A life-size statue of Captain Tom Moore is set for a big public reveal in Leeds next month.
Created by artist Tony Clark from Colton and titled The Walk of Hope, the statue pays homage to the memory of the NHS fundraising hero who raised over £30m for NHS charities by walking 100 laps of his garden.
A survivor of the 2002 Bali bombings, Clark’s previous career involved buying and selling furniture. Now, he uses art as a therapeutic escape.
During the stasis of the first 2020 lockdown, Tony returned to his passion - creating a sculpture of Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa in March and raising over £9,500 for charity MIND in the process.
Whilst creating the Bielsa statue, he was inspired to start on another of Captain Tom Moore - who he described as "one of the icons of the Covid pandemic" - following a chat with a friend, Keith Sharratt.
Titled The Walk of Hope, the impressive statue of Captain Tom Moore was first unveiled on This Morning TV show with Holly and Phil. It is now set to go on display to the public at Thorpe Park this Saturday, 1st May,
Then, the hope is for it to be placed at the Captain’s birthplace in Keighley by Bradford City Council - although this is still to be confirmed at the time of writing.
Speaking on his creative process in constructing the statue, Clark said: "It took around two months to create Captain Tom in clay, from clay you make a mold, then create him in resin, then we cast him in bronze and the team build him up, weld him together and finish it."
Locals may remember Mr Clark also previously created a sculpture of Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa in March 2020, raising over £9,500 for charity MIND in the process.
The Bielsa statue will join that of Captain Tom Mooreat The Springs pop-up store from Saturday, 12th June.
The pair will be joined by other famous faces cast in bronze, resin or brass, including those of Leeds United and Scottish legend Billy Bremner, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, boxers Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, and Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Miniature replicas of the statues will be available to purchase, with a percentage of sales going to local charities.
These include Leeds South and East Food Bank and Leeds North and West Food bank, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Martin House Children’s Hospice Near Wetherby, The Ciaran Bingham Foundation Trust.
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A huge football fan zone with space for up to 1,000 fans has opened in Leeds
Trinity Leeds is transforming Trinity Kitchen into the ultimate space to watch all the World Cup 2026 action together.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on England in the 2026 World Cup? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.
Foodie hotspot Trinity Kitchen has been completely transformed into the ultimate fan zone with space for up to 1,000 cheering fans.
And they’ve made sure that nobody misses out on the action.
There are three super-sized 5x3m screens dotted around the space, so wherever you go you won’t miss out on a goal.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
There’s also a brand-new bar courtesy of local favourites Northern Monk named the ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’.
The tap will feature two, seven-metre bars with a whopping 20 beer taps to keep you refreshed and hydrated during the tournament, because cheering the lads on really can be thirsty work.
If you don’t fancy a beer there’s also cocktails, wine and soft drinks on offer as well - so nobody has to miss out.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Feeling peckish? Of course there’s 11 street food vendors serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Choose from Caribbean jerk chicken from Jerk Junction, Indian street food from Rolawala and loads more.
Entry is completely free but if you’re after a reserved seat on a table, tickets cost just £10.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
It’s all kicking off on Wednesday 17 June for England v Croatia. So rally your mates together, get your England shirts on and grab your tickets here.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
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Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Georgina Pellant -
28th April 2021 
