Plans to transform a Grade II listed building into a high-end restaurant and club on East Parade have been approved by Leeds City Council.
Formerly hosting OK Karaoke, The Garage Club and La Rambla tapas restaurant, the huge building has been left derelict for several years, but it is hoped that the latest approval will bring the building back to life.
The plans are to keep the building's heritage features whilst full refurbishing to bring a contemporary edge to the classic design.
The standout features will include a curved glazed canopy and stunning light concepts as part of their 'sensitive modernisation'.
It is unclear at present what the name of the restaurant or club will be, or whether the building will be sold onto an existing chain.
The Grade II building formerly hosted OK Karaoke but will be renovated to feature a glamorous restaurant and basement nightclub. / Image: British Listed Buildings
According to The Move Market, the building was originally bought for £1.4 million in November 2019, before the pandemic.
Since this time, the property has decreased in value by £120,000 but still remains the most expensive property in its postcode.
East Parade has plenty of office and hospitality space up for sale at present. / Image: Savills
Buyers Mayfair Investment Group originally planned to deliver a mixed use scheme with leisure space on the lower floors plus either residential apartments or a serviced office scheme on the upper levels, but these plans have now been extended to include a hospitality venue.
Reports state that the building will host a high-end restaurant with a rooftop terrace and outdoor dining space and separate nightclub in the basement.
The upper floors will also house office space, accessed through a new entrance of Park Cross Street.
Originally, the Grade II building is thought to have housed the Mayor of Leeds in 1757, despite signage suggesting the three-storey house was established in 1840.
The plans for the re-development were commended by the Leeds Civic Society for their Heritage Appraisal, suggesting the building will be an exciting architectural addition to East Parade.
The venue has been described as 'game changing' and 'prestigious' by the owners and we can't wait to see the end result.
Feature Image- British Listed Buildings
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Beloved gig and music venue hits out as ‘some random’ files multiple noise complaints
A much-loved pub and live music venue is struggling with a series of 'malicious' noise complaints, prompting a huge outpouring of support from music industry insiders.
The Golden Lion over in Todmorden is facing uncertainty amidst the complaints from 'some random'.
Matthanee 'Gig' Nilavongse, who runs the venue and its live music offering, said he's 'had enough' and believes The Golden Lion is being targeted.
He stressed that nothing in the venue - the sound system, sound proofing, or anything else in its set-up - has changed since the noise complaints started.
Gig also added that people have been travelling from across the UK and even further afield to attend its events, benefitting the wider community of businesses and local economy.
He added: "Bank holiday next weekend and I'II not tolerate the threat from anyone."
Hundreds of people, including industry names like Sacha Lord, Luke Cowdrey, and Hot Chip's Joe Goddard, have voiced their support for the grassroots venue.
Sacha Lord offered his help fighting the complaints, then added: "I'm sick to death of these NIMBYS who threaten businesses and jobs."
Chelsea Teesdale, head of marketing for the Warehouse Project and Parklife, said: "Sorry you're going through this. The golden lion means so much to many. I go to all kinds of gigs and venues, nothing is quite like the magic of your home."
And Nite School Manchester wrote: "So sorry to hear you're going through this. What you've built at The Golden Lion for the people of Tod (& far beyond!) is a guiding star to us Gig, and we'll be doing everything we can to support you & the team."
Following on from this heartwarming display of affection for the venue, Gig added: "Thank you for all supports near and far, you're close to my heart.
"The show must go on, I'm not back down until the door is close."
Cheap flights up for grabs as easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ is BACK for 2026
Danny Jones
If you're in need of a holiday, there's no better time to book than now with easyJet's 'Big Orange Sale' returning to the UK.
Not only can you get affordable trips from the likes of Leeds Bradford and Doncaster Sheffield, specifically, but there are discounts across the board by the operator.
The Big Orange Sale is becoming an increasingly popular annual occurrence for Brits, with countless holidaymakers, rather fittingly, making the most of the offer.
In fact, you might have already seen the advert yourselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgGG1AciY3I
Just as the ad explains, those travelling via easyJet can get up to 20% discount on flights to a load of different destinations across the globe.
Yes, the company are knocking up to a fifth off the price on flights over the course of nearly 10 months' worth of travel from the UK, provided the trip is booked within the right window.
Seeing savings on more than 730,000 seats, the time frame itself is also one of the longest cut-price periods you'll come across this year, not to mention well into 2027.
Better still, it doesn't just stop at flying itself...
Get this, the flight operators and travel agents are offering up to £400 off on package holidays, meaning those old faithful all-inclusives are about to become even more bang for your buck.
Featuring not only countless mainland European favourites on the list, but also the likes of the Canary Islands, Morocco, and numerous popular skiing hotspots, just to name a few.
As reported by our friends over at The Manc, there are loads of cheap seats from the likes of Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds-Bradford and more as part of this year's sale.
Allowing you to book trips departing between 1 May 2026 and 14 March 2027, it's a huge travel window for you to get extra value-for-money deals on your next getaway.
You can find the full list of flights and package holidays on easyJet's Big Orange Sale right HERE.
Sophie Smith -
19th October 2021 
