Our parental figures, be it a mum that's biological, step, adopted or honorary, deserve to be treated way more than once a year.
Whether they pick up the phone and let you chat on for hours, drink wine with you or just are always there when you need them the most: they really are superheroes in their own right.
From changing nappies to helping you navigate the adult world, Mother's Day is about celebrating all that these figures have done, and continue to do for us. One of our favourite ways to show our appreciation for our mother figures is to take them out for some lunch or find a quaint spot in the city centre to catch up over a drink or two, but there really are limitless ways to show your appreciation- starting with a thoughtful card and if in doubt, say it with food.
We've rounded up our favourite places to visit this Mother's Day to help you find all the places you could want to visit with yours.
Over the past year, we’ve been sharing our favourite feature ‘Sunday Roasts Shoutouts’ on Instagram, where (you guessed it) we give you the low-down on our favourite roasts of the week.
At present, we’re still managing to find new and delicious options every single week. But to save you scrolling through thousands of posts from the last year or so, you can find all of our shoutouts to date right here, plus a few unseen on our socials, shared from different members of our team.
The Leeds Deli is offering you possibly the best gift ever on Mother's Day. The morning off! Owners Tory and George have said: "We know only too well how valuable grown up time is but also how quickly the parent-guilt creeps in.
"This Mother's Day you can have the best of both worlds; enjoy a family breakfast, brunch or lunch at *The Leeds Deli* with the kids and then let Katy & Izzy entertain your little ones next door in Little Leeds with crafts and creative play; meaning grown ups can enjoy five minutes peace whilst the kids are having fun too".
This quintessentially British bespoke tailor shop becomes a prohibition-inspired gin lounge – serving iconic cocktails from the era alongside its own house gin, aptly named Tailors- and it's the perfect spot to grab a cocktail and have a laugh with your mama.
Promising visitors a night of Gatsby-esque glamour, you’re invited to rummage in the vintage costume racks for the perfect tailcoat, top hat, or flapper dress, before plonking down at one of the up-cycled sewing tables for a few cocktails or perfect serve g&t- what more could you possibly ask for?
Find out more here.
Say it with bottomless brunch: Fleur
Sunday 19 March 2023 | Inside The Light, The Headrow
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fleur is known across the city and beyond for its Instagrammable decor and bottomless brunch offerings but for Mother's Day, the restaurant has three courses and a welcome drink on offer.
Little Leeds is one of the coolest spots in the city for kids and grown ups to come together, not just on Mother's Day, but every single day of the year.
Starting with a Mum’s Club next door at The Leeds Deli, owners Tory and George, started renovating the shop next door into a pastel-coloured area dedicated to the little ones of Leeds, and you’ll find everything from climbing grips to an ice cream machine inside.
Find out more here.
Say it with bottomless mimosas and pancakes: IF... Up North
Every day of the week | Call Lane, Leeds City Centre
Image: The Hoot Leeds
If Up North on Call Lane is locally known as the go-to brunch spot for those in the know. The pancakes here are light and fluffy, American-style and definitely worth travelling into the city centre for. Expect flavours like berry and Biscoff, fruits and cream, as well as a whole host of different variations at any of their Leeds-based cafes.
If there’s one improvement that can be made to any brunch options, it’s the ability to make it a bottomless endeavour and although its not widely advertised, If Up North do offer this as an option. Select one of their brunch dishes and add bottomless servings of bubbly: there’s the choice of prosecco, mimosas ands beer for a full 90 minutes.
Combining cheese and the best meal of the week, The Cheesy Living Co has brought aa brand new venture to spice up a Mother's Day. Choose from three tiers of cheese-based treats including focaccia finger sandwiches, cheese and or charcuterie and, of course, cakes.
Say it with a burger and beer: Patty’s Burgers at Belgrave
Inside Belgrave Music Hall, Cross Belgrave Street | Open from 12pm
Image: Patty’s Burgers
You’ll find Patty Smith’s burgers over at Belgrave Music Hall, nestled between the staircase leading to the rooftop terrace and the intimately lit bar. On Sunday's you can grab one burger, get the second one for £1 - so if you're after a sociable spot to take your mum for some drinks and a bite to eat, Belgrave's a great choice.
