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
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)
News
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.
Sophie Smith -
27th February 2024 
