Did you know that during the twentieth century Leeds was home to Waddingtons, the leading manufacturer of board games and playing cards in Britain?
The well-known company produced the UK version of MONOPOLY from the 1930s and was responsible for the now famous London properties in the game before selling on to Hasbro in 1994.
And to pay homage to the city that first brought the game to life, Leeds will be hosting a huge city-wide MONOPOLY over the summer.
People can roll the dice, get out of jail free and pass go, with key sections of the city colour-coded into zones, and find a series of visual, mathematical and word puzzles to solve in a bid to buy back the city - designed for the whole family to get involved in.
And the whole event is completely free.
Image: Supplied / C81
The MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover, is brought to the city by LeedsBID and under license from Hasbro.
Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive of LeedsBID said:
“In our tenth year, we are delighted to bring a world-first to Leeds which reflects the heritage of our place. Working in association with global toy and game company Hasbro, MONOPOLY is the placemaking board game and this summer we’ll bring it to life on a city-wide scale, as a free event for all to enjoy. With its home in Leeds, Waddingtons was instrumental in bringing the London streets to many homes – we look forward to families seeing Leeds’ own Old Kent Road, Pall Mall and Mayfair.”
With only 100 days till the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover, excitement builds to the main event over summer with the opening of a special permanent Waddingtons display in Leeds City Museum this week, with a particular emphasis on MONOPOLY.
Image: Supplied / C81
Entitled 'Waddingtons and the MONOPOLY Story' display, you can find a number of special exhibits, including an original 1935 edition of MONOPOLY, a 1940s wartime set that was used to help Prisoners Of War escape; a 1960s deluxe set with silver and gold cast tokens, plus one of the 1990 MONOPOLY Leeds limited editions.
Waddingtons was also the creator of other iconic games such as Cluedo and Scoop,so you'll find plenty of memorabilia dedicated to those games, as well as an assortment of MONOPOLY merchandise from the 1980s/90s.
Many of the items on display have been donated by the Watson family, who had a three-generation connection with the company that spanned across 80 years.
Image: Supplied / C81
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, culture and education, said:
“Being the source of some of the world’s most popular board games is a fascinating chapter in the city’s story, and one of the many things which makes Leeds such a unique and historic place.
“Our museum’s collection includes some incredible examples of games from around the world, and bringing that story to life this summer will be the perfect chance to celebrate the city’s proud place in board game history while enjoying a programme of fantastic, fun events.”
Matcha girls assemble, because a new cafe dedicated to it is opening right here in Leeds.
It seems like matcha has taken the world by storm over the past year or so, more often than not you'll see caffeine enthusiasts walking around with bright green drinks over a cup of coffee.
If you're one of those people then you're in luck, because a cafe dedicated to the stuff is opening right here in Leeds.
Introducing Made Matcha, a matcha and açaí bar that has created waves in the foodie scene over in Sheffield since opening back in September last year.
Images: The Sheff
And it's pretty clear they're doing very well indeed, to be opening a second site in another city less than six months after launching is no mean feat.
Made Matcha will be opening on Lower Briggate in the Nice Things site, the beautiful plant shop hasn't been around for long and sadly closed quietly without much noise.
So, what can we expect from Made?
This pastel green paradise specialise in seasonal matchas that (almost) look too pretty to drink.
Images: The Sheff
You can get everything from a Strawberry Shortcake Matcha to a Sticky Date Latte, and you can pretty much guarantee that every time you go they'll have a few more specials on the menu.
Our mates over at The Sheff recommend the Banana Bread Matcha and to be honest, you don't have to tell us twice.
Not only do they serve gallons of the good green stuff, but you can also get fresh açaí bowls, sandwiches and superfood smoothies.
We've got a feeling this spot will be very busy post-pilates class on a Saturday morning, and to be honest we'll see you there.
There's no opening date yet, but we'll keep you in the loop.
Leeds Pride 2026 announces dates and first wave of acts for 20th anniversary celebration this summer
Clementine Hall
Leeds Pride has confirmed the dates for its 2026 festival, which will mark the event’s 20th anniversary this summer.
And you bet that organisers are pulling out all the stops.
The city-wide celebration champions local LGBTQ+ talent alongside world-class headline acts, and this year for the first time ever, celebrations will be held across two days on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July 2026.
The festival’s first performer has been announced as Strictly Come Dancing Icon & RuPaul’s Drag Race Star La Voix, who will be taking to the main stage.
Image: Supplied
And it doesn't stop there, Leeds Pride will feature a full weekend of diverse events, including the Leeds Pride Drag Brunch Fest, street parties across the city and of course the iconic Pride parade, which is set to be even bigger and better than ever before.
A Leeds Pride spokesperson said: "We're incredibly excited to celebrate 20 years of Leeds Pride. This milestone anniversary represents two decades of bringing our community together, championing LGBTQ+ voices and creating unforgettable moments.
Images: Supplied
“Leeds Pride is growing and stronger than ever and we're committed to giving Northern LGBTQ+ performers a platform to shine. This 20th anniversary festival will be our biggest and best yet, but as we expand, we need public and sponsor support more than ever to make our vision a reality. We're calling on businesses and individuals to get behind Leeds Pride and help us deliver an incredible celebration that our community deserves.
“Expanding to two days for the first time shows just how far we've come, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back to Leeds this summer for what will be our most spectacular Pride yet."
More details will be announced soon and you can find out more here on the Leeds Pride website.
Sophie Smith -
19th April 2024 
