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A loaded chips, cheese and gravy pop-up is coming to Leeds

Loaded with toppings like bacon, chicken, halloumi and mushrooms this is the ultimate cheesy chips feast

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 6th May 2021

Chips, cheese and gravy is a proper northern special, no argument there.

We thought we'd perfected the dish, but then we tried poutine. Our familiar takeaway's Canadian cousin, this dish of french fries, gravy and cheese curds may have originated in Quebec but it's become a solid UK favourite in recent years.

If you haven't tried it yet, you've been sorely missing out. Now is your chance, because Huddersfield poutine heroes Spuds & Bro's have just revealed their Leeds pop-up dates for May and you won't want to miss them.

Serving up loaded versions with different toppings, they cater to all diets - veggies and vegans included.

Spuds & Bros

Choices include 'the traditional with mozzarella, homemade gravy and cheese curds, 'the humdinger' with chicken, smoked bacon, halloumi and mushrooms, and 'the vegan one' made with vegan cheese, shawarma strips, fresh tomato, cucumber and sour cream with chives.

They're often seen serving from their food truck on Central Square at lunchtime, normally only appearing for a few hours, which makes them easy to miss.

They'll be back there on Tuesday 11th & 25th between 12-2pm, worth taking note of if you're around that part of town in the week.

Spuds & Bros

The popular poutine masters will also be doing a one night only pop-up at Left Bank from 5pm until late on Friday, 14th May. From what we understand, Hyde Park's students are already marking off the date in their calendars.

Further dates have been confirmed at Leeds Dock, North Bar Social, Seven Arts as well as some locations further afield.

The popular street food traders have also confirmed they'll be reopening their Huddersfield site on May 17th.

A full list of confirmed Leeds dates has been posted to their Facebook page,

Feature image - Spud & Bros

News

Beloved late night Leeds cocktail bar The Maven announces permanent closure

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

"After years of late nights, strong cocktails, and incredible stories; The Maven will close its doors"

It's a sad day for the Leeds night life scene, as a beloved speakeasy bar has today announced that it will be closing its doors for good.

The Maven has been a firm favourite for many years with those looking to enjoy some experimental and expertly made cocktails.

Hidden behind an unassuming door at the top of Call Lane, it was a great spot to visit if you were looking for something that little bit special.

Announcing the news to their social media, The Maven said: "From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for being our guests over the years and promise that until then, we'll do our best to give you the best nights out on Call Lane."

The post continued: "After years of late nights, strong cocktails, and incredible stories; The Maven will close its doors on the 28th of March.

"Rest assured every booking will be honoured. Every cocktail poured properly. The lights stay low. The music stays on. We’re not done yet.

"Thank you for being our guests - we hope you'll join us for the final chapter and celebrate all things Maven this month."

Comments have been flooding in with fans expressing their sadness and praising them for their 'best spicy margs' and fond memories spent at The Maven.

So make sure to pop by and cheers to The Maven before its gone for good.

Read more:

Featured images - The Hoot Leeds

News

The Government wants the public to help decide if children should be banned from social media

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Should there be a minimum age to access social media? Should children be banned all together? The Government is asking the public to help decide.

In case you missed it earlier last month, the Government announced a social media crackdown in a bid to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes – with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he was looking to take ‘immediate action’ to make the online world safer for young people.

The new measures announced included a crackdown on ‘vile’ illegal content created by AI, as well as ‘fast action’ to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law.

It was also hinted at that setting a minimum age limit for social media – which Australia famously became the first country to do so last year – could be on the cards, and also the restricting of other harmful features like infinite scrolling.

The Prime Minister insisted that ‘no platform gets a free pass’.

And now, it’s your turn – parents, guardians, and young people across the UK are being urged to shape the country’s next steps on children’s digital wellbeing, as the Government has today (2 March 2026) opened what is said to be the the world’s most ambitious consultation on social media.

The consultation will aim to gather insights from the public on how to keep children safe online across social media, AI chatbots, and gaming platforms.

The Government has launched a consultation on banning social media for children / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)

“Millions of parents across the country worry about what social media is doing to their children’s sleep, concentration, and mental health,” the Government said in a announcing the launch of the consultation.

Many parents and campaign groups have called for an outright ban on social media for under-16s, however, others – including leading children’s charities like UNICEF – have warned that a blanket ban could drive children towards ‘less regulated’ corners of the internet, or leave teenagers unprepared for when they do come online.

This is why the Government says its consultation ‘looks beyond a ban’ and instead covers a full range of options – from curfews, to the impact of chatbots and gaming.

It also asks the questions about how any new rules would work in practice, in a bid to make sure they are effective.

On the social media side of things, three main questions are being posed in the consultaion:

  • Should there be a minimum age for social media, and if so, what age would be right?
  • Should platforms be required to switch off addictive features that keep children hooked late into the night – like infinite scrolling and autoplay?
  • And whether mandatory overnight curfews would help children sleep better, and what age they should apply to?

Speaking on the launch of the consultation today, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Technology is fundamentally changing childhood. Used well, it can open up new opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but only if we get the balance right.

“That is why we want to hear directly from parents, teachers and young people about how we strike that balance and give children the very best childhood in a digital age.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall added: “We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having.

“This is why we’re asking children and parents to take part in this landmark consultation on how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change.”

The consultation is now live, and you can have your say here.

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Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)

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