A bird's-eye view of Leeds, Sheffield, and Yorkshire
X
News
Leeds’ Revolution Electric Press is getting a huge £300k ‘vodka land’ fairground makeover
The pandemic might have prevented the bar from celebrating its landmark 15th birthday, but that will all be made up for this month as it undergoes its transformation.
Leeds' Revolution Electric Press bar is getting a huge £300k makeover that will see the site turned into a vodka-lovers paradise.
The city's nightlife has seen many changes over the past 15 years, but whilst countless venues have come and gone, Revolution Electric Press has always stayed the same - until now.
The news of a huge makeover means a complete overhaul for the popular Leeds venue and the introduction of a new 'vodka land' theme that will take its inspiration from wild and wacky fairgrounds and funfairs - but with an adult twist.
As part of the extensive refurbishment, designers have created several new areas including some all-new dining spaces with large, communal tables and an open-plan dance floor complete with a new lighting show.
Image: Revolution Electric Press
And behind the scenes, a newly enhanced kitchen will ensure that Revolution’s food menu can be delivered faster than ever before.
The team has also installed a new heated courtyard so, no matter what the weather, if you're drinking and dining outside you can keep warm and toasty through the coming winter months.
Perfect for events and private parties, the newly designed heated courtyard will allow revellers to enjoy Rev's popular indoor-outdoor feel all year round.
CGIs of the new and improved Rev's show touches like vintage cabochons, big top tent stripes on the ceiling and supporting columns, and geometric neons.
The extensive pizza menu is returning, with all options now blessed with extra tasty hand stretched sourdough bases, authentic Italian tomato sauce and mozzarella / Image: Revolution Electric Press
2022 also sees the bar revolutionise its cocktail menu, with an impressive list of 22 new cocktails.
Future favourites include the Millionaire’s Martini, the Salted Caramel Colada, a Peach Margarita, and a Flat White Martini. The menu is the bars most ambitious to date, and also features some incredible low and no alcohol options, such as the Saintly Pornstar Martini, which boasts all of the flavour of a regular Pornstar.
Another addition to the new-look venue is the exclusive Ciroc Best Seat in the House area, which will follow later in 2022 and is destined to take the meaning of ultra-VIP to a new level.
This deluxe private area will allow guests to get to the heart of the party and provide the perfect place for any celebration with DJ access and bespoke party packages.
A Leeds first, it will be the ultimate space for celebrating those all-important special occasions.
The Brooklyn Mac ‘n’ Chicken Burger / Image: Revolution Electric Press
Food-wise, diners can expect the same unique take on modern bar food with dishes like the mighty Brooklyn Mac ‘n’ Chicken Burger, a previous National Burger Awards finalist popular with critics and customers alike.
Elsewhere on the menu, Revolution’s signature sharing platters allow everyone to join in, with tasty veggie and vegan versions available alongside the classic House Sharer.
The extensive pizza menu is also returning, with all options now blessed with extra tasty hand stretched sourdough bases, authentic Italian tomato sauce and mozzarella. Corn Dogs, Halloumi Fries, Vegan Fried Chicken and Tempura Prawns are just some of the must-try dishes available on the Grazin’ menu.
The brand is also continuing its mission to be carbon neutral by 2030, after hitting the headlines in 2021 for its forward-thinking tactics.
One of just a handful of UK-based companies to sign up to the pledge to hit net-zero, the Revolution Bars Group won the prestigious Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice for their commitment to the scheme.
One notable change for the brand was the decision to remove the passion fruit halves from its Pornstar Martini cocktail, replacing them with a rice paper alternative.
Prior to removing passion fruit from their bestselling cocktail (Revolution sell over 1m across the UK each year), they were shipping 36 tonnes from South America to the UK, only for them to be used as a garnish.
The group has also continued its drive to reduce energy usage, dropping this by an impressive 19% since 2017.
Speaking on the bar's refurb and plans for 2022, Revolution Electric Press Manager, David Berry, said:
‘’Revolution has been bringing the party to Leeds for over 15 years and we want to ensure we keep it fun for years to come with this refurbishment.
"We've always been a venue where you can drink, dine and dance all under one roof and with this new look and feel we'll be carrying on the party well into the future.’
‘’Since reopening after the lockdowns we've seen a change in people's socialising habits and expectations when it comes to going out and we want to make sure we can exceed all of them.
"With a huge focus around our ever popular bottomless brunch offering and most ambitious cocktail menu to date, this new design will bring together the two things we're famous for.... vodka and fun.’
