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Popular Calderdale restaurant Yakumama announces heartbreaking closure
"Sometimes, I think you have to leave something where it is, accept that it happened and was really good for a time, but that it’s better if it doesn’t continue, and that’s been an extremely hard thing to come to terms with."
A popular Latin American restaurant concept that first began its life on Manchester's street food scene has announced it will shut the doors to its restaurant at the end of this month.
It might have opened its first restaurant over in Todmorden, which happens to lie just beyond the borders of Greater Manchester, but for foodies who love their pop-ups, Yakumama will still be a familiar name.
Championed by the Manchester tastemakers like GRUB and Pollen from the start, the all-vegan and veggie concept made quite a mark on the city's street food scene between 2015 and 2019 - popping up at locations across the city, as well as selling spicy-sweet homemade Aleppo hot sauce at a number of different independents.
Image: The Hoot Eats
Image: The Hoot Eats
Owners Hannah Lovett and Marcy Sandoval then went on to open their first permanent site in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, taking over the old co-op building in a little market town just 20 minutes from Manchester and an hour from Leeds on the train.
But on Thursday night, owners left fans of the restaurant shocked when they revealed that they will be closing up shop for good at the end of January - giving diners just four more weeks to get booked in for one last meal.
Sharing a heartwrenching post to social media last night, owners broke the new: writing that it was with 'very heavy hearts and weary heads' they had decided that Yakumama would be closing at the end of the month.
The pair said it had been 'a long old road to get to this point', and that it had been 'a struggle financially and emotionally for some time now, due to all the reasons that everyone knows about'.
Saying they'd 'worked hard to get over the hurdles', they added that the 'emotional and financial input [...] just isn't in us right now, and we need to prioritise our heal and a more balanced life.'
Image: The Hoot Eats
Image: The Hoot Eats
Since making the announcement, the restaurant has been overwhelmed with bookings and messages of support from its numerous fans - leading them to put up a story that read "Just had about 100 table bookings in 10 minutes. Yikes".
The closure post has now been liked over 700 times on Instagram alone, and Yakumama's comment section is flooded with kind words from those who've worked and dined with Yakumama over the years.
One person wrote: "Sending loads of love you two. You should be immensely proud of everything you’ve done and achieved. Can’t wait to see what’s next for you both xxx"
Another said: "You are my favourite restaurant. Ever. Thankyou for you and the teams passion and creativity. I would buy a Yakumama recipe cookbook in a heartbeat! Good luck."
A third said: "I am so extremely sad to hear this. Always raved about the food and cocktails! I’ll make sure to put a booking in before u close, you will be missed! All the best for the future xxx"
Image: The Hoot Eats
Image: The Hoot Eats
The full post read: "With very heavy hearts, and weary heads, we are so sorry to say that Yakumama at The Old Co-op will be closing as of the end of January.
"It’s been a long old road to get us to this point but it’s for the best. It’s been a struggle financially and emotionally for some time now, due to all the reasons that everyone knows about. We’ve really dug our heels in, and worked hard to get over the hurdles we’ve faced, but this can only take us so far.
"The Emotional and financial input required to get it where it needs to be, just isn’t in us right now, and we need to prioritise our health and a more balanced life. Sometimes, I think you have to leave something where it is, accept that it happened and was really good for a time, but that it’s better if it doesn’t continue, and that’s been an extremely hard thing to come to terms with.
"The atmosphere in that place can be soo good it gives me goosebumps, and that could not be achieved without our ridiculously wonderful team, all of whom we love immensely, and are family now.
"And of course you lot, mostly familiar faces that we see on some occasions every weekend. The support and joy that has brought is immeasurable. We have felt welcomed since the very first day. Tod is an extremely Special place, Thank you.
""We are open for 4 more weeks, so please come get involved and see us off with a bang! Our last service will be brunch on Sunday 29th Jan. You can book a table via the link in the bio.
"And beyond that, see you in the pub. Much love. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Han + Marcy"
Bookings are filling up fast at the restaurant, with a small number of weekend tables left available at the time of writing. If you'd like to book in for one more visit, you can do so by visiting Yakumama's website here.
Feature image - Yakumama
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History has never been this fun – Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House | Review
Don’t judge a book by its cover... or in this case, a musical by its posters.
Going in completely blind, I really didn’t know what to expect from Operation Mincemeat. In fact, after the first number, I found myself thinking, I’m not sure this is quite my cup of tea.
How wrong I was.
Watching Tuesday night’s performance at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, I was quickly proven wrong about what I thought a musical needed to be. There are no huge sets, endless costume changes, or hundreds of performers filling the stage. Instead, Operation Mincemeat delivers a genuinely funny, surprisingly heart-warming story with just five performers, while somehow teaching you a bit of history along the way.
