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Leeds HS2 leg ‘set to be scrapped’, Whitehall leak suggests
A government source has reportedly claimed it will "never be built in our lifetime" - but the Department for Transport denies any final decisions have yet been made
Leeds' HS2 extension looks 'set to be scrapped' according to leaks coming out of Whitehall, reports suggest this morning.
A government source has reportedly claimed the Eastern leg will "never be built in our lifetime" in a move that is intended to shave £40billion off the costs of what one Tory MP has dubbed the "hugely expensive white elephant" railway project.
Whilst the Department of Transport insists that the decision to axe the Eastern leg has not yet been made, a source told the Sunday Mirror yesterday:
'They might make some announcement about doing the work in the future but everyone involved knows the truth.
'They have run out of cash and there's no way we're going to see this built in our lifetimes.'
The leaks come in spite of the fact that the city has already started work on a new £500million station in preparation for the new line.
Officially, the Department for Transport is maintaining that a much-delayed integrated rail plan is due imminently and will 'soon' outline plans to move forward with all major railway infrastructure plans.
Northern leaders have hit back at the comments today, warning that plans to 'level up' the north will be much harder to achieve without the long-promised new rail links.
Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire, said: 'The government cannot talk about levelling up and a commitment to the north without addressing the decades of underinvestment across our transport networks.
'The eastern leg of HS2 is essential to providing the rail services that work for our communities, as part of a joined-up transport system that connects people to better jobs, better education, and more opportunities.'
Currently, so far the only part of the project that has been built only serves to connect London with Birmingham - cutting journey times from one hour 21 minutes to 52 minutes, according to a statement given by The Department for Transport last year.
For the second leg, it was estimated that journeys from Birmingham to Leeds would be down to 49 minutes from two hours and Manchester to London journeys would take one hour and seven minutes, cutting down travel time by an hour.
Leader of Leeds city council James Lewis said: 'I will be hugely disappointed if we are back to the drawing board.
'The constant pipeline of projects in London moving forward suggests that levelling up isn't in operation.'
However, Conservative MP for Rother Valley Alexander Stafford took a different view:
"What we need is the money invested in transport infrastructure that might actually bring a tangible benefit to seats like mine.
'We need a better bus service and better links to Manchester across the Pennines rather than a hugely expensive white elephant that is sucking resources out of areas like mine and will only benefit a tiny number of people living in central Leeds"
Elsewhere Henri Murison, the director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said failing to bring HS2’s western and eastern legs would see the project “undermined in achieving its full economic benefits”.
Since its initial approval in 2012, the project's total cost has reportedly risen from £32.7 billion to £107.7 billion. Northern leaders are now urging the DfT to release its much-delayed Integrated Rail Plan.
The beloved Domino Club is receiving its flowers, and rightly so.
Rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most respected accolade of excellence, The Pinnacle Guide is a worldwide ranking of the best bars across the globe.
Based on a thorough self-application process, rigorous assessment modules, followed by a series of spot check interviews and anonymous in-bar reviews, it's no easy feat to get a spot on this list.
Which is why it makes The Domino Club's achievement all that more impressive.
Known amongst locals and visitors alike as basically one of the coolest bars in town, the hidden speakeasy invites you through a barbershop in the Grand Arcade where downstairs you'll find a dimly lit jazz and cocktail bar oozing sex appeal.
Not only are the cocktails exceptional, but their live music listings is something to behold playing everything from jazz and funk to cabaret and disco every Wednesday - Sunday.
Announcing the news to Instagram, The Domino said: "Listed by The Pinnacle Guide. The Domino Club has been recognised on the global list of the world’s best bars.
"What began as a hidden basement bar in Leeds, built around live music, cocktails and atmosphere, is now being recognised alongside some of the finest bars in the world.
"A huge thank you to our team, musicians, suppliers and every single guest who has supported us over the years. This means a lot. Leeds belongs on the world cocktail map."
We absolutely could not agree more and if you haven't ventured behind the barbershop and discovered the magical Domino Club, then we very much recommend you do.
2:22 A Ghost Story at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House: When silence becomes the scare
Declan Kelly
The supernatural thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story arrived at Leeds Grand Theatre as part of its UK tour, bringing Danny Robins’s hit production to a packed audience.
Since its West End debut in 2021, the play has become known less as a straight horror and more as a gripping psychological debate wrapped in a ghost story.
At the centre of the story is one key question: do ghosts actually exist? Set during a dinner party between two couples, the drama unfolds as Jenny becomes increasingly convinced their home is haunted, claiming she hears strange noises every night at exactly 2:22am.
Her husband Sam dismisses her fears as irrational, while friends Lauren and Ben challenge both sides, turning the evening into a lively clash of belief and scepticism. What begins as a conversation gradually becomes something far more tense, as personal fears and buried tensions rise to the surface.
Image: Supplied
Rather than relying on traditional horror, the production focuses on atmosphere and psychological tension. The script builds unease through sharp dialogue, awkward silences and shifting power dynamics between the characters. Instead of delivering constant shocks, it keeps the audience questioning what is real and what might simply be a coincidence or imagination.
That said, the play does use theatrical jump scares effectively. Sudden loud noises, abrupt lighting changes and eerie sound cues interrupt the dialogue at key moments, creating jolts of tension without ever fully tipping into outright horror. These moments are brief but impactful, designed more to unsettle than to terrify.
Image: Supplied
The cast works strongly together to maintain this balance. Shvorne Marks brings emotional intensity to Jenny’s growing fear, while James Bye plays Sam with grounded scepticism that slowly begins to crack. Natalie Casey adds sharp humour and bite as Lauren, and Grant Kilburn provides openness and curiosity as Ben, keeping the debate lively and unpredictable.
The production design is another standout element. The modern, stylish home feels realistic and lived-in, but subtly shifts in tone as the story progresses. Careful lighting and precise sound design ensure the space never feels entirely safe, even in silence, reinforcing the idea that something might be just out of sight.
Image: Supplied
As the final moments unfold, the play returns to its central idea: the waiting. The quiet anticipation of night, the smallest unexplained sounds, and the creeping awareness of time passing.
Ultimately, 2:22 A Ghost Story succeeds because it is not really trying to scare its audience traditionally. Instead, it plays with uncertainty, asking viewers to decide what they believe and how far they trust their own senses. And let’s be honest, you might find yourself thinking what might happen if you were still awake when the clock strikes 2:22.
Running until 16 May at the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House - tickets available here.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd August 2021 