‘’I'm also so proud that we can bring you Leeds' first ever Ciroc Best Seat in the House, which will bring a new pre-bookable area which promises to make sure our guests feel right at the centre of any party! Join us for a new revolution in going out!’’
Revolution Electric Press will reopen its doors from 14 January, with a full relaunch weekend planned from Friday 28 – Sunday 30 January where guests will be able to soak up live entertainment, mini cocktail masterclasses, sample the new menu and get their first taste of Saturday X, Rev’s brand-new weekly late-night event.
Feature image - Revolution Electric Press
News
Football Focus cancelled by the BBC after more than half a century
In a fairly big bit of British broadcasting news, Football Focus is ending after more than half a century on our screens.
Announced on Thursday, 23 April, the once flagship show and weekly TV guide staple for countless domestic households is set to be cancelled after 52 seasons' worth of coverage.
With BBC Sport confirming the tough decision in a lengthy statement, the long-running show will be taken off the air at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Most programmes like these have seen declining audiences across the board in the era of streaming and digital packages across various platforms, but this is truly the end of an era.
An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end.
Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season.
First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have… pic.twitter.com/bmHQqQdf6J
An official social media post reads: "An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end. Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season. "First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have worked on it over the years and, of course, the audience. The programme has been a staple of the BBC’s football coverage for decades, providing fans with interviews, analysis and stories from across the game ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
"But changing audience behaviours means fans are now increasingly consuming football content in different ways, and we need to respond appropriately as we face difficult decisions around how the licence fee is spent."
Second only really to Match of the Day (MotD), which first began a whole decade prior to its once equally popular spin-off, Gary Lineker, Manish Bhasin, Alex Scott and others have all enjoyed varying periods hosting the regular weekend watch.
While even MotD has seen steadily dipping viewing figures, not just following the Lineker departure/saga, but ever since YouTube highlights and the social media era.
They go on to add: "Fans are accessing discussion, highlights, analysis and news through digital platforms and on-demand viewing, and as viewing habits continue to evolve, it is right that BBC Sport adapts how it brings football coverage to the widest audiences across television, radio, online and to its extensive social platforms. BBC Sport boasts a strong football rights portfolio and is set to significantly expand its digital output this year, growing content across BBC platforms, as well as a bold new slate of exclusive shows on YouTube.
"Featuring fresh formats, big personalities and more frequent, always-on content tailored for digital audiences, the expansion will bring fans closer to the game than ever before, delivering more high-quality, accessible and engaging football coverage at scale. We will release further details on these plans in the coming months."
Will you miss it? Perhaps more to the point, do you still watch Match of the Day, Soccer Saturday and the like on terrestrial telly here in the UK?
Farmer Copleys bans dogs from popular Tulip Festival after tragic death of beloved pet
Daisy Jackson
Farmer Copleys, which is behind the popular Tulip Festival attraction, has spoken out after the tragic death of a dog who visited last weekend.
The family-run farm has decided to ban dogs (with the exception of service dogs) from its site, after a visitor reported that her beloved springer spaniel Bobby had died just hours after attending the Tulip Festival.
It's believed that Bobby had eaten a tulip bulb or flower, which can be deadly to dogs.
Farmer Copleys has now shared a statement about the incident, writing that the team are 'deeply saddened' by the animal's death.
They stressed that while the exact cause of his death remains unknown, they 'do not wish to take any further risks' and will no longer be permitting dogs at the Tulip Festival.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously," Farmer Copleys wrote in a statement shared today.
Customers who are no longer able to attend since the change are welcome to get in touch with the farm directly to discuss a refund.
And assistance dogs are still welcome, but owners will need to sign a disclaimer before taking them into the Tulip Festival.
Farmer Copleys tulip festival is one of the most popular events in Yorkshire every springDogs will no longer be allowed at the Tulip Festival
Farmer Copleys wrote: "We are deeply saddened by the recent incident involving a visitor’s dog following a visit to our Tulip Festival, and our thoughts remain with the owner at this difficult time.
"We must stress while the exact cause of this incident remains unknown, many flowers and plants in outdoor environments can pose risks to dogs if ingested, particularly the bulb, and we do not wish to take any further risk.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously. As a precautionary measure, we have made the difficult decision to no longer permit dogs at our Tulip Festival for the remainder of the season.
"In addition, this has further reinforced our decision to close the pick your own area for the remainder of the festival.
"We understand this may be disappointing for some visitors. Any customers who have booked and are now unable to attend due to this change are welcome to contact us regarding a refund at info@farmercopleys.co.uk.
"We are undertaking a full investigation and make a decision on 2027’s season in due course."
The Hoot -
13th January 2022 
