Bottle Chop opened up on a small plot in Headingley just a few weeks ago, but the micro deli, bottle shop and bar has big plans to help the planet.
Believe it or not, your wine bottle is probably not as eco-friendly as you think it is- even if you put it into the recycling after it's been used.
Glass bottles are best reused. / Image: Bottle Chop
Officially, glass is one hundred percent recyclable and never loses any purity of quality when its reused, so this means that we can keep reusing and recycling for as long as we can. But what happens when it smashes on a roadside or behind the back of the bar? Those pieces that are left behind will usually end up in the black bin.
According to ISM, the average glass bottle will take approximately one million years to fully decompose, meaning we will never fully get rid of all the glass we use, or smash.
To counter the effects of single use glass on our planet, Bottle Chop, a new micro deli and bottle shop in Headingley have come up with a creative solution.
The selection of refillable booze. / Image: Bottle Chop
The company are selling their house wines and IPAs using reusable glass bottles. Customers purchase a glass bottle at £5 each and can refill it as many times as they like, all they need to do is return to the store once the bottle is empty.
With choices like Red Abruzzo, Rosso Montepulciano, a delicate purple red; White Sicilian Ciello Bianco Catarratto with pink grapefruit and White Touraine Guy Allion Sauvignon with elderflower, gooseberry and summer fruit available, there's sure to be a wine for every palette.
Beer drinkers can also choose from Deya IPA (6.5%) or Polly's Talus Pale Ale (5.6%) at £9.50 per litre to take away. All bottled drinks are available to sample in store as a schooner, glass or pint, as well as a 'sneaky taste' for those wanting to choose their drinks and get on with their afternoons.
You can grab a bottle in store. / Image: Bottle Chop
As Bottle Chop point out:
"This means less waste, less recycling, less going to the bottle bank with an embarrassing amount of bottles... I mean, you can’t do that in Sainsbo’s can ya?!"
If you want to get your own refillable wine and beer, or browse the extended collection of unusual drinks at Bottle Chop, visit them in their Headingley store, or any queries can be answered via Instagram.
A list of the UK's best independent coffee shops for 2026 has been released, and one in Leeds has come up trumps.
The coffee shop in question may come as no surprise to some of you, as some would say that after 15 years in the city it's become somewhat of an institution.
Of course it's none other than Laynes.
Founded in 2011 by Dave Olejnik, Laynes began life on New Station Street and quickly became one of the first venues in Leeds to focus on carefully sourced and roasted coffee beans, helping lead the way for the city's now-thriving independent coffee scene.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
It's a proper Leeds staple at this point, sat proudly with its glowing yellow exterior and queues out the door full of punters looking for their morning caffeine fix.
But it's not just us who think it's flipping fantastic, as a new study has revealed the top 10 most popular independent coffee shops in the country and Laynes comes in at a very respectable number 8.
The list, made by Capital on Tap, analysed coffee across the UK looking at Google reviews, monthly searches and social media success.
Laynes was in some pretty good company including Idle Hands in Manchester and Kaf Coffee in Glasgow. But most importantly, none of the top 10 were in London - make of that what you will.
The top 10 most popular independent coffee shops for 2026:
Neighbourhood Café, Belfast
Colonna & Small’s, Bath
Established Coffee, Belfast
Hard Lines Coffee, Cardiff
Rough Handmade, Liverpool
Idle Hands Coffee, Manchester
Full Court Press, Bristol
Laynes Espresso, Leeds
Kaf Coffee, Glasgow
Dom’s Coffee, Cambridge
Bravo Laynes, a well earned accolade for one of our favourite spots in the city.
A bakery serving giant NYC-style cookies and fluffy cinnamon buns has just opened in Leeds
Clementine Hall
If you've got a seriously sweet tooth, then you're going to love this new opening.
It seems like there's been a flurry of new bakeries popping up in and around Leeds recently, and we're certainly not complaining.
Introducing Crumbb, a beautiful new bakery that has just opened its doors on Hyde Park Road just moments outside of the city centre.
Owner Naila started the businesses as a wholesaler six years ago, stocking up local businesses from far and wide with sweet treats.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Since then, Crumbbs opened its first location in Bradford just a few months ago that has been nothing short of a resounding success. So much so, that Crumbbs 2.0 was born right here in Leeds a few days ago.
Right, let's talk you through what's on offer.
For the sweet toothed out there, there's a whole myriad of treats for you to enjoy. We're talking giant NYC-style cookies, fluffy cinnamon buns topped with gooey icing, brownies slices, cookie muffins, rocky road, flapjack, the list is truly endless.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You can even get warm cookie trays and hot brownies to enjoy in house that can be topped with ice cream or thick custard.
And it doesn't stop there, Crumbbs also whip up freshly baked savoury focaccia slices as well as cheese twists, pizza slices and savoury rolls filled with creamy mozzarella and herbs.
They've also got a fabulous drink selection on offer including matcha, coffee and hot chocolates.
Located in Headingley, we've got a feeling this spot is going to be a huge hit with students and locals alike looking to get their sweet treat fix. But they'll have to beat us to it first.
Sophie Smith -
21st December 2021 