If I had to sum this show up in two words? Belly laughter.
Based on the real-life British intelligence operation during the Second World War, the musical follows the unlikely group tasked with convincing Hitler that the Allies were planning to invade Greece rather than Sicily.
And honestly, if you didn’t already know it actually happened, you’d probably think someone had made it up. That ridiculousness is exactly what makes the show work. The comedy comes thick and fast, with characters, accents, and personalities constantly changing as the five-strong cast jump between roles.
And this is where the production really impressed me.The multi-roling is incredibly slick. A pair of glasses, a change in voice or a small shift in posture can completely transform a character, and somehow it never feels like a gimmick. Instead, it becomes part of the magic of the production. It’s a brilliant example of how much can be achieved on stage without throwing money at elaborate sets or costumes.
Credit: Matt CrockettCredit: Matt Crockett
But underneath all the comedy is where Operation Mincemeat really surprised me.
One of the standout performances for me came from Christian Andrews as Hester Leggatt. During ‘Roses’, Andrews completely captivates the audience while portraying an older woman writing about the experience of wives waiting for their loved ones away at war.
What makes the moment so effective is its simplicity. With little more than a pair of glasses, Andrews transforms into Hester, but there is never any sense that the character is being played for laughs. Instead, there is real care and respect in the performance.
Andrews captures the loneliness, vulnerability, and uncertainty of a woman whose life has been put on hold while her partner is away fighting. After so much laughter, the sudden change in tone really lands. For me, it was one of the clearest examples of the craftsmanship behind the show. Both the writing and performance manage to find genuine emotion without losing the production’s personality.
The music follows the same balance, moving between big, energetic numbers and quieter moments that give the characters room to breathe. It never feels like songs have been added simply because this happens to be a musical; they actually help tell the story.
And despite being based on a historical event, it never feels like a history lesson.
Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House / Credit: Matt Crockett
In fact, I left the theatre wanting to find out more about the real Operation Mincemeat, which is probably the biggest compliment I can give it and definitely will be watching the film very soon.
If you’re heading to the theatre expecting huge dance numbers, powerhouse ballads and elaborate sets, then this might not be the show for you. But if you want something different, something that will have you laughing at one of the strangest stories in British history while leaving you amazed at just how slick a production can be with only five cast members, then this is absolutely worth seeing.
What I initially thought wasn’t my cup of tea ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the evening.
Funny, clever, completely bonkers at times and unexpectedly moving, Operation Mincemeat proves you don’t need a massive production to make a big impression. I have seen a lot of theatre productions in my life, but I have never seen anything as slick as this production, and that is pure talent at its finest.
Sometimes, all you need is a ridiculous true story, five brilliant performers and a whole lot of belly laughs.
Featured Image - Matt Crockett (Supplied)
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Retail giant Uniqlo delays opening date for new Leeds store
Clementine Hall
It's official, Uniqlo is making its way to Leeds. Well, it's about time isn't it?
You may remember last June that murmurings of Uniqlo opening in Leeds were happening.
The news spread after planning documents appeared for new ‘Uniqlo’ signage on the Store House building on Briggate.
We've been keeping our fingers crossed that the news was actually true, and it is.
Uniqlo themselves have confirmed that three new stores will be popping up across the UK over the next two years, with one of them being right here in Leeds.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Their first store of the roll-out opened in Birmingham's Bullring, followed by a new store in Bristol this year.
Leeds was also meant to open this year, but unfortunately, Uniqlo has announced things are delayed and its opening will be pushed into 2027.
The Leeds store will be 1,100 square metres and will be located on Briggate in the old House of Fraser site.
CGI mockups from firms Thirty One Design and Ink Associates include the glass fronted store with Uniqlo’s signature red signage hanging above the door and off the building.
These will be made from sheet metal with a “sprayed finish” – sounds pretty swanky if you ask us.
Uniqlo UK COO Alessandro Dudech stated: "Uniqlo remains committed to strengthening its presence within the UK retail sector by expanding both our physical store network and ecommerce capabilities nationwide.
"As part of this strategic initiative, we look forward to introducing Uniqlo to the communities and visitors in the North of England, at the new Leeds location and simultaneously reaching customers in the South West in Bristol's Cabot Circus.".
Uniqlo is known for its affordable and minimalist clothing, stocking everything from raincoats and puffer jackets to jeans and a wide range of accessories.
We’ll keep you updated on the timeframe, as to be honest we’re just as excited as you are to be welcoming Uniqlo to the high street.
Georgina Pellant -
6th January 2023 
