Slam Dunk festival has shared a statement confirming one of its directors has stepped down, in the wake of allegations.
The popular punk festival takes place next month across two sites, one of which is here in Leeds.
This year's line-up is set to include headline performances from the likes of Good Charlotte, Knocked Loose, Sublime, and Taking Back Sunday.
But Slam Dunk has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons this week after allegations against one of its directors came to light.
Slam Dunk said in its statement, which did not get into specifics about the nature of the allegations, that the festival 'remains committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all employees, partners, and customers'.
They added that the director has stepped down, but 'strongly refutes' the allegations.
The statement then promised 'transparency and honesty' and said that more updates would be provided when appropriate.
Slam Dunk wrote: "We are aware of allegations published yesterday relating to one of our directors. We take these allegations seriously and understand that they may be distressing and hard to process for our community.
"Our Slam Dunk fans, staff, and artists are, as always, our top priority.
"While he strongly refutes these allegations, the director in question has agreed, in consultation with the board, to step down from Slam Dunk operations while this matter is ongoing.
"Slam Dunk remains committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all employees, partners, and customers.
"Our values and culture are fundamental to how we operate, and we are committed to upholding them.
"It would be inappropriate for us to comment further on an ongoing legal matter.
"However, we promise transparency and honesty to our Slam Dunk community and will provide updates when it is appropriate to do so."
Slam Dunk returns to Temple Newsam in Leeds on Sunday 24 May.
Trinity Kitchen will turn into one of the city’s biggest hotspots to watch the World Cup this summer.
The space is getting ready to be transformed into an evening fan zone with three super-size screens, a brand-new bar, DJs, brass bands and space for up to 1,000 supporters.
The space will be completely free to attend and will open just in time for the start of the tournament on Thursday 11 June.
And before you worry about getting a seat, fans will have the option of booking tables for England’s games.
It doesn't stop there, as it has also been announced that award-winning Leeds independent brewery Northern Monk will open in Trinity Kitchen for the first time.
Image: Supplied
The ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’ will feature two, seven-metre bars, 20 beer taps, whilst 11 street food vendors will be serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
Rooftop padel courts planned for multi-storey car park in Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
Padel courts could be built on top of a car park in Leeds if plans are agreed.
Padel has been taking the world by storm recently, and it seems like there's no stopping it just yet.
Developers behind the Merrion Centre in Leeds have submitted plans to build eight rooftop padel courts at the shopping centre.
If successful, the development would result in the loss of 128 spaces at the car park which currently has space for 960 vehicles.
The plans outline that the courts would be built on the eighth floor of the building and that the scheme would support the fast growing popularity of the sport in the city.
The development would include seven indoor courts that would be housed in a detached aluminium-framed structure at the car park site that was built in the 1960s.
The report said: "Padel is widely recognised as a fast-growing racket sport, combining elements of tennis and squash in a format that is social, inclusive and relatively easy to learn.
"Its increasing popularity across the UK has led to a notable rise in demand for accessible courts, particularly in large urban areas."
It continued: “The application site forms part of the existing Merrion Centre car park, currently operated by CitiPark. The building comprises eight levels in total, with this proposal limited to the uppermost level.”
Leeds City Council is currently considering a full planning application which is out for consultation until Wednesday 3 June.
Daisy Jackson -
28th April 2026 
