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Leeds
Hundreds of historic Leeds United programmes from Elland Road donated to Leeds museum
A selection will become a permanent addition to the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection, with the rest being passed to the West Yorkshire Archives Service.
The collection includes hundreds of match programmes, pennants and trading cards from the 1960s to the present day.
More than half a century of incredible moments from Leeds United at Elland Road have been documented through match programmes and memorabilia, and now a super fan collection of old and new programmes are going to become a public display of the city’s sporting heritage.
A huge collection was recently handed over to the city’s museums service, where it is now being carefully catalogued and documented as part of a project exploring key moments in Leeds’s unique sporting story.
Donated by a family of lifelong fans, highlights of the impressive collection include a programme from the club’s memorable Champions League semi-final first leg clash with Spanish giants Valencia in May 2001. The tie finished 0-0, with David O’Leary’s young side going on to suffer a heart-breaking 3-0 defeat in the second leg, missing out on a place in the final.
Football fans will also be excited to see a historic matchday programme from the club’s January 1969 meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United in the collection. The season saw Leeds win the First Division title for the first time in the club’s history.
Other notable inclusions are the programme from the December 2011 game with Millwall, the first home match following the tragic death of club legend Gary Speed, and a programme from a friendly with Ajax in 1977 which was played as part of the Silver Jubilee.
Image: Leeds City Council
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Leeds United have been such a massive and integral part of the city’s story for more than a century, and each new generation of fans have had their own experiences and memories of this extraordinary club.
“It’s wonderful to see the club’s heritage being preserved as part of our museums collection and to know that sport is being celebrated for the vitally important role it plays in life in Leeds.”
Amy Thraves-Connor has been working on a placement with Leeds Museums and Galleries, examining the past, present and future of sport in Leeds and how sport is represented in the city’s museums collection.
Image: Leeds City Council
Amy said: “There’s so much history there and it’s been fascinating to see how so many different elements of the club’s story have been captured in these programmes – it’s such an impressive collection and almost like a time capsule.
“Some of my favourites were the programmes which looked at the Rainbow Laces campaign and those which had some powerful anti-racism messages. From those you can see what an important part football plays in society as well as in sport.”
Once the programmes have been catalogued, a selection will become a permanent addition to the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection, with the rest being passed to the West Yorkshire Archives Service.
Trinity Leeds is transforming Trinity Kitchen into the ultimate space to watch all the World Cup 2026 action together.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on England in the 2026 World Cup? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.
Foodie hotspot Trinity Kitchen has been completely transformed into the ultimate fan zone with space for up to 1,000 cheering fans.
And they’ve made sure that nobody misses out on the action.
There are three super-sized 5x3m screens dotted around the space, so wherever you go you won’t miss out on a goal.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
There’s also a brand-new bar courtesy of local favourites Northern Monk named the ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’.
The tap will feature two, seven-metre bars with a whopping 20 beer taps to keep you refreshed and hydrated during the tournament, because cheering the lads on really can be thirsty work.
If you don’t fancy a beer there’s also cocktails, wine and soft drinks on offer as well - so nobody has to miss out.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Feeling peckish? Of course there’s 11 street food vendors serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Choose from Caribbean jerk chicken from Jerk Junction, Indian street food from Rolawala and loads more.
Entry is completely free but if you’re after a reserved seat on a table, tickets cost just £10.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
It’s all kicking off on Wednesday 17 June for England v Croatia. So rally your mates together, get your England shirts on and grab your tickets here.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
Leeds
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Sophie Smith -
10th March 2022 
