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.
A house that looks good enough for James Bond is set to be built on Ilkley Moor.
Is that a formation of angular grey rocks sitting atop of the Yorkshire dales? No, it's a house.
The wildly contemporary structure, which has huge irregular-shaped windows and a natural outdoor pool, is based off the famous Cow and Calf Rocks in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.
It will be built just down the road from them too, on green belt land which is the garden of a home off Heber's Ghyll Drive.
Images: Shaw & Jagger Architects
It is the work of Harrogate-based architects Shaw & Jagger, who said the project was passed through the country house clause which allows things to be built on green belt for buildings of "exceptional quality".
The house itself has been named 'Fomorian', after a supernatural race of giants in Irish mythology. The name takes inspiration from the mythical giant Rombald who is said to have roamed on Ilkley Moor.
Images: Shaw & Jagger Architects
Shaw & Jagger wrote: "The design approach was to propose a scheme that is intrinsically linked to the spirit of its place. Fomorian is of its place, part of the Moors, its geology and its spirit.
"We took cues from local folklore, the surrounding rocks; ancient carvings, standing stones and escarpments that are synonymous with the landscape.
"The building depicts a series of monolithic elements embedded in the earth as the wild, dramatic environment looms around, attempting to overcome them. The building is new, yet part of this ancient landscape.
Images: Shaw & Jagger Architects
"Fomorian is to be built over the next couple of years and will provide family accommodation consisting of 4 bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and study.
"It was important to offer the client viable outside space therefore a paved courtyard garden allows external living to be within the heart of the plan. The abstract rock forms allow the design to have exciting internal spaces with large irregular windows designed to maximise views out across the valley."
Leeds railway station reopening delayed AGAIN due to problems with lift
Clementine Hall
The highly anticipated opening of Leeds City Station's new entrance has been further delayed.
The £46.1m Leeds Station Sustainable Travel Gateway has been in the works since 2022, with the original target for completion set for autumn 2025.
That date subsequently slipped to summer 2026, then September, then October, and now...well who knows?
This time, Leeds City Council have confirmed that the problem is to do with the lifts that connect New Station Street and Bishopgate.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
These lifts will allow the ever so turbulent taxi rank to move from the temporary arrangement at the rear of the station to its new home on Bishopgate Street.
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said on the recent setback:Â "Having opened the pavement along Bishopgate Street and sections of New Station Street, unfortunately we have encountered an issue with one of the lifts, which is delaying essential safety testing from being completed.
"We are working to resolve this as soon as possible so we can open the final parts of the scheme imminently."
When it does finally open, there should be plenty to like. The scheme is designed to make the area around the station more pedestrian-friendly, with improved public space, wider walking routes, better cycling facilities, a new cycle hub and step-free access between Bishopgate Street and New Station Street.
The taxi rank will also move to Bishopgate Street, with a new shelter and kerbside boarding.
So, after years of barriers, diversions, temporary arrangements, engineering works and at least one deeply controversial letter (lest we forget 'Welcome to Leeps') the end is apparently in sight.
We'll keep you updated with any updates and opening date of the new station, but we wouldn't hold your breath if the last couple of months are anything to go by.
Sophie Smith -
7th October 2021 
