New plans have emerged to convert the former House of Fraser building into student accommodation have been submitted to the council.
The plans include a new retail store and huge student accommodation complex that would include space for almost 400 residents.
The new plans include the full conversion of 140-142 Briggate, formerly House of Fraser, into eleven storeys of new space right in the heart of the city centre.
The huge plot on Briggate is right in the city centre, with shops like Zara and Foot Locker on its doorstep.
The new space will be named Grand Central Place, as a homage to the Grand Central Hotel which occupied the site in the early 1800s.
The proposal for the site is to create two storeys of retail space, assumably on the lower levels where House of Fraser operated from, then above will be nine floors of student accommodation.
The living quarters includes 131 self-contained studios and a further 47 cluster flats, bringing the total number of flats to 178.
Image: WikiCommons
The flats will be aimed at students: an ideal location for those studying at either Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds, as both university campuses are less than a mile away. Overall, 369 beds will fill the building and a further communal areas and shared living spaces will be provided throughout.
Sustainability will be at the heart of the planning, and the plans hope to rival the popular accommodation available at present.
Plans need to be approved for construction to begin, but once confirmed the last of the House of Fraser signage would be removed and the building would take a step back in time to reignite the luxe Grand Central Hotel that once stood in its stop- just reimagined in the 21st century as a modern, sleek block of flats.
Feature Image- WikiCommons
Leeds
Leeds band Yard Act announce 2026 UK tour including homecoming gig
Yard Act are back as they announce first round of UK headline dates since 2024.
We are so, so back.
It's been a few years, but Yard Act have just announced a small selection of UK gigs for later in the year including a homecoming gig at the O2 Academy on Friday 6 November.
The dates follow the band’s first show of the year at the 6Music Festival this Friday across The Pennines in Manchester.
After Leeds, the lads will be performing shows at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on Friday 13 November before making their way down south to the O2 Academy in Brixton on Thursday 26 November.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Yard Act completed the touring for their critically acclaimed second album Where’s My Utopia? with a victory lap back home at the 5000 capacity Millennium Square in Leeds in August 2024.
It was a record that brought a stark change of pace to the acerbic, post-punk of their debut, embracing something altogether more playful and bringing a different energy. It shifted the dynamic on stage too, with the addition of dancing backing singers and additional musicians and openly challenged listeners to reconsider who they thought Yard Act were.
Since then, the band have remained active, whether writing Where’s My Utopia’s follow-up on scratching the itch to get back on stage, heading out across the UK and Europe with The Hives, which was preceded by an intimate one-off show at Blackpool Tower last May.
Following a lengthy stint in the studio, the band now look to the Autumn for three big UK dates and we cannot wait.
Tickets go on artist presale from 10am on Wednesday 25 March before hitting general sale at 10am on Friday 27 March. Sign up here.
Viral brunch cafe Acai and the Tribe is coming to Leeds city centre this spring
Clementine Hall
Leeds health nuts assemble, because acai bowls and superfood smoothies are coming to a city near you.
Incase you've been living under a rock for the past year or so, you may not be clued up on the whole acai bowl trend that has been sweeping up the nation.
Acai is a super berry grown and harvested in the Amazon rainforest, and not only is it absolutely delicious but it has a myriad of health benefits.
Acai and the Tribe first opened four years ago in Manchester, and ever since then it's only gone from strength to strength opening up three other locations across the country.
Images: The Manc Group
Next stop? Leeds. And we couldn't be happier about it.
So, what can we expect from this aesthetically-pleasing and ultra trendy female-owned business? Well, loaded acai bowls that look almost too good to eat, superfood smoothies, coffees, matcha and savoury options like avocado toast.
Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, Acai and the Tribe said: "You asked, we listened. LEEDS… your new lifestyle arrives soon."
They will be opening on 88 Vicar Lane as part of the Vicar Lane regeneration scheme, which has already scene some great new restaurants being announced such as Sticks'n'Sushi and Dishoom.
It seems like this part of town is suddenly going to be the place to be, and we're very happy to see it.
We'll keep you updated with opening dates as and when we know more but for now, you can find out more about Acai and the Tribe here.
Sophie Smith -
9th February 2022 
