Mark your calendars, tell your mates, grab your sunglasses - it's time to raise a glass to summer.
Is there anything better than dancing in the sunshine with all your mates, drink in hand, with the smell of street food wafting in the air? We don't think so.
And you can absolutely be living this life next Saturday 9 August at The Junction, as they'll be hosting their ultimate Summer Fair.
From 1 - 9pm, you can head over to the scenic Monk Bridge Viaduct and enjoy live DJs, music, street food, ice cream, a fully stocked bar, games (did someone say tug of war?), face painting and a live sketcher to remember the moment with.
Image: Supplied
The best part? It's completely free entry and it's all to raise money for Latch.
Latch is a fantastic charitable organisation that refurbishes derelict and rundown houses in the Chapeltown, Harehills and Burley areas of Leeds.
Once fully modernised and furnished, the properties provide supported housing for people who are homeless or in housing need. It's a fantastic cause and you can support it all whilst partying with your mates - it's a win win.
And that's not all The Junction has on this summer, there's so much for you to get involved in to really embrace the last few summer weeks.
Image: Supplied
If you're an early bird who likes to catch the worm, then head over to The Junction for Sunrise Yoga with We Are Wellness.
From 7.30 - 8.30am you can breathe in, stretch out and rise with the sun. It's all completely free and open to residents and non-residents, there's numerous dates throughout summer and you can book your spot here. We can't think of a better way to kickstart the day.
If yoga isn't your thing then do not fret, The Junction are all about learning new skills and are hosting craft workshops in collaboration with Esk House and Studio Dawn.
Image: Supplied
Whether you want to try your hand at plant pot painting, coaster painting or just fancy a relaxed paint and chill - there's a workshop for everyone. Have a read and choose yours here.
For the music lovers out there, The Junction are hosting two afternoon acoustic sessions for you to jam out to on the weekend. Jake Kirkham will be taking to the stage on Sunday 10 August whilst Matthew Grant will be providing the tunes on Saturday 23 August.
Taking place from 3-5pm, these sessions are completely free to attend and open to all. No need to sign up, just sit back, relax and enjoy.
The Junction are constantly keeping busy and providing amazing events like these throughout the year, and you can keep up to date with it all via their website here.
It's a fantastic community and a great opportunity to meet like minded people, so if you haven't yet - get involved.
One of Leeds’ most iconic buildings is set to be brought back to life.
Plans for a brand-new padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse on Wellington Road have been approved by Leeds City Council’s West Plans Panel.
Consent has been granted for Ollo Padel to transform the Grade II* listed Roundhouse into a state-of-the-art sport, fitness, food, drink and community venue subject to conditions and completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Built in 1847 for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company, The Roundhouse was once home to the steam locomotives that powered industrial Victorian Leeds. In recent years, the building has stood largely unused.
Image: Supplied
The approved plans will restore and protect the landmark building and give the site a new, long-term future as one of the city’s most distinctive leisure destinations.
The three-acre site, located on the edge of Leeds city centre, will include nine outdoor doubles padel courts under a 10-metre canopy, plus a dedicated indoor coaching court within The Roundhouse itself.
At the heart of the site will be the Ollo Clubhouse; built around an all-day kitchen and bar, it will combine a comfortable lounge and co-working space, meeting rooms and live sport and events spaces.
The kitchen and bar will be run in partnership with Southbank Provisions, the independent Leeds hospitality team behind Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Galleria whilst the gym will be operated by fitness and performance specialists Northbound, who will bring strength and conditioning practice, Hyrox training and pilates classes to The Roundhouse.
Image: Supplied
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the venue aiming to open in early 2027.
Luke Gidney, Founder & CEO Ollo Padel: "This is a huge day for Leeds, for The Roundhouse and for Ollo. The Roundhouse has been part of the city’s story for nearly 180 years. It’s an incredible building but it needs people, energy and purpose again. Our plan is to bring it back to life as a place where people can play, eat, work, meet friends and feel part of something.
"Padel is growing so quickly because it’s fun, social and easy to pick up. But for us, this is about more than just the courts. We want Ollo to become a proper community destination for Leeds, somewhere welcoming, joyful and full of life.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Leeds City Council’s planning team, our case officer, the wider council team and everyone who has supported the project to this point. This has been a complex project but the sport and engagement throughout has been brilliant. Now the real work starts and we cannot wait to open the doors for you.”
New study crowns Leeds as one of the friendliest cities in the UK
Clementine Hall
New research has revealed a global ranking of cities with the best customer service, with Leeds taking one of the top spots.
If you've been wondering which cities across the world are the friendliest of them all, then look no further because MoneySuperMarket have done the work for us in a new study.
In a world where social media culture plays a huge part in people's lives, online customer reviews are pretty important to local businesses.
To uncover the global locations that are home to the best customer service, the businesses insurance experts analysed over 100,000 reviews of leisure and hospitality businesses in 107 cities worldwide.
They looked at the language in the reviews to see how often friendly workers and staff were mentioned, building a global ranking of the cities where customer service truly stands out.
Out of a whopping 107, Leeds came in at a very respectable number 12. Now we think that's pretty good going.
Outside of the UK, Hanoi, Paris, Montreal and Abu Dhabi were highlighted for their friendly customer service whilst Edinburgh tops the global ranking, with Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol also making the world’s top 10.
The top 10 cities in the UK with the best customer service are as follows:
Edinburgh
Liverpool
Birmingham
Bristol
Belfast
Leeds
Glasgow
Cardiff
Manchester
London
Alicia Hempsted spoke on the study: “As businesses grow and engage with more customers, it’s important to make sure they’re protected. Public liability insurance is an important safeguard for those working with the public, helping to cover costs if something goes wrong, while also showing customers that their experience is taken seriously - from the moment they walk through the door to long after they’ve left.”
Clementine Hall -
5th August 2025 
