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Leeds
Leeds City Council set to demolish six high-rise tower blocks in Seacroft, Armley and Moortown
Affecting Bailey Towers, Brookland Towers and Ramshead Heights in Seacroft, as well as Leafield Towers in Moortown; Raynville Court and Raynville Grange in Armley.
Six blocks across Seacroft, Armley and Moortown are set to be approved for demolition this week.
The six tower blocks were built in the 1960s and have now exceeded their original design life.
The blocks are reported to "remain safe at present" but the council is choosing to take action "in light of financial pressures and the significant cost of delivering remedial work".
The news is not thought to be a surprise to local residents, with consultation processes already taken place in Bailey Towers, Brookland Towers and Ramshead Heights in Seacroft, as well as Leafield Towers in Moortown; Raynville Court and Raynville Grange in Armley.
The development of the sites and any further use will be subject to review in the future, but it is hoped that "good quality affordable housing" will be plotted on the sites post-demolition.
The council has stated that all blocks "will be fully supported through the rehousing process", and the LCC executive board is set to agree to prioritise their housing applications so that residents can find "suitable long-term housing".
Tenants that have lived in their homes for over 12 months will also qualify for compensation.
The formal council discussion is set to take place this Wednesday 18 October 2023, where it is expected that the plans to rehouse residents and demolish the buildings will be approved.
Bailey Towers, Seacroft. / Image: Leeds City Council, Supplied
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing said, “The demolition of the tower blocks is an important step towards future proofing the council’s housing stock, ensuring that we meet our commitment to delivering good quality and affordable homes for residents.
“However, we understand the impact that this will have on our residents across the sites, and I would like to extend my thanks for their constructive engagement with the council so far.
“We’ve undertaken extensive and proactive consultation with all of our impacted residents and will continue to do so as we are absolutely committed to ensuring any disruption is minimal. We will continue to ensure that all residents are supported through the rehousing process, to see that they are successfully rehoused into homes that suit them for the long term.”
The UK Aids Memorial Quilt is set to go on display across Wakefield this summer.
The quilt - consisting of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels, representing over 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS - will go on display at WX Wakefield from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June 2026.
All 42 quilts will be on display, with WX working in partnership with the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Conservation Partnership.
Across the same weekend, selected individual panels will be displayed at different venues across the city including The Hepworth Wakefield, The Art House Wakefield, Theatre Royal Wakefield, Pontefract Castle and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Part of the world’s largest community art project, this is a huge opportunity for the city of Wakefield. The project started in the USA back in 1985 by activist Cleve Jones, commemorating friends, family and loved ones lost to AIDS.
Individual panels were then stitched together to create larger quilts, which were shown outdoors as a form of protest to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.
Today, the quilt stands as a crucial reminder of those who were lost and of the continuing affect that HIV and AIDS has on the people of today.
At WX Wakefield, viewing the quilt is completely free and on Friday 5 June there will be a special late night opening up until 10:30pm to view the exhibition.
And on Saturday 6 June at 2:30pm, there will be a very special and poignant reading of the names of those commemorated on the quilt.
Featured image - UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, installation view at Tate Modern, June 2025. Photo: AM Hanson
Leeds
Leeds’ first frozen yoghurt bar is opening in Headingley this weekend
Clementine Hall
The frozen yoghurt craze is on its way to Leeds as Kefiyo is set to open in Headingley in just a few days.
It's a phenomenon that has caught the attention of the TikTok and Instagram girlies as of late, with frozen yoghurt bars popping up in Manchester and going viral online.
The ice cold sweet treat is supposedly 'healthy' and with a slogan of 'eat Clean. feel Light. live Better.' - this new spot in Leeds seems to be going down that route too.
Kefiyo will be opening in the old Sixes site on Ash Road in Headingley, and they've just announced that they'll be soft launching this Sunday 19 April 2026.
The space is already sporting a super cute pastel green and pink exterior, and it's exactly matching the aesthetic that you'd expect with froyo.
Kefiyo will offer a range of frozen yoghurt flavours with a whole bunch of toppings for you to customise to your tastebuds, as well as fresh acai bowls.
Situated slap bang in the centre of Headingley, we've got a feeling it'll be very busy with students on their way to their morning lecture or at night for those looking for a sweet treat that doesn't feel too naughty.
We'll keep you updated on more Kefiyo updates as and when we find out.
But in the meantime, you can keep an eye on their socials here. We'll see you soon for a scoop Leeds.
Sophie Smith -
16th October 2023 
