It's time to say goodbye to single-use plastic for good.
We all love a takeaway coffee, but you're about to love it even more when you hear about Delete.
Delete is a revolutionary new system determined to help decrease the environmental implications of disposable cups across Sheffield.
The mission is simple, to ‘Delete’ the need for single-use plastics, one cup at a time.
Eleven coffee shops and cafes in Sheffield have joined an alliance to take part in the Delete system reusable cup trial.
Together, forming a network which will keep reusable Delete Cups circulating throughout the city centre, instead of immediately contributing to landfill.
So, how does it work?
Image: The Sheff
Any hot or cold drink purchased from a participating venue can be served in a Delete Cup – a reusable option made from polypropylene.
Each cup has a microchip on the base which is scanned to ‘activate’ it and when this occurs a refundable £1 deposit will be added to the sale, and the process begins.
When taking the cup away, customers have two weeks to return it to any of the locations in the trial by dropping it into one of the special Delete collection points. Cups are then collected by the baristas to re-scan it back into the system for the £1 deposit to be refunded. The cups are then cleaned and put back into circulation.
It really is that simple.
If 1,000 plastic-lined paper cups are substituted for the Delete option, an estimated carbon emissions saving of 110 kg CO₂e can potentially be made, which is the equivalent of driving 350km in a petrol car. How mega is that?
Owner, Ali Hood, says: “We’re a nation of hot drink lovers and coffee and café culture is growing rapidly in the UK but 2.5bn single-use cups are being thrown away each year. The purpose of Delete is to introduce a solution that’s easier than ever for all to get involved in and ultimately make throwaway cups obsolete.
"We believe the trial here in Sheffield will demonstrate how easily Delete Cups can be scaled throughout the UK, and beyond. The software collects lots of fantastic, real-time data, showing the locations each cup has been to and how many times it has been scanned, meaning each shop can engage customers in unique, ever-evolving stories of how the local community is making a difference. Crucially the software does not collect any data on customers, including bank details."
The list of participating coffee shops are:
Café 420
Cloud Coffee
Curiositea Sheffield
Marmadukes
Mesters Market
South Street Kitchen
TA
The Chakra Lounge
Union Street
To find your nearest coffee shop and more about Delete, take a look at their website here.
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
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.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one 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.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
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.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Clementine Hall -
27th October 2025 
