The inaugural 'Live At Kirkstall Abbey' summer series is due to begin later this month.
Kicking off from Friday 26 July, a trio of thoughtfully-curated shows encompassing music and comedy is taking over the Leeds landmark for three days of nonstop entertainment.
Opening the series are iconic band Madness, who will be joined by some very special guests; Leeds’ own indie heroes The Pigeon Detectives
Liverpudlian power group The Zutons will also be taking to the stage, with an opening set from promising Carlisle quintet Hardwicke Circus.
Image: Supplied
On Saturday 27 July, celebrated local stalwarts Embrace will return to their home-turf celebrating 20 years of their seminal album ‘Out Of Nothing’, with an incredible supporting cast including much-loved English quartet Ocean Colour Scene, Northern Irish indie veterans Ash, Britpop icons Sleeper, and fellow Yorkshire legends Cud.
Rounding off the weekend, Sunday 28 July will host performances from a fantastic array of comedy talent as the grounds of the 12th century Cistercian monastery becomes the home of the first ever Kirkstall Abbey Comedy Festival.
The first large-scale, open-air comedy festival to happen in Leeds, the event will bring hilarious appearances from award-winning Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan, Newcastle stand-up legend Ross Noble, renowned Yorkshire comic Maisie Adam, as well as Reginald D. Hunter, Clinton Baptiste, Mike Wozniak and more.
Image: Supplied
Andy Smith - Director of Futuresound Group said: “We’re totally thrilled to finally have this exciting programme of events landing at Kirkstall Abbey later this month - the response to announcing this series has been truly immense.
"With Futuresound having been behind the 2011 Kaiser Chiefs shows back in the day, we’ve been looking to return live music to this unique location for some time now and I’m incredibly proud of what the team has put together here. With top-quality entertainment appearing across both music and comedy, we really think there’s something for everyone over the weekend”
Tickets for all of these fantastic events are on sale now, and you can grab yours here.
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.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
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.
Clementine Hall -
3rd July 2024 