Find out more here.
Say it with games: Roxy Ball Room
Merrion Street / Boar Lane | Opening times vary at each venue
Image: The Hoot Leeds
There's few better excuses to take your family out for a competitive afternoon of fun and games - and Roxy Lanes and Roxy Ball Room truly to have everything your ma could want to pick from.
Choose from ping pong, beer pong, shuffleboard, bowling, ice-free curling and more - all available with up to 20% off on Sundays.
Available all day, everyday | East Parade, Leeds city centre
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Brought straight to your table, you can get yourself eight different classic cocktails like Espresso Martinis and spritz aplenty on a stunning tree that’ll keep you going all night long.
This also means that you’ll never find a huge queue at the bar, and on a busy Friday or Saturday night, you can spend less time hanging about and more time enjoying the live DJ spinning tracks and catching up with your nearest and dearest.
Feature Image - The Hoot Leeds
News
Rick Astley at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Pop hitmaker Rick Astley is playing a few UK shows and is treating Leeds to a night of live music as part of The Reflection Tour.
Newton-le-Willows-born singer Rick Astley has achieved worldwide success, most notably with his work in the 80s alongside songwriting and production duo Stock-Aitken and Waterman.
Astley's album Whenever You Need Somebody has amassed 15 million sales across the globe and is a pivotal record that many would use to define 80s music.
On this LP is his huge hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up' which dropped back in 1987, with the track gaining more attention courtesy of social media trickery.
The worldwide recognition of this hit is all down to people online who deliberately link to the music video for this song, with the term being coined 'The Rickroll'.
Now, Rick Astley is returning to Leeds and ready to play out to over 13,500 people at one of Leeds' biggest indoor arenas First Direct Arena this April.
Gig guide | Rick Astley at First Direct Arena, Leeds - all you need to know
Rick Astley is bringing The Reflection Tour to Leeds this April / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
Rick Astley UK tour dates
Fri 10 April - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sat 11 April - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
Mon 13 April - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
Tue 14 April - Dublin, IE - 3Arena
Thu 16 April - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
Fri 17 April - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Sat 18 April - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
Mon 20 April - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
Tue 21 April - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
Wed 22 April - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Fri 24 April - Birmingham, UK - BP Pulse Live
Sat 25 April - London, UK - The O2
Fri 5 June - Scarborough, UK - Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Fri 19 June - Newport, UK - Isle of Wight Festival
Wed 24 June - Llangollen, UK - Llangollen Pavilion
Thu 25 June - Lincoln, UK - Lincoln Castle
Sat 27 June - Gloucester, UK - Westonbirt Arboretum
Fri 24 July - Ludlow, UK - Ludlow Castle
Sat 25 July - Sheffield, UK - Tramlines
Sat 30 August - Silverstone, UK - Carfest
Are there any tickets left for Rick Astley in Leeds?
No need to 'Cry For Help', there's plenty of tickets for Rick Astley's Leeds show at First Direct Arena and you can grab yours HERE.
It's been 'Driving Me Crazy' waiting for the right opportunity to do a little Rickrolling of my own - the actual tickets can be found HERE.
Rick Astley setlist for 2026 tour
The Reflection Tour sees Rick Astley play various shows and festivals across the UK / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
This year will mark Rick Astley's first official headline tour since 2024 meaning a full setlist is yet to be confirmed.
Here is a setlist from 2024 when the 80s performer played a series of festival sets:
Never Gonna Stop
Together Forever
Beautiful Life
It Would Take a Strong Strong Man
Dippin My Feet
Start Me Up (The Rolling Stones cover)
She Wants to Dance With Me
Juice (Lizzo cover)
Forever and More
Hold Me in Your Arms
Seventeen Going Under (Sam Fender cover)
Cry For Help
Dance
Angels On My Side
Whenever You Need Somebody (O 'Chi Brown cover)
Good Times (Chic cover)
Highway to Hell (AC/DC cover)
Maria Love
Never Gonna Give You Up
Stage times for Rick Astley and support act for First Direct Arena, Leeds
Doors for Rick Astley's The Reflection Tour are set to open from 6.30pm with an official starting time of 7.30pm.
