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.”
Leeds United fans looking for a crisp pre-match pint, you're in luck.
Why? Because new data has revealed Leeds United as one of the Premier League clubs offering the cheapest pints in their stadium
And it's all down to credit card provider Zable, who analysed the average price of a pint at every Premier League stadium.
You'll be glad to know that Leeds United ranked a very respectable eighth among the Premier League teams with the cheapest pre-match pints, with fans paying an average £5.60 at Elland Road.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, supporters can currently get a cheaper drink at pubs around the stadium, where the average pint costs £4.74.
Ipswich Town have the cheapest pint at £3.50, followed by Coventry at £3.60 and Hull City at £3.90.
The top 10 cheapest stadium match day pints:
Ipswich (£3.50)
Coventry (£3.60)
Hull City (£3.90)
Liverpool (£4.80)
Sunderland (£5.00)
Everton (£5.50)
Newcastle United (£5.60)
Leeds United (£5.60)
Bournemouth (£5.60)
Brighton & Hove Albion (£5.80)
Adam McAllister at Zable says: "For many fans, grabbing a pint before kick-off is part and parcel of the matchday experience, but our research shows that where you choose to drink can make a noticeable difference to the price. While stadium pints are often assumed to be more expensive, that's not always the case.
"With the cost of attending football continuing to add up, from tickets and travel to food and drinks, small differences like these can make a real impact on the overall cost of a matchday. Taking a little time to compare prices before heading to the stadium this season could help fans make their money go further, whether they choose to have a pint at the pub or inside the ground."
Leeds Bradford Airport workers to strike over half term, as industrial action escalates in dispute over pay
Clementine Hall
Strikes by almost 130 workers at Leeds Bradford Airport are set to escalate.
If you're planning on catching a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, then you may want to double check the date.
Last week it was announced that workers were set to strike and bring the airport to complete standstill in a dispute over pay.
Today it has been announced that thestrikes are set to escalate and a second set of strikes have been announced.
The Unite members planning on going on strike are a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute have recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "It is wrong that workers at Leeds Bradford Airport are paid far less than those doing the same job at another nearby airport.
"These are essential workers who play a vital role in ensuring the smooth running of the airport and the safety of passengers and deserve fair pay. Unite will always fully back our members taking action at Leeds Bradford Airport.”
The original strikes were due to take place from 03:00 this Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for hourly paid staff and from 06:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for air traffic control workers.
The next round of industrial action will now take place from Monday 23 October to Wednesday 2 November, which coincides with the busy half term period.
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: “We appreciate those travelling to and from Leeds Bradford Airport will be concerned to hear that there are further strike dates, but the situation is completely the fault of the airport’s management. It can end this dispute, but that relies on it coming back to the table with a fair deal for our members.”
Sophie Smith -
19th April 2024 
