Are you ready to dress dapper? Because Skopes, a heritage menswear brand, is setting up shop in Leeds.
If you're looking to purchase a swanky new suit ahead of the festive season, then look no further than Skopes.
One of the UK's longest-established menswear brands that recently celebrated its 75th anniversary is set to be your new go-to spot for everything menswear.
From suits and outwear to shirts and footwear, you'll find everything to make you feel your best in a range of varieties, styles and colours.
Image: Supplied
And luckily for us, their new location will be opening inside White Rose Shopping Centre this Saturday 28 September.
Dating back to 1948 when it was founded by Sydney Cope in the city, Skopes has a rich history in Leeds that makes the new opening even more exciting.
Today, the brand is led by his grandson, Simon Cope and continues to expand its reach with 19 existing stores and 15 concessions across the UK including Westfield, London, Meadowhall, Sheffield, and the Metro Centre, Newcastle.
Image: Supplied
To celebrate the grand opening, Skopes will host a brunch party open to the public, featuring VIP guests, live entertainment by Leeds singer songwriter Kuill and Britain’s Got Talent magician Luke Lenihan.
Married at First Sight star Matt Jameson will cut the ribbon with Skopes CEO Simon Cope at 9.30am where they'll be joined with long-standing Skopes customers and sports stars, Kevin Sinfield and Ross McCormack.
Images: Supplied
The event includes the opportunity to view Skopes’ latest collection and meet with men’s stylist Nick Hems, who will be on hand to provide personalised style advice tailored to formalwear needs, whether it’s for an upcoming event, workwear wardrobe upgrade or simply exploring this season’s trends.
The event will finish at 1.30pm and it is set to be a fantastic day to remember.
Simon expressed his excitement about the new store: “Leeds is more than the place where Skopes was founded; it's in our DNA. The city's heritage in textiles and its appreciation for quality and style have shaped our brand from the very beginning. Opening our White Rose store feels like a homecoming and a celebration of our roots.”
Image: Supplied
Simon added: “We constantly strive to stay ahead of the curve and meet the changing wants, needs, and desires of our customers. The role of the suit in men’s lives has changed dramatically since the pandemic; the five-days-a-week suited and booted look for the office is virtually a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean the suit is dead.
"Our customers now want suits for specific occasions and events, which our store lay-out reflects. It’s certainly not a boring ‘suits you, sir’ old-fashioned store and we can’t wait to welcome people through the doors.”
To find out more about Skopes before their highly anticipated new opening, 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.
Jungle are back and have announced a huge Leeds gig for later this year
Daisy Jackson
Modern funk and soul band Jungle are officially heading back to Leeds.
The Mercury Prize-nominated group will be performing at the First Direct Bank Arena this November, following their blistering summer on the festival circuit last year.
They'll be heading to Leeds on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Jungle was formed back in 2013 by producers and friends Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland.
While they technically worked as a duo for years (until 2023, when touring member Lydia Kitto became an official member of the band), Jungle are known for their huge live performances.
They always fill stages with musicians and vocalists, for incredible funk n soul live shows.
The bands huge hits include Back on 74, Casio, and Busy Earnin’, from four top-10 albums including 2023’s groundbreaking Volcano.
The upcoming Leeds date forms part of the band’s upcoming world tour, which arrives in the UK in November 2026 following a string of international performances across Europe, North America, and beyond.
Fans can expect a setlist jam packed with standout tracks, including fan favourites such as ‘Volcano’ and ‘Back On 74’ and newer material from their upcoming album ‘Sunshine’, released on 14 August that continues to push the band’s signature sound forward.
With over 3.4 billion streams to their name, Jungle’s Leeds show is set to be one of the hottest tickets of 2026 so we wouldn't mess about if we were you.
Tickets for Jungle in Manchester will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 27 March, with pre-sale from 10am on Thursday 26 March.
Clementine Hall -
25th September 2024 