Support for this show comes in the form of another celebrated UK performer who achieved prominence the decade after Astley - Gabrielle.
This R&B-pop singer is recognised for her 1993 hit 'Dreams' and is known for soundtracking the 90s and noughties with multiple chart entries throughout the decades.
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.
None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.
And about the rickrolling earlier... sorry not sorry.
Featured Images - Press shots via Peter Neill / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
News
Audio North’s Artist of the Month: Sharan | April 2026
Thomas Melia
Why have one northern city when you can have two? Sharan, our latest Artist of the Month, was born in Leeds and is now based in Liverpool.
Giving herself the titles of DJ, workshop facilitator and community advocate while also balancing life as a cardiac physiologist – is there anything Sharan can’t do?
This multi-talented music maker has played sets for Crop Radio, supported Sammy Virji, Barry Can’t Swim, SBTRKT and even soundtracked Liverpool FC’s official store ahead of a new kit launch.
Her sets cover all different music genres, meaning she can fit and curate any vibe, including UK funk, Amapiano, house and more.
Images: Press shots
An interview with Sharan – Audio North’s Artist of the Month
Now, the Leeds-born DJ takes a break from the decks, community programmes and medical assistance to chat about being Audio North‘s latest Artist of the Month.
What music did you grow up listening to?
I’ve always been around music. My Dad brought me up on Queen and then when I got to school my best friend listened to Bassline, UK Funky and I downloaded all these songs onto my Blackberry.
Annie Mac and Hannah Wants were real inspirations for me growing up and seeing female DJs in the media is great.
Tell us about the work you do in the DJ community?
I’m originally from Leeds but moved to Liverpool for work four years ago and I’ve become quite heavily involved in the DJ community. I do workshops through ‘Decks in the City‘; I’m a DJ Programmer for Dishoom and I play gigs across the North too.
Why do you want to give back to the DJ scene?
I joined a charity called Getaway Girls, who I still am with today, and I joined a music group through them and I remember decks being in the corner of the room and being intrigued. Then, at 14 I started going to their music workshops.
They’re the reason I got into music and inspired me to want to make the music industry a fairer place for women as well as advocating for women in music.
I love teaching women how to get into music or giving them the opportunity they wouldn’t necessarily have.
What do you hope to achieve through your DJ workshops?
I believe everyone should have the chance to try out being a DJ, or more broadly just have a go at learning a new skill in relation to music.
I want to give everyone a fair and equal chance to learn how to DJ and that’s why the courses I do are accessible and affordable.
As a South Asian DJ who’s also a woman, I want to encourage women and anyone from underrepresented communities to get involved.
In the long run, I’d love to improve festival line-ups and make the distribution of live music opportunities fairer.
What have been some of your favourite experiences as a DJ so far?
Alongside my community work, I’ve played at Leeds Festival for JD Sports and supported some big acts including Barry Can’t Swim, Virji, SBTRKT and Girls Don’t Sync.
What’s one fun fact about you?
I’m not just a DJ, I’m also a cardiac physiologist. It’s a really big part of my life aside from being a DJ. I balance the two together, I’m passionate about both.
How does your heritage influence your work?
I’m South Asian and I remember the Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack so vividly growing up. It fused British pop with Bhangra and Bollywood, it was revolutionary.
Even the storyline of the film itself resonates with me, watching the girl pursuing football against her parents wishes, something I’m doing by going against ‘the norm’ through following my dream of being a DJ.
I love this film and soundtrack so much that I wrote an article about this which explores the soundtrack and its impact on British Asian Youth.
Featured Images – The Manc Group/Press Shots (supplied via Liam Heeley)
Sophie Smith -
27th February 2024 
