Beloved Yorkshire-born bakery Cooplands may soon be popping up in petrol and service stations across the UK, following news that the brand has sold to entrepreneurs Zuber and Mohsin Issa - who also bought Asda last year.
Huge expansion plans have been announced for the chain as part of the acquisition deal, which sees the UK's second-largest bakery chain snapped up by the Mancunian Issa brother's EG Group.
Known for their petrol and service stations, the brothers used the EG Group to acquire CS Food Groups Holdings Limited, which operates as Cooplands.
Through this group, Cooplands owns and operates three bakeries that produce its fresh products before they are distributed to a network of 180 stores and cafes across Yorkshire and the northeast.
Cooplands opened a store in Yeadon, Leeds in September but after their acquisition with EG Group, it is expected the bakery brand will travel further across the UK. Image: Cooplands Bakery
Cooplands has come a long way since its 1885 debut as a pork butcher and pie maker. The business now has over 170 shops and twelve cafes across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the northeast but this number is only set to expand over the month months.
In a statement regarding the takeover, EG Group said that Cooplands "complement EG Group’s extensive food service brand portfolio, including popular third-party brands such as Starbucks, KFC and Subway".
The "transaction will provide a platform to diversify the Cooplands brand into the transient petrol forecourt and retail convenience store channel, alongside the bakery chain’s traditional store formats, through EG Group’s extensive UK network".
The acquisition also promises to ensure that the fresh food remains at the forefront of Cooplands' image so that they can continue "to satisfy existing customers and attract new ones".
The assurance of remaining an authentic, individual brand should mirror the approach taken regarding the management of other recent EG Group acquisitions, including popular restaurant chain LEON in May 2021.
Cooplands was previously backed by BGF, however this new acquisition from EG Group marks the end of BGF's involvement in the bakery chain.
Although there is no set time frame for the introduction of Cooplands in EG stores, we can only imagine that we will be seeing Yorkshire's finest baked goods in petrol and service stations, amongst other stores in the near future.
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: Supplied
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a silent sauna, giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
Image: Supplied
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.
Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.
Myles Smith announces HUGE arena gig in Leeds this year
Thomas Melia
Singer-songwriter Myles Smith has just announced his biggest headline tour and is set to play a huge arena gig in Leeds this year.
Quit ‘Stargazing’ and get ready to fight for tickets as Myles Smith has just announced he’ll be visiting Leeds later this year for his biggest arena gig to date.
Known for hits like ‘Nice To Meet You’, ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’ and ‘Wait For You’, this BRIT School graduate is now heading on the road for some headline shows across the UK.
Recognised for his folk-pop sound, Smith has built quite a name for himself just three or so years into his career, with solo efforts and a few collaborations under his belt.
Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Recently, the Luton-born artist collaborated with some well-known names like Shaboozey on their track ‘Blink Twice’ and even features on a new single from former One Direction member Niall Horan titled ‘Drive Safe’.
It was only last year that the ‘Stargazing’ songwriter visited Leeds, bringing his high-energy hits to O2 Academy back in February.
Now, Smith is ready to tackle an arena crowd and has chosen Leeds First Direct Bank Arena and is expected to raise the roof when 13,500 fans flock to the star’s show this winter.
Titled after his upcoming album My Mess, My Life, My Heart, Smith will be playing a variety of well-known and brand new hits when he makes his way up North.
Fans who are signed up to the official artist presale can get exclusive access to tickets from Wednesday, 25 March at 10am, with the window closing on Friday, 27 March at 9am.
Meanwhile, general admission tickets go live by 10 am that same Friday (27 Mar).
Myles Smith is embarking on his ‘My Mess, My Life, My Heart’ tour this winter and visiting First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds on Sunday 8 November – tickets and more info HERE.
Sophie Smith -
6th October 2021 
