The Leeds Piano Trail is bringing beautiful music to every street corner this month and you do not want to miss it.
If you've been walking around the city recently and spotted a striking, vibrant piano covered in wonderful art then first of all, lucky you, and second of all, that is the work of the Leeds Piano Trail 2022.
The trail kicked off last week on Saturday 3 September and it has already started a joyful chorus across the city.
But what is the trail you may ask? Led by the Leeds International Piano Competition, the trial aims to share live music across the city, helping to bring music and happiness into the lives of residents and visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
Image: Leeds Piano Trail
To achieve this, they have placed 6 free-standing pianos across the city, each designed by a different artist, for you to find and maybe have a go on. All abilities and ages are welcome to have a tinkle on the ivories if they feel like it.
And it doesn't stop there, on the first Saturday of every month there will be pop-up performances at 1pm taking place at each piano, showcasing some incredible pianists who are sure to leave jaws dropped.
Image: Leeds Piano Trail.
The trail are calling this the 'Day of Play', and it is a fantastic opportunity for people to gather and bond over the joy of music and art.
If you want to be a part of the trail, then the locations of all the pianos and their designers are as follows:
Kirkgate Market Piano designed by John Mayson.
Leeds Playhouse Piano designed by Heydays.
Merrion Centre Piano designed by Rosie Vohra.
The Light Piano designed by Rosie Vohra.
Trinity Leeds Piano designed by Lucy Wright.
University of Leeds Piano designed by Alison Smith.
If you get lost trying to find a piano, just follow the blissful music and you'll be sure to find it soon enough.
Image: Leeds Piano Trail
The trail further highlights the undeniable talent, community and creativity that our city showcases and we are grateful that the project is taking place. To find out more, take a look at their website.
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.
Clementine Hall -
7th September 2022 
