Cocktails made from Skittles, Pancetta and Haribo: this is the cocktail menu you never knew you needed in your life.
Pastel is a new cocktail bar with a lot of never-seen-before drinks on the menu- and we're obsessed with the concept.
Rattan chairs, pineapple tables and decorative features in pink, mint, cream and a teal green: this pastel paradise is going to be an Insta-worthy bar that brings that summer feel-good feeling to the everyday.
Opening on Saturday 12 March to the public, Pastel will be serving up beautifully decorated cocktails and handpicked spirits to Leeds in a rather decorative setting.
Located in the beating heart of Leeds metropolis, Kirkgate, Pastel is combining the euphoric feeling of day drinking with the playful romanticism of evening tipple.
Their cocktail menu is all that the company have chosen to reveal at this stage, but it's more than enough to get us down the moment the doors open.
Essentially, you're looking at classic cocktails with imaginative twists and carefully-decorated glasses. The Pastel Fizz, for instance, is a delectable concoction of Bacardi Raspberry, raspberry liqueur, fresh lime juice with cream, egg white, soda and topped with 'Pastel Dust' that gives it a rather frothy appearance.
Image: Pastel Leeds
The Wray of Sunshine is likely to be our drink of choice. El Jimador Tequila, Wray & Nephew with Sunshine Syrup, fresh lime, basil, pineapple juice and Skittles: this is going to be the perfect post-work drink once the sunshine returns and we're basking in the rays mid-heatwave.
Then there's some rather unusual combinations, just like the Curd Your Enthusiasm cocktail. Portobello Road Gin, fresh lemon juice with lemon Curd and topped with pancetta and a single Haribo Egg. Yes, eggs and meat on a cocktail: not for the faint-hearted, or vegetarians.
Image: Pastel Leeds
Speaking about their cocktail bar concept, Pastel said: "We are a venue inspired by a playful and fun drinking culture and aim to deliver a fun and unique drinking experience to push the boundaries of wet-led service standards."
"From daytime hustlers to nighttime goodtimers we have the perfect oasis of pastel hues and laid back atmosphere for both work and play. The core of what we do is to take all guests on a journey from early to late, serving cool signature cocktails alongside classic cocktails, handpicked spirits and Monmouth coffee."
More information will be released closer to the opening of the bar. To keep up to date with all the exciting revelations, you can nosey on the their Instagram page.
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: Supplied
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a silent sauna, giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
Image: Supplied
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.
Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.
Myles Smith announces HUGE arena gig in Leeds this year
Thomas Melia
Singer-songwriter Myles Smith has just announced his biggest headline tour and is set to play a huge arena gig in Leeds this year.
Quit ‘Stargazing’ and get ready to fight for tickets as Myles Smith has just announced he’ll be visiting Leeds later this year for his biggest arena gig to date.
Known for hits like ‘Nice To Meet You’, ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’ and ‘Wait For You’, this BRIT School graduate is now heading on the road for some headline shows across the UK.
Recognised for his folk-pop sound, Smith has built quite a name for himself just three or so years into his career, with solo efforts and a few collaborations under his belt.
Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Recently, the Luton-born artist collaborated with some well-known names like Shaboozey on their track ‘Blink Twice’ and even features on a new single from former One Direction member Niall Horan titled ‘Drive Safe’.
It was only last year that the ‘Stargazing’ songwriter visited Leeds, bringing his high-energy hits to O2 Academy back in February.
Now, Smith is ready to tackle an arena crowd and has chosen Leeds First Direct Bank Arena and is expected to raise the roof when 13,500 fans flock to the star’s show this winter.
Titled after his upcoming album My Mess, My Life, My Heart, Smith will be playing a variety of well-known and brand new hits when he makes his way up North.
Fans who are signed up to the official artist presale can get exclusive access to tickets from Wednesday, 25 March at 10am, with the window closing on Friday, 27 March at 9am.
Meanwhile, general admission tickets go live by 10 am that same Friday (27 Mar).
Myles Smith is embarking on his ‘My Mess, My Life, My Heart’ tour this winter and visiting First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds on Sunday 8 November – tickets and more info HERE.
Sophie Smith -
3rd March 2022 
