There's been a real life Cinderella story going on in Leeds this week- lost shoe and all.
If you're a familiar face at The Watermark Bar, you'll know that it can get a little chaotic in there on a Saturday night.
In a good way of course, but you really never know what to expect here. Will the entire bar be a giant pillow fort and turn up to the sight of Leeds party-goers dancing in their dressing gowns? Or will there be a no-context chocolate fountain placed in the middle of the room?
Last Saturday, unfortunately none of those were actually a part of the nighttime activities at the bar, but things did get pretty hectic for one individual.
A typical night out at the bar on Belgrave Street. / Image: The Watermark Bar
So much so that one customer left his shoe in the bar.
A single shoe- and not just any shoe, a Croc.
According to the Watermark, this is what happened- and it's hilarious:
"It was a wild Watermark Sunday, I wasn't in the bar that night but Dman (our Sunday DJ) was up to his usual mischief. You know its a good night when you lose a shoe.
"Well the next day I swanned in and right under the table was the lonely Croc. Obviously it belongs to a chef (i hope). Our lost property gets a bit chaotic at times and there is no way we were going to hang on to one lonely shoe.
"So a nice like Jack Bauer 24 style hostage situation seemed to be the way to find its owner."
What are the chances of anyone coming forward- surely if you lose a Croc on a night out you're probably not going to remember where, let alone tell the internet it's yours and travel all the way to the city centre to collect it?
No. Not one person was willing to make the effort. But three. The Watermark had a three Spiderman situation (and of course they used this to illustrate their point).
Turns out they were all tracking down the Croc for the same person.
The Watermark Bar have been laughing about the situation ever since: "funnily enough the 3 people who came forward for the shoe all were just trying to rescue it for the same person. He collected it today.
"It happened one time before also..."
Last time it was a Doc Marten shoe that got left. / Image: The Watermark Bar
The last Cinderella story for the bar dates back to pre-Covid times when the bar announced:
"Found this beast in the bar last week. A lovely, lonely Doc Martin belonging to a female foot. Can only wonder where the other one got to. Were you in a rush to make it home before midnight? Did your Uber turn into a Pumpkin? We can't promise you a Prince Charming but we can give you your shoe back at least. "Any takers? Anyone? Going once... Going twice..."
Alls well that ends well, the Croc is back with it's other half and the rightful owner is assumably pleased to have tracked it down. It's the hilarious comedic value that The Watermark Bar has added to the unusual situation that made this one of our funniest finds of the week- and if we're honest, obsessively checking Instagram to find out the next instalment.
Late night snacks are available to those with two shoes on, every night. / Image: The Watermark Bar
If you head over to The Watermark Bar over the next week, you're unlikely to find any mystery shoes, but you will find charcuterie boards and crumpets until 4am.
Never change Watermark.
Feature Image- The Watermark Bar
News
New BBC TV drama starring Bel Powley and Harley Squires to be filmed in Leeds this spring
The BBC has announced a brand-new crime drama set to be filmed in Leeds and Hull.
We all love a BBC drama, and luckily for us one is about to be filmed right here in Leeds.
The new drama will be titled Shy & Lola, starring Harley Squires from The Night Manager and Bel Powley from The Diary of A Teenage Girl.
The six-part series has been described as a "dark comedy" about two women caught up in a murder in the criminal underworld.
The plot follows an unassuming pair in a small coastal town in northern England where the pair both realise they have a hidden talent for crime.
The series synopsis states: "As they build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, opposing futures beckon – using their earnings to fund a fresh start, or becoming the new bosses in town."
The show is based on a popular French TV series and is written by Amanda Coe, an acclaimed English screenwriter and novelist.
Amanda Coe spoke about the announcement: "With such a rich and spiky central relationship at its core, Shy & Lolais a dream of a show to write, full of fun, action and emotion. I can't wait to see our hugely exciting cast and director bring it to life."
Rachelle Constant, executive Producer for Clerkenwell Films, said: "Amanda has written a brilliantly bold series centred on a dynamic female duo, which blends dark comedy with propulsive storytelling.We’re thrilled to have Hayley and Bel as our leads, alongside an exceptional cast and crew."
The new series will begin filming in Leeds and Hull this spring and will air on BBC One and iPlayer and we'll absolutely be tuning in.
Turnstile to play their only UK headline show this year at Halifax Piece Hall
Clementine Hall
Turnstile will headline the Halifax Piece Hall this summer, their only UK headline show.
The Grammy-winning hardcore group have just announced a very special show at historic venue the Halifax Piece Hall.
As part of the venue's huge summer season, Turnstile will take to the stage on Wednesday 26 August marking a whopping 41 shows at the Piece Hall's calendar so far.
The group pulled huge crowds at Glastonbury festival last year and scooped up two Grammy Awards earlier this month, using their platform to thank fans who "swung in the dark" with them.
Nicky Chance-Thompson MBE DL FRSA, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust, says: “2026 will see Turnstile playing at some of the world’s most iconic festivals and then here in Halifax at UK’s most iconic heritage venue.”
“We always aim to deliver for the full spectrum of music lovers in Calderdale and knowing how passionate our rock and metal community is, this gig will be off the scale – truly unmissable!”
Alongside Turnstile, Halifax Piece Hall will welcome the likes of Hollywood Vampires, Paul Weller, Bowling For Soup, Skunk Anansie, Garbage, Empire of the Sun, Sex Pistols, Mcfly, CMAT and Jimmy Eat World this summer. What a season it's going to be.
Baltimore’s hardcore heroes will head to West Yorkshire to play TK Maxx presents Live at The Piece Hall on Wednesday August 26.
Tickets go on sale this Friday 27 February at 10am, and you can get your tickets here.
Find out more about what's going on at the Halifax Piece Hall this summer here.
Sophie Smith -
20th January 2022 
