After 50 years of bringing Leeds to life, the Bird Garden at Harewood House is winding down and preparing to re-home all of its wildlife.
Noting the pressures of the pandemic, and ongoing struggles of rising costs, Harewood House is taking the measure in order to preserve the long-term future of the park, stating that they want to "stay relevant and able to remain open for everyone to enjoy".
The House had a record-breaking year in 2022, but sadly, this was not enough to keep the Bird Garden open to the public.
Over the next six months, the birds, including those that are exotic and endangered, will be re-homed in space that offer the capacity to look after the animals, ensuring "comfortable and enriched lives and to ensure their life-long care".
The much-loved penguins will also be re-homed. / Image: Harewood House
And this all follows on from an exciting year where the Bird Garden saw a record of ten critically endangered Vietnam pheasants hatched; 298 penguin experiences delivered; 20 visits from specialist zoo vets; 416kg of meat fed to the condors and celebrated a special 31st birthday for Minnie the penguin.
In a touching statement, Harewood House broke the news to the public, stating:
"As Harewood House Trust looks to its long-term future, it has to consider what Harewood will look like in 5, 10, 25 years’ time from now and beyond, to ensure we stay relevant and able to remain open for everyone to enjoy.
"Harewood’s Bird Garden is now over 50 years old and, as visitors have pointed out to us consistently over the past few years, the birds’ environment is not on a par with more up-to-date zoos. At Harewood’s last zoo inspection, the team were praised for their excellent care and the health of the birds, but sadly they identified many problems with the site’s physical infrastructure that the charity cannot sustain.
Image: Harewood House
"Over the last six months we have been researching options for the charity going forwards, however, with a need for a £4 million investment to just the Bird Garden alone, the Trust has had to make the incredibly difficult decision to close this part of the Harewood experience.
"The closure date of the Bird Garden will be published later in the year and we will post updates on social media as the birds are rehomed around the world.
"It has been an incredibly difficult conclusion to reach but it is the most responsible and ethical decision to make, to ensure the health and care of these beautiful creatures, but also to ensure Harewood can stand the test of time and be here for as long as it has stood already."
The closing date has not yet been announced, but will be published later this year once Harewood House can give clear dates.
Harewood House reopens this weekend and will be open Friday-Sunday every weekend, before opening all week long from Friday 17 March 2023. In addition to this, Harewood House and grounds will be open all half term (Monday 13 February - Sunday 19 February 2023) for those wanting to visit the birds before they are re-homed.
Feature Image-Harewood House
Leeds
Viral Yorkshire shop urges visitors to avoid weekends as huge queues form
A viral apothecary shop in Yorkshire has warned visitors about huge queues forming outside its doors, urging people to visit during the week if they want to avoid the crowds.
The Cabinet of Curiosities in Haworth has become a popular destination for those looking to really get into the autumn spirit.
And it seems like there's a lot of people who are looking to do so, as huge queues have been forming along the quaint cobbled streets of Haworth.
So much so, that owner Carolin had to issue a statement via The Cabinet of Curiosities Instagram page.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
It reads: "Weekends in Haworth have become particularly busy during Autumn and we are so grateful to all those lovely souls who have patiently queued to visit the shop.
"We are so honoured that you are happy to wait to come in to our magical apothecary shop, and I can’t quite believe it when I look out of the windows and see the queue snaking up the cobbles. Be assured that the queue does move fast and it makes for a far more pleasurable visit if there are fewer people in the shop at once.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
"If you would rather avoid the busy times it’s best to visit during the week if you can. Our shop is open 7 days a week 10-5, but to make sure all the shops in Haworth are open then Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are probably the best days to visit.
"We are doing our best to keep up with restocking and our fabulous workshop witches are busy blending, filling and packing every day to keep to keep the shelves stocked. We are humbled and forever grateful that you love our little shoppe, and hope you enjoy your potions and your visit to The Cabinet of Curiosities."
Leeds Bradford Airport issue statement as 130 workers prepare to strike
Clementine Hall
Leeds Bradford Airport is set for a standstill as almost 130 workers are set to take industrial action over pay.
If you're planning on catching a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, then you may want to double check the date.
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.
Strikes will take place from 03:00 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.
Strike will mean the entire airport will shut down.
Since the announcement, Leeds Bradford Airport have issued a statement: "Leeds Bradford Airport acknowledges the proposed industrial action due to take place between 16-18 October involving a group of operational colleagues.
"We respect the right of employees to participate in lawful industrial action. However, we are disappointed by this and do not believe strike action is the right way to resolve the issues still under discussion.
"The airport has made what we believe is a fair and responsible offer that is significantly above inflation and reflects both current economic conditions and the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business.
"Our priority now is to minimise disruption for customers, many of whom have worked hard and saved for important holidays, family visits and business travel. At this stage we anticipate running near-normal operations during the period.
"Leeds Bradford Airport plays a vital role in connecting Yorkshire to the world. Industrial action has the potential to cause inconvenience for thousands of customers and local businesses who rely on those connections.
"We remain committed to constructive dialogue with Unite and would welcome continued discussions aimed at reaching a resolution. Our focus remains on serving Yorkshire, supporting our colleagues and maintaining safe airport operations."
Sophie Smith -
10th January 2023 
