Homeware lovers unite, because the iconic homewares and lifestyle shop Søstrene Grene is coming to Leeds.
The brand inspired by the Danish concept of ‘hygge,’ already has locations in Sheffield, York and Manchester.
But now it's opening up a huge shop inside Trinity Shopping centre in Leeds, and we can't quite contain our excitement.
But what is 'hygge' you may ask? Well, to Anna and Clara the women behind Søstrene Grene: "hygge is a state of happiness, contentment and warmth.
Images: The Manc Group
"A feeling of belonging in the moment. Because, when you experience hygge, you preserve the good moment. You notice all the positive qualities which gives a wonderful feeling of being alive."
In the Scandinavian-inspired shop you'll find everything from kitchen essentials and soft furnishings to Christmas decorations and craft supplies.
But it's the shopping experience itself which makes it so unique.
Walking through the labyrinth of homeware you'll be treated to classical music, subdued lighting and creative displays which make it very hard indeed to not put things straight in your basket.
It's also very reasonably priced too, with candles on offer for under a quid and picture frames for as little as a fiver.
Søstrene Grene currently has over 300+ stores in 16 different countries and is currently seeing a major expansion across the whole of the UK.
We don't currently have an opening date for the new store inside Trinity Shopping Centre, but our fingers are crossed that it'll be just in time for Christmas.
To find out more about Søstrene Grene, take a look at their website.
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London
Clementine Hall
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Clementine Hall -
11th November 2024 
