Twelve of the best hotels in Leeds are giving their guests a free night's stay this summer as part of a new campaign that's been launched in the city centre.
The Be Our Guest campaign has been set up by Leeds City Council and hoteliers in the city to help boost tourism in the centre of Leeds after the events of the past eighteen months.
As part of the campaign, twelve of Leeds' favourite hotels are offering an extra night on the house - meaning if you book for two nights, you'll get a third free.
The first 100 people to take advantage of the campaign will also receive a hamper full of food and drinks made right here in Leeds.
The city centre hotels taking part in the scheme range from budget to high-end, with the cheapest options - Ibis Style and Discovery Inn - both priced at £120 for three nights.
At £160 for three nights, there's the Jurys Inn, Novotel, Westwood Hall, Clayton Hall and The Met to choose from. All four star hotels, each offer something different depending on what you're looking for.
If you want somewhere quiet for a retreat, Westwood Hall is a good choice. Sitting in one of Leeds nicest suburbs, it is built around a 17th-century manor house on 9 acres of country gardens.
The Metropole, or The Met, is another fine choice if you're treating yourself. This swanky red brick property has been ushering in well-heeled guests since the Victorian era.
Or, if you're going all out, luxury Leeds hotels the Malmaison and Radisson Blu are also taking part: offering a three night stay for just £200.
For those wanting to get involved, the offer will run until 2nd September and is valid between Sundays and Thrusdays.
"The city’s Be Our Guest campaign provides the perfect opportunity for visitors to Leeds to experience the city at its best, whilst also supporting our ambitions as a leading city break destination," said council deputy leader and member for economy, culture and education, Jonathan Pryor.
"Leeds is a resilient city and I am confident we will emerge from the pandemic stronger, which will benefit everyone who lives and visits here.
"We hope that our Be Our Guest campaign can enhance Leeds’ status as the perfect destination for a staycation, and are encouraging visitors to take advantage of this great offer by staying longer to explore Leeds and experience the vibrant spirit of our city."
LHVA chair Wayne Topley added: "It has been a punishing year for the hospitality industry and we are keen to get up and running once more, doing what we do, creating a comfortable, safe and welcoming environment for our guests and colleagues alike
"Initiatives such as Be Our Guest provide the perfect platform for us to showcase what we are really good at, both in terms of positive collaboration, and highlighting the sights, sounds and flavours of this great city...
"It is fantastic to see the city pulling together to show all that is truly great about Leeds. To my knowledge, this is the most coordinated campaign we have seen for many years."
In a fairly big bit of British broadcasting news, Football Focus is ending after more than half a century on our screens.
Announced on Thursday, 23 April, the once flagship show and weekly TV guide staple for countless domestic households is set to be cancelled after 52 seasons' worth of coverage.
With BBC Sport confirming the tough decision in a lengthy statement, the long-running show will be taken off the air at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Most programmes like these have seen declining audiences across the board in the era of streaming and digital packages across various platforms, but this is truly the end of an era.
An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end.
Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season.
First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have… pic.twitter.com/bmHQqQdf6J
An official social media post reads: "An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end. Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season. "First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have worked on it over the years and, of course, the audience. The programme has been a staple of the BBC’s football coverage for decades, providing fans with interviews, analysis and stories from across the game ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
"But changing audience behaviours means fans are now increasingly consuming football content in different ways, and we need to respond appropriately as we face difficult decisions around how the licence fee is spent."
Second only really to Match of the Day (MotD), which first began a whole decade prior to its once equally popular spin-off, Gary Lineker, Manish Bhasin, Alex Scott and others have all enjoyed varying periods hosting the regular weekend watch.
While even MotD has seen steadily dipping viewing figures, not just following the Lineker departure/saga, but ever since YouTube highlights and the social media era.
They go on to add: "Fans are accessing discussion, highlights, analysis and news through digital platforms and on-demand viewing, and as viewing habits continue to evolve, it is right that BBC Sport adapts how it brings football coverage to the widest audiences across television, radio, online and to its extensive social platforms. BBC Sport boasts a strong football rights portfolio and is set to significantly expand its digital output this year, growing content across BBC platforms, as well as a bold new slate of exclusive shows on YouTube.
"Featuring fresh formats, big personalities and more frequent, always-on content tailored for digital audiences, the expansion will bring fans closer to the game than ever before, delivering more high-quality, accessible and engaging football coverage at scale. We will release further details on these plans in the coming months."
Will you miss it? Perhaps more to the point, do you still watch Match of the Day, Soccer Saturday and the like on terrestrial telly here in the UK?
Farmer Copleys bans dogs from popular Tulip Festival after tragic death of beloved pet
Daisy Jackson
Farmer Copleys, which is behind the popular Tulip Festival attraction, has spoken out after the tragic death of a dog who visited last weekend.
The family-run farm has decided to ban dogs (with the exception of service dogs) from its site, after a visitor reported that her beloved springer spaniel Bobby had died just hours after attending the Tulip Festival.
It's believed that Bobby had eaten a tulip bulb or flower, which can be deadly to dogs.
Farmer Copleys has now shared a statement about the incident, writing that the team are 'deeply saddened' by the animal's death.
They stressed that while the exact cause of his death remains unknown, they 'do not wish to take any further risks' and will no longer be permitting dogs at the Tulip Festival.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously," Farmer Copleys wrote in a statement shared today.
Customers who are no longer able to attend since the change are welcome to get in touch with the farm directly to discuss a refund.
And assistance dogs are still welcome, but owners will need to sign a disclaimer before taking them into the Tulip Festival.
Farmer Copleys tulip festival is one of the most popular events in Yorkshire every springDogs will no longer be allowed at the Tulip Festival
Farmer Copleys wrote: "We are deeply saddened by the recent incident involving a visitor’s dog following a visit to our Tulip Festival, and our thoughts remain with the owner at this difficult time.
"We must stress while the exact cause of this incident remains unknown, many flowers and plants in outdoor environments can pose risks to dogs if ingested, particularly the bulb, and we do not wish to take any further risk.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously. As a precautionary measure, we have made the difficult decision to no longer permit dogs at our Tulip Festival for the remainder of the season.
"In addition, this has further reinforced our decision to close the pick your own area for the remainder of the festival.
"We understand this may be disappointing for some visitors. Any customers who have booked and are now unable to attend due to this change are welcome to contact us regarding a refund at info@farmercopleys.co.uk.
"We are undertaking a full investigation and make a decision on 2027’s season in due course."
Georgina Pellant -
22nd June 2021 
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