretching back over 370 years.
Believe it or not, the home is connected to the first written records of tea drinking in the whole of the country - as revealed by an apothecary receipt dating back to 1642.
Found amongst a number of papers held for the estate by the West Yorkshire Archives, the Civil War-era bill for medicinal ingredients includes an order for a number of bottles of “China drink" - the old name given for tea by the English. Each bottle was priced at four shillings and sixpence.
It's thought to be the oldest reference to tea drinking in the country, predating Samuel Pepys famous 1660 diary reference, which states: "afterwards I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away.."
A special Temple Newsam tea, inspired by the estate and created by members of staff, will also be available to purchase throughout the festival.
Adam Toole, curator at Temple Newsam, said: “The house and the estate have made so many memorable contributions to the history of the city and the country over the centuries and we’re always making new discoveries about the people who lived and worked here.
“It’s fascinating that Temple Newsam played a part in the story of tea in Yorkshire, and we hope our visitors will join us over the next week to explore that legacy while they enjoy a cup or two.”
To find out more, visit the listing for the festival here.
Feature image - Temple Newsam
Leeds
Female-founded independent jewellery brand to open in Leeds’ Victoria Gate
Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.
Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.
Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.
Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.
Image: Supplied
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
Clementine Hall
Well...this is a new one.
Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.
Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.
The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.
Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.
And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.
Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.
You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...
No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.
The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer.
John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by.
“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.”
Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.
Georgina Pellant -
1st October 2021 
