Street artist Burley Banksy has won a long battle with BT over the placement of his artwork on their telephone box cabinets, with a little (or a lot of) help from the Leeds community.
Burley's Banksy, real name Andy McVeigh, has been embroiled in a row with BT for months after the company insisted he did not have the correct permissions to paint his street art on their telephone box cabinets.
But now, the company has changed its tune after receiving thousands of emails and social media messages of support for the artist - and has even agreed to cover the cost of restoring the pieces of art they had painted over.
He was inundated with messages of support from the local community after the company painted over a number of his street art pieces after BBC covered up several of his colourful murals in Rothwell.
It's become quite a public falling out, with a large number of people in Leeds siding with the street artist and sharing their support online for the work - which many say has brightened up their days.
But now, after a meeting with BT Openreach's regional manager for the North, the company has u-turned and given support to the artist to keep painting its boxes in Leeds.
It seems that BT Openreach has receieved thousands of emails and social media posts in recent weeks concern the artwork, with both fans of Leeds United and the wider community getting in touch to share their opinion on the matter.
Now, thanks to public pressure, Andy is finally permitted to paint the BT boxes around Leeds.
Leeds United themed-boxes, however, will be kept to the Elland Road area going forward.
What's more, BT has agreed to fund the restoration of the Burley Banksy boxes it had covered over in Rothwell. It will also be making a donation to Martin House Children's Hospice, at Andy's request.
"Everyone has really struggled in the pandemic and people have said the boxes get them through the day," Andy told the YEP.
Leeds United fans looking for a crisp pre-match pint, you're in luck.
Why? Because new data has revealed Leeds United as one of the Premier League clubs offering the cheapest pints in their stadium
And it's all down to credit card provider Zable, who analysed the average price of a pint at every Premier League stadium.
You'll be glad to know that Leeds United ranked a very respectable eighth among the Premier League teams with the cheapest pre-match pints, with fans paying an average £5.60 at Elland Road.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, supporters can currently get a cheaper drink at pubs around the stadium, where the average pint costs £4.74.
Ipswich Town have the cheapest pint at £3.50, followed by Coventry at £3.60 and Hull City at £3.90.
The top 10 cheapest stadium match day pints:
Ipswich (£3.50)
Coventry (£3.60)
Hull City (£3.90)
Liverpool (£4.80)
Sunderland (£5.00)
Everton (£5.50)
Newcastle United (£5.60)
Leeds United (£5.60)
Bournemouth (£5.60)
Brighton & Hove Albion (£5.80)
Adam McAllister at Zable says: "For many fans, grabbing a pint before kick-off is part and parcel of the matchday experience, but our research shows that where you choose to drink can make a noticeable difference to the price. While stadium pints are often assumed to be more expensive, that's not always the case.
"With the cost of attending football continuing to add up, from tickets and travel to food and drinks, small differences like these can make a real impact on the overall cost of a matchday. Taking a little time to compare prices before heading to the stadium this season could help fans make their money go further, whether they choose to have a pint at the pub or inside the ground."
Leeds Bradford Airport workers to strike over half term, as industrial action escalates in dispute over pay
Clementine Hall
Strikes by almost 130 workers at Leeds Bradford Airport are set to escalate.
If you're planning on catching a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, then you may want to double check the date.
Last week it was announced that workers were set to strike and bring the airport to complete standstill in a dispute over pay.
Today it has been announced that thestrikes are set to escalate and a second set of strikes have been announced.
The Unite members planning on going on strike are a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute have recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "It is wrong that workers at Leeds Bradford Airport are paid far less than those doing the same job at another nearby airport.
"These are essential workers who play a vital role in ensuring the smooth running of the airport and the safety of passengers and deserve fair pay. Unite will always fully back our members taking action at Leeds Bradford Airport.”
The original strikes were due to take place from 03:00 this Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for hourly paid staff and from 06:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for air traffic control workers.
The next round of industrial action will now take place from Monday 23 October to Wednesday 2 November, which coincides with the busy half term period.
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: “We appreciate those travelling to and from Leeds Bradford Airport will be concerned to hear that there are further strike dates, but the situation is completely the fault of the airport’s management. It can end this dispute, but that relies on it coming back to the table with a fair deal for our members.”
Georgina Pellant -
31st August 2021 
