East of Arcadia will remain open for the next two months before undergoing a major refurb.
It has been confirmed that the team behind the Sunday Time's favourite cosy pub in Leeds have taken over Meanwood boozer and foodie spot, East of Arcadia.
The group currently own Whitelock's and next door pub, The Turk's Head, making East of Arcadia the third pub in their ownership.
Image: East of Arcadia
Whitelock's has announced that the company will reopen East of Arcadia on Friday 27 May 2022 with a two month trading agreement before closing the pub for a major refurb. East of Arcadia will reopen in September under a new guise with even the name set to change to fit the Whitelock's brand.
The acquisition is a new move for the company, who currently own pubs steeped in history. Whitelock's first opened in 1715 and is locally known to be the oldest pub in Leeds, whilst The Turk's Head was estimated to exist around the same era- named after the family that once owned the building.
By contrast, East of Arcadia is a modern building located on a busy junction of Meanwood, not hidden away down backstreets within the city centre.
Whitelock’s Managing Owner Ed Mason, who is also a co-founder of The Five Points Brewing Company, said: “We are excited about our expansion to Meanwood and the acquisition of this high profile pub. We want to bring our Whitelock’s values of a warm friendly welcome, convivial atmosphere, excellent quality beers and a commitment to local and independent food and drink suppliers. We want to serve a diverse local community where everyone feels welcome”
“The past two years have been very difficult for all hospitality businesses, but we are seeing demand at both Whitelock’s and Five Points Brewing bounce back strongly. Despite the challenges around cost of living at the moment we believe that people see and value a trip to the pub and a good quality pint as an affordable treat.”
Image: Whitelock's
He added; “We have a fantastic team at Whitelock’s and have built a great reputation in Leeds and are keen to continue to grow the business through acquisition of additional sites. We are really happy that the staff team at East of Arcadia are joining the company. They are a lovely, committed team who share our values of supporting independent suppliers and supporting the local community”.
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.
Sophie Smith -
25th May 2022 
