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A new £20m mental health unit will open this week in Leeds
"It’s a huge and important step forward in the region’s mental health services and will mean that children and young people can get the care they need close to home".
Red Kite View is a mental health inpatient unit for young people aged 13- 18 opening in Armley, Leeds this week.
Opening its doors for the very first time this week, Red Kite View is a purpose-built inpatient unit, built on the grounds of the old St Mary's Hospital site in Armley.
The new unit will be managed by the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and will have 22 beds, 16 of which will be on a general ward and a further 6 in a dedicated Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit.
The idea is that by introducing this new unit, the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will be able to slowly tackle the desperate demand for space at inpatient units. At present, young people that need the psychiatric care that being an inpatient can provide have to wait for a bed space to become available- but this comes at no guarantee of being near home and many young people are asked to travel far from their hometowns and often this means they are subsequently far from their usual sources of support, in order to be placed in an inpatient unit.
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said that, "it’s a huge and important step forward in the region’s mental health services and will mean that children and young people can get the care they need close to home. At the moment, many of them have to be placed where beds are available and this can be many miles from home and their loved ones which can hinder some young people’s progress and recovery."
Although Red Kite will replace the current inpatient facility at Little Woodhouse Hall, the new unit will increase the capacity to cater for a further 14 young people and staffed by a team of 100 nurses, psychologists, teachers, health professionals and non-clinical support staff.
The new project, which has cost £20 million, will first open to five young people transferring from Little Woodhouse Hall and it is thought by May 2022, the inpatient unit will be fully occupied by young people detained under Section 136/135 of the Mental Health Act (1983) and "act as a space where they can receive a mental health assessment with specialist health professionals, rather than be detained in police custody or go to A&E."
According to the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the much needed improvements and facilities for children and young people across West Yorkshire will include a range of spacious and therapeutic areas, including a multi-purpose activity room, educational facilities, a family visiting room, courtyards and a green communal space for service users and staff.
The name was inspired by nature in the local area, the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said that:
"The Kite is a bird that is well-established in West Yorkshire, and it can also be something fun that you fly in the sky. The name lends itself well to further naming of the two wards at the unit, as well as a theme for the internal artwork, so Board members felt this name would appeal to young people across different ages."
Authentic Turkish street food is coming to Kirkgate.
Leeds city centre is gearing up to welcome yet another new food spot, and this one is all about homemade lahmacun, shawarma wraps and plenty of signature tahini sauce.
Tahin will open its doors at 10 Kirkgate, next to The Cat Cafe, and with signs already up we don't think it'll be long until they welcome their first customers.
The restaurant is listed as a Turkish restaurant that specialise in their homemade tahini sauce, hence the name.
According to the restaurant's Instagram profile which has been going for a few years, Tahin also specialises in home-made lahmacun wraps alongside shawarma wraps.
For anyone unfamiliar with lahmacun, the Turkish staple is often described as a thin, crispy flatbread topped with a richly seasoned mixture of minced meat, herbs and vegetables.
Wrapped up with fresh salad and sauces, it makes for a satisfying and flavourful lunch to enjoy on-the-go.
Their Instagram suggests that Tahin once existed before back in 2022, so although this may not be a completely new venture, we're nevertheless very glad to see them back.
Its location puts it right in the middle of one of Leeds' busiest areas, making it the perfect mid-shopping pit stop for those wandering around Briggate or stopping for a bite to eat before heading out on the town.
The new opening comes at a time when Leeds' food scene is continuing to expand, with a string of independent restaurants and street-food concepts opening across the city centre throughout 2026.
This Leeds bistro has been named one of the best restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around
Clementine Hall
A much-loved neighbourhood Leeds restaurant has been given another major accolade.
There’s no shortage of brilliant places to eat in Leeds, but one Horsforth bistro has just been given a pretty huge seal of approval - and it might be worth planning your next staycation around.
The brilliant Bavette has been named one of the best neighbourhood restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around by Condé Nast Traveller, appearing alongside a handpicked list of restaurants from across the country.
The list celebrates neighbourhood restaurants that are worth travelling for, with the magazine highlighting the growing appeal of venturing outside of busy city centres in search of smaller, more intimate places to eat.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And Leeds has bagged itself a spot thanks to Bavette, and we can't say we're surprised.
The French-inspired neighbourhood bistro is run by chef Sandy Jarvis and his husband Clément Cousin.
Since opening in 2024, Bavette has quickly become one of the city's most talked-about restaurants, attracting diners far beyond its Horsforth home and scooping up accolades such as the 2024 Good Food Guide's Best UK Local Restaurant, a 2025 and 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a place in the 2026 National Restaurant Awards Top 100.
Condé Nast Traveller hails Bavette as "a true neighbourhood gem", saying: "The restaurant takes its cues from the couple’s London bistro roots, serving hearty yet elegant dishes made with seasonal ingredients.”
They finish by saying: "Reservations are hard to come by - but so worth it once you get your foot in the door."
We really couldn't agree more.
And while a trip to Horsforth might not technically count as a staycation for us Leeds locals, Bavette is certainly one restaurant worth crossing the city for.
Sophie Smith -
12th January 2022 
