Gutted about the lack of Christmas Markets this year in Leeds? Us too. Luckily, Chow Down have got an even better proposal...
Locally renowned open air bar and eatery, Chow Down, will be turning their Temple Arches open air space into a Winter Village from 11 November until New Years Eve.
The outdoor venue has continued to surprise and delight Leeds throughout the year, hosting the best street vendors, drinks and DJs the city has to offer and this festive experience will be no different.
Chow Down is Temple Arches ultimate open air eating, dining and dancing experience and the Winter Village is expected to be their largest event to date. / Image: Chow Down
Expect the unveiling of a brand new, two-storey bar, rooftop curling club and cosy Christmas tipis to curl up in.
To keep warm, grab a seat by the fire pit, heaters and take a blanket or go meet Santa at the breakfast and family activities running throughout the day.
If that's not enough, there will also be apres ski nights; drag, club classics and disco brunches; new permanent kitchen residencies and plenty of rotating street food vendors that will keep you returning to Chow Down each week to find out what's cooking.
After checking out the best of the Winter Village, simply people watching by the flames with a boozy hot chocolate might just be the relaxing end to your evening that you need.
But if you are hyped up from the array of winter cocktails, mulled wine and cider, embrace your surroundings and enjoy a night of entertainment from headline DJs and live performances.
The inviting space, filled with cosy corners, atmospheric lighting is always busy, whatever weekend you visit. It quickly became the social hub of the city over the summer and now that we are bunkering down for the colder months, their Winter Village is expected to keep the same equilibrium between intimacy and chatter, but with endless seasonal surprises.
Chow Down showed off their illustrated plans on Instagram this morning, but the rest of the details are being carefully kept under wraps until further notice. / Image: Chow Down
Chow Down have previously hosted food traders like Hun Street Kitchen, Tikka Chance on Me, Goodtime Tacos and Takin' Care of Burgers, so we will all be excited to hear about which vendors will be present at the Winter Village in November.
For now, exclusive details can only be accessed via their email subscription where the popular open air bar promise to give subscribers the opportunity to be 'first to hear about our plans and for exclusive priority access to tickets'.
If you can't wait until November to see the best of what Chow Down have to offer, their Halloween event will give you a tease of the atmosphere. The four-day event promises plenty of spooky street food, live DJs and bands.
Previous events have been a big hit with Leeds. / Image: Chow Down
The whole family are invited to craft workshops, drag brunch and there will even be a Halloween production over the weekend.
The event have confirmed food from Chow Down's favourite pizza vendor: Homeboy Pizza, plus much more on the day.
To prepare for these upcoming events, Chow Down will be closed for the next three weeks but it is clear that the return of the open air experience will be bigger and better than ever before.
If your skincare routine has been needing an upgrade, there's some good news waiting for you inside Trinity Leeds.
The shopping centre has just welcomed Moida, a brand-new beauty retailer specialising in authentic Korean skincare, bringing some of the world's most sought-after K-beauty products to Leeds.
Named after the Korean word meaning 'to gather' or 'come together', moida is all about making Korean skincare easy to discover and accessible for everyone.
Inside the new store that has taken over the old Claire's Accessories site, shoppers can expect an extensive range of handpicked products from some of the biggest names in K-beauty, including Beauty of Joseon, Dr. Althea, TIRTIR, Medicube, Biodance, and more cult-favourite brands.
The collection has been curated by a team of Korean beauty experts with close links to Korea, meaning customers can expect everything from viral TikTok sensations to exclusive products that are often difficult to get hold of elsewhere in the UK.
Moida K-Beauty has opened in Trinity Leeds. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: "With Korean skincare still increasing in popularity, moida brings an exciting new concept to the centre. Offering guests viral products alongside everyday essentials, plus the chance to browse new brands in-store will be a fantastic experience.
"We know moida is going to be a brilliant addition for both existing fans of K-beauty and those keen to discover it for the first time."
It's the latest announcement following the recent launches of Lane7, Footasylum, LEGO, Jerk Junction, The Fragrance Shop and schuh at Trinity Leeds.
Leeds man jailed for life after being found guilty of dozens of sexual and physical assault offences
Emily Sergeant
A man from Leeds has been jailed for life after being found guilty of dozens of sexual and physical assault offences.
Paul Benstock - aged 62, of Appletree Court in the village of East Ardsley - appeared at Leeds Crown Court last week where he was sentenced after being convicted of more than 40 offences committed against five victims,
Following a Leeds Safeguarding investigation, Benstock was found guilty of a number of sexual offences and physical assaults against both adult and child victims, including 14 counts of rape - with these offences having thought to have taken place over a 22-year period between 1998 and 2020.
Benstock was also identified as being involved in the making of indecent images of children following an operation by the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP), and was also found guilty of these offences.
"Much of Benstock’s offending was against victims who were children at the time," explained Detective Sergeant Michelle Barnes, of Leeds Safeguarding Unit.
"His victims have shown incredible bravery in giving us detailed accounts of what has taken place and then again supporting the trial process by giving evidence when Benstock refused to take accountability for his awful crimes."
Benstock was sentenced to 37 years imprisonment.
He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, West Yorkshire Police has confirmed.
Sophie Smith -
7th October 2021 
