The owners announced the news on Instagram this morning.
Serving up some of the finest fried chicken in Leeds, Yard & Coop has been a firm Merrion Street favourite since opening their doors three years ago.
The restaurant has noted that they need to take time to "reassess costs", and sadly they aren't the first to closure their doors amidst the soaring cost of living and resources.
The well-respected chicken joint has brought us some of the most imaginative flavours around. From fried chicken afternoon tea to ice cream chicken burgers and a Veganuary collab with Temple of Seitan- and that's without mention of their infamous twelve inch Massive Cock burger.
Last week, Italian pizza al taglio and bottomless brunch favourites Simpatico announced that the rent costs in Leeds city centre, amongst other increase in costs, forced them to close up, and Leeds' first vegan restaurant Meat Is Dead made a similar statement recently too.
For those desperate for a Yard & Coop fix, you'll still be able to grab a bite of their northern-renowned fried chicken goodness until Saturday, but after this, you'll have to journey to Yard and Coop's restaurants in Manchester and Liverpool.
Announcing the news this morning, the owners published the following message on Instagram:
"After 3 years of slinging chicken in Merrion Street it is with a heavy heart that we have decided that Saturday will be the last day to get our fried chicken goodness in Leeds.
"We’ve made so many friends and loyal customers over the years but we just need to pause and reassess all the costs thrown at us.
"Our team mean the world to us and we are so sad to be closing our doors. Please come say goodbye to these lovely people this week. We thank you all for your support and are already working on new concepts so watch this space.
"Manchester and Liverpool will be open as usual. Sending love."
The post has since received hundreds of likes and comments, sharing support with heartfelt replies like "But I haven’t tried everything on the menu yet" and "his is the venue that hosts our monthly Hot Ones challenges - we would like to say how lovely they have been to work with, from Ryan, Shan and everyone, we have created so many magical memories for the Hot Ones contestants...It's hard on the high street right now - let's support our #indiebusiness".
The restaurant only announced its new bottomless menu a few weeks ago. / Image: Yard & Coop
Lucy & Yak is turning its Sheffield store into a dedicated PreLoved hub for the entire weekend.
If you're all about celebrating second-hand shopping, then this is the event for you.
Since 2023, Lucy & Yak has kept a more than 42,000 Yaks in circulation through its incredible PreLoved scheme.
The concept is simple, customers bring in and return their old Yaks, and once processed receive a money-off voucher to put towards their next purchase. So everyone's a winner, basically.
Images: The Sheff
And don't worry if your old pieces are damaged, as these are lovingly repaired or upcycled by their talented Re:Yak Studio team in Yorkshire before being sold on in-store to find their new homes.
This bank holiday weekend, from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 May, the entire Sheffield store will be transformed with a huge PreLoved section for you to browse.
Images: The Sheff
It's a unique opportunity to shop your favourite second-hand Lucy & Yak pieces, with special one-off items and old gems for you to get your hands on. Get in.
The special event is the latest milestone in Lucy & Yak’s broader commitment to circularity, which also includes its (Im)Perfect sales, a Facebook Marketplace for buying, selling and swapping, and Re:Yak workshops held throughout the year - community sessions that help people mend and customise their clothing.
Images: The Sheff
Lydia Coley, Managing Director at Lucy & Yak said: “We’re so excited to bring the PreLoved Weekender to our stores this May. Lucy & Yak has always been built around community, creativity and doing things a little differently, and PreLoved brings all of that together.
"We're incredibly proud of keeping over 42,000 Yaks in circulation. Every second-hand Yak has a story, and this weekend is about helping those pieces find their next home in a fun way”
So if you're looking for a fresh new colourful wardrobe for the summer, get yourself to Lucy & Yak this weekend to shop smart.
An Italian-American ‘paninoteca’ and diner serving stacked subs has opened in Leeds
Clementine Hall
The team behind Stuzzi - one of Leeds’ best-loved Italian restaurants - have opened up a brand-new sandwich shop.
Introducing La Grassa, the new concept from Stuzzi Leeds co-founders Jimbob Phillips and Brett Lee, that just a few weeks ago opened up inside Amity Brew Co. over in Farsley.
La Grassa is a new Italian-American ‘Paninoteca’ and diner concept, where you can get your hands on paninos filled with house-made meats, cheeses and glossy sauces. But be warned, your hands may get a bit messy whilst doing so.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
They're open afternoon and evening, so whether you fancy a quick sandwich whilst exploring Sunny Bank Mills or tucking into some hearty grub alongside a few pints from the brewery, they've got you covered.
Sandwich wise you can opt for a 'Hero' which is your classic semolina sub stuffed with either grilled pork and greens, pork and veal meatballs or crispy buttermilk chicken tossed in a creamy Caesar salad.
Or you can get your sub grilled and pressed with fillings like dry aged beef and peppers or your classic grilled cheese with hot honey.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
They've also got potato rolls filled with very naughty deep fried mozzarella, basil pesto and marinara sauce. One thing's for certain, you won't leave here hungry.
If you're after something sweet they've got a selection of soft serve on the menu, perfect for soaking in the sunshine this summer.
If you don't fancy a sandwich you can get the fried mozz and the meatballs on their own, and on Sundays the menu gets a special roast revamp where all subs come with crispy, herby potatoes. Yum.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This is a great addition to Leeds and it seems like you lot are loving it as much as we do, with the space being full to the brim with hungry punters ever since they opened their doors back in March.
So get yourself to Amity for a few pints and check out the deliciousness that La Grassa has to offer. Bellissimo.
Sophie Smith -
27th July 2022 
