News

Chow Down returns to Leeds for 2023 with new day parties, food festivals and Urban Garden

Chow Down will open on Thursday 6 April 2023 to mark the beginning of the long Easter bank holiday weekend, running from Thursday - Sunday until the end of August.

Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 16th March 2023

One of Leeds' most talked about open-air bar concepts is back for 2023 - and this year is set to be its biggest yet.

The Temple Arches venue is set to host a brand-new Urban Garden space, perfect for soaking up the summer sun. The new addition will make Chow Down 'the largest garden in the city centre', with the jam-packed events calendar lasting all summer long.

Sell-out successes like Bingo Lingo, Camp Presents Drag Brunch and DJ nights will return for the 2023 season, and there's been a huge injection in new food festivals and days and nights out in the city centre that'll have people across Leeds and beyond heading down to the arches.

Chow Down will reopen in April. / Image: Chapter 81

Expect food meets drawing classes in a new Floating Arts events and the return of Dog Social, a dog-lover's heaven that gives chance for four-legged friends and humans to explore the arches with hundreds of like-minded individuals.

Also new for this year, Chow Down is hosting everything from Leeds Indie Food Wing Fest to Battle of the Burger and a Taco and Tequila Festival - there's truly going to be something for all foodies this year.

And that's before we've even began to look at the regular food traders that'll be supplying a feast of food from around the world all summer long.

drag brunch.
Drag Brunch is back for 2023.
people cheering.
Images: Chapter 81

Taking over the first resident kitchen will be much-loved new pop-up Braizin' Squad, with slow roasted meats to the masses. These guys have been seriously commended for their roast dinners over the past few months, including a mention from The Observer and ranking in the Top 15 Sunday Roasts in the UK from Rate Good Roasts- but turns out this is only the beginning of the culinary offerings available.

Jamie Marrion, Braizin’ Squad says “Keep your eyes peeled for us at Chow Down this spring, expect Smokey flavours, braised meats all cooked over fire and regular specials as we like to keep everything fresh..” 

Read More: The Sunday Roast with slow-roasted meats that’s voted one of the best in the country

Braizin’ Squad's Jordan Kaye, Jamie Marrion and Michal Marud. / Image: Chapter 81

Also returning for 2023 is Bastards Bistro. The pop-up brought Leeds winter warmers like festive fries and juicy beef burgers, and huge pots of dipping gravy throughout the festive period - and were undoubtably one of the most popular options over the festive period as a result.

Additional foodie options will come from a rotating street food offers from the likes of Archchi’s, Cluck n Dough, Colombo Street, Fire & Dough, Hoi Polloi Street Kitchen, Homeboy Pizza Co, Nasi Lemak, Nikos Comfort Kitchen, Little Bao Boy, Little Red Food Cluck, Shoot The Bull and Sri Non Thai. 

Chow Down's Winter Village saw the space transformed for the festive season with foodie options from Bastards Bistro.
Images: The Hoot Leeds

The Tipple Cocktail Bar has also had a makeover and will be serving up the perfect pint and speciality cocktails to sip inside the bigger-than-ever space.

Matt Long, Founder Chow Down and New Citizens, is excited about the return of Chow Down for 2023:  “With the opening of our brand-new urban garden, which will be the ideal spot to soak up the sun this summer, I expect a very busy season. In addition to our own Taco & Tequila weekender, we will be hosting a number of new events this season, such as Guilty Pleasures, Floating Art, the Battle of the Burger, the Wings fest in collaboration with Leeds Indie Food, and the Wings fest.”

Read More:

Chow Down will open on Thursday 6 April 2023 to mark the beginning of the long Easter bank holiday weekend, running from Thursday - Sunday until the end of August.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday 17 March for the first eight weeks of events. Chow Down scrapped its entry and booking fees last year, so although you can reserve a table down at Temple Arches to check out the new venue, walk-ins will also be accepted.

You can find out more about Chow Down 2023 and book tickets here.

Feature Image- Chapter 81

News

Architects secure planning permission for jaw-dropping ‘boulder house’ on Ilkley Moor

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

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."

Read more: Leeds railway station reopening delayed AGAIN due to problems with lift

Featured image - Shaw & Jagger Architects



News

Leeds railway station reopening delayed AGAIN due to problems with lift

Clementine Hall 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: "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.

Read more:

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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