Leeds

Everything to do, eat, drink and play at Xscape Yorkshire

Bowling, VR experiences, escape rooms and so many foodie options.

Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 28th June 2022

Everything you could possibly want from a mate or date night, all under one roof.

Located less than half an hour from Leeds city centre you'll find one of Yorkshire's favourite hangout spots to eat-drink-play and everything in between.

Regardless of whether you're looking for an activity to fill a rainy day with the kids; a first or fiftieth date or just a treat that'll keep every single one of your mates entertained, when we say there's plenty to do here - we really do mean it.

Activities

There are plenty of choices to fill your day, including screen treats, bowling feats and loads of places for eats. Take your chances in the escape room and see if you can beat the clock or try a round of crazy golf before ending the day with cocktails- the combinations really are endless.

Catching a movie is a must at Cineworld. Grab the obligatory popcorn and unwind with the latest blockbuster movie or experience the world’s first multi-projection immersive cinema auditorium where the 270-degree viewing experience surrounds you in your seat!

people holding popcorn in the cinema.
Image: Xscape Yorkshire

For those looking for something different, the 4DX cinema is revolutionising the experience  and brings special effects like wind, fog and scents into screen- and that’s before you've experienced the high-tech motion seats that truly immerse you in the movie.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of an escape artist, or just want the opportunity to test out your detective skills, The Escapologist is the perfect activity for all ages. Take on one of their four escape rooms and follow it up with one of their delicious mocktails or cocktails in the beautiful bar area – there is even Harry Potter potions for the kids.

two people in prison outfits in an escape room.
Image: The Hoot Leeds / Xscape Yorkshire
potions in bottles.

There's also plenty of adventures for aspiring Tiger Woods': expect two types of crazy golf, try out 4D glow-in-the-dark Adventure Golf or travel back in time to the pre-historic age at Volcano Falls just watch out for the giant T-Rex.

If that's not enough, there's Gravity Aerial Adventures, Urban Climbing Walls and Trampoline Park; Laser Zone; Snozone; Tenpin Bowling; ImmotionVR and the FunStation games arcade.

Food and Drink offerings

There are some seriously exciting foodie options here too.

For the ultimate burger feast, look no further than Friday's Ultimate Cheese Dipper Burger, it's basically two beef burger patties piled high with a huge gooey offering of cheese, bacon and even some mozzarella sticks between three burger buns.

double burger.
The Ultimate Cheese Dipper Burger from Fridays. / Image: The Hoot Leeds

Those looking for the perfect sharing board to end an intimate evening will be drooling over the Ask Italian selection.

Expect cured meats alongside a selection of cheeses and a huge burrata for picking alongside other authentic Italian favourites like pizzas, pastas and salads aplenty.

antipasti sharing board.
 Antipasti Sharing Board from Ask Italian /  Image: The Hoot Leeds

Round off your meal with a dessert from sweet-tooth specialists, Heavenly Desserts.

Whilst Nutella and strawberry on pancakes is that classic sweet treat combo and the perfect end to the week, there's also cookie dough served with milk chocolate sauce and vanilla gelato or a full menu of signature waffles, cheesecake and crumble to choose from- all of which come highly recommended.

crepes with chocolate sauce.
Chocolate Crepe from Heavenly Desserts. / Image: The Hoot Leeds

If these options aren't enough to satisfy your chosen company, there's still almost 20 different places to grab a bite to eat or drink away the evening at the likes of Bella Italia, Burger King, Dominos, Five Guys, Nando's, Pizza Express, Pollo to Go, Taco Bell and Wetherspoons.

How to get there

Xscape Yorkshire is in Castleford, less than half an hour from Leeds city centre, making it an accessible option for commuters to access day and night, and escape the bustle of the city centre with ease.

If you're driving, leave the M62 at Junction 32 and follow the Xscape signs, you can see the image for car parking spots highlighted in yellow with the overflow carpark highlighted in green.

map to car park.
Follow the dotted line to find parking. / Image: Xscape Yorkshire

At the main roundabout directly in front of the Centre take the 4th exit for our Main Car Park. Postcode WF10 4TA. Car parks highlighted in yellow (overflow green).

Feature Image- The Hoot Leeds

Leeds

Female-founded independent jewellery brand to open in Leeds’ Victoria Gate

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.

Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.

Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.

Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business. 

Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.

Image: Supplied

The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.

After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.

"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”

Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.

"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."

We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.

Read more: 10 of the best new openings coming to Leeds in 2026

Featured image - Supplied

Leeds

Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Well...this is a new one.

Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.

Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.

The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.

Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.

And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.

Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.

You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...

No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.

The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer. 

John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by. 

“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.” 

Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.

Read more: Leeds crowned one of Europe’s ‘best’ cities alongside 17 other British places

Featured image - Divert

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