Plans for a new bank holiday will be under review today following the England football team's crushing defeat against Italy last night, reports The Times.
The news comes as England fans wake up this morning with sore heads and even sorer hearts, as over half a century of anguish continued last night when the team lost to Italy on penalty shoot-outs.
Coach Gareth Southgate will still receive a knighthood for his role in leading the Three Lions to their first final since the 1966 World Cup.
Whilst Boris Johnson is expected to make a final decision on whether to give the go-ahead for a four-day August bank holiday weekend imminently.
However, any suggestions that it would be timed to coincide with "freedom day" has been reportedly played down by government sources.
Fans in Leeds threw themselves to the floor in tears last night following the team's painful defeat, mirroring the actions of millions of others up and down the country.
Johnson tweeted: “That was a heartbreaking result to end #Euro2020 but Gareth Southgate and his @England squad played like heroes. They have done the nation proud and deserve great credit.”
Gary Neville, a member of the 1996 squad, told ITV: “The lads fell a little bit short but they should be so proud. Every single one of them has been outstanding through this tournament. We’ll have to look after the young lads.”
TV presenter Alex Beresford tweeted, "Sorry to ask @BorisJohnson but did we ever get to the bottom of whether tomorrow is a Bank HOliday or not? Asking for a nation."
Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, said: “Gareth is a fantastic leader and instilled the players with belief, to go alongside their undoubted ability.
"Irrespective of tonight’s result, I am excited for the future — to see not only what this squad can go on to achieve, but also for the millions of people their success will inspire to play, support and get involved with our sport.”
Boris Johnson is due to hold a press conference later today on whether the planned easing of regulations will go ahead on July 19th, dubbed "freedom day."
With news being reported that he will also make a decision on a Bank Holiday too today, we wouldn't be surprised if he rolls the two into one with his announcement later.
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Award-winning vintage retailer announces new store in Leeds city centre
Popular vintage store brand Glass Onion is returning to Leeds with a brand-new permanent site.
Following the huge success of its temporary pop up shop in Leeds Trinity, Glass Onion is coming back with a bang and expanding into a larger, two-floor space in Leeds city centre.
They'll be taking over the old Levi's jeans unit on Lands Lane and will be opening on Wednesday 18 March, so we really don't have long to wait.
Customers can shop Leeds' best collection of sustainable vintage clothing with every piece hand selected for store at their Yorkshire HQ.
Images: The Sheff
Shop from an expertly curated mix of all your vintage favourites, including Y2K, techwear, workwear, sportswear, boho, and loads more.
The store will also feature big-name brands like The North Face, Nike, Levi’s, Adidas, and Harley Davidson, along with an exclusive Rare Archive section - home to some of Glass Onion’s rarest vintage finds.
Glass Onion’s journey began in 2005, when founder John started selling vintage clothing out of his grandma’s coal shed in Barnsley. They opened their first retail store in Sheffield in 2019, quickly becoming a local favourite and their commitment to quality and sustainability has earned them “Best Indie Retailer in Sheffield” and “Best Vintage Retailer in Sheffield” at the Exposed Magazine Awards for three consecutive years.
To celebrate the exciting launch, Glass Onion are offering free VIP tickets where shoppers will be treated to first entry as well as freebies and vouchers from Leeds indies and entry into a competition to win a £100 Glass Onion voucher to spend on the launch day.
Leeds Pride 2026 announces dates and first wave of acts for 20th anniversary celebration this summer
Clementine Hall
Leeds Pride has confirmed the dates for its 2026 festival, which will mark the event’s 20th anniversary this summer.
And you bet that organisers are pulling out all the stops.
The city-wide celebration champions local LGBTQ+ talent alongside world-class headline acts, and this year for the first time ever, celebrations will be held across two days on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July 2026.
Headlining the main stage will be Strictly Come Dancing Icon and RuPaul’s Drag Race Star La Voix, Charlie XCX tribute performer Rachel Fuller and International Eurodance act Livin Joy.
Image: Supplied
Joining them will be The Harry Styles Show and UK dance act Sweet Female Attitude. More acts and performers are due to be revealed in the coming months.
The announcement was made at the official Leeds Pride pre-festival campaign launch, held at Crowdedhouse and attended by Emmerdale’s Bradley Riches, sports star Keegan Hirst, council leaders and supporters of the annual event.
Leeds Pride will also feature a full weekend of diverse events, including the Leeds Pride Drag Brunch Fest, street parties across the city and of course the iconic Pride parade, which is set to be even bigger and better than ever before.
A Leeds Pride spokesperson said: "We're incredibly excited to celebrate 20 years of Leeds Pride. This milestone anniversary represents two decades of bringing our community together, championing LGBTQ+ voices and creating unforgettable moments.
Images: Supplied
“Leeds Pride is growing and stronger than ever and we're committed to giving Northern LGBTQ+ performers a platform to shine. This 20th anniversary festival will be our biggest and best yet, but as we expand, we need public and sponsor support more than ever to make our vision a reality. We're calling on businesses and individuals to get behind Leeds Pride and help us deliver an incredible celebration that our community deserves.
“Expanding to two days for the first time shows just how far we've come, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back to Leeds this summer for what will be our most spectacular Pride yet."
More details will be announced soon and you can find out more here on the Leeds Pride website.
Georgina Pellant -
12th July 2021 
