Now it's not everyday that you get to celebrate a huge milestone birthday, even less so when it belongs to a local business, but Aagrah's 45th birthday comes as no surprise to anyone that's tasted their menu.
The restaurant has been kept in the family for a whopping 45 years and has been passed on through the generations to keep that authentic Kashmiri cuisine tasting fresh and flavoursome.
Director Naeem told The Hoot Leeds that the big birthday made him feel "very old", but was excited about hitting the milestone.
Aagrah was first started by Naeem's parents and uncles to bring home-style cooking to Yorkshire- and it's safe to say that the family has left far more than a lasting impression.
These days there's a total of nine restaurants spanning across Leeds city centre, Garforth and Chapel Allerton, as well as further afield in Doncaster, Tadcaster, Wakefield, Midpoint, Shipley and even Skipton to choose from.
Aagrah is celebrating 45 years of business. / Image: Aagrah
To celebrate their huge birthday, Aagrah is thanking their returning customers that have supported them through the past 45 years with an impressive 45% off the bill on their birthday.
The offer will be valid in all Aagrah restaurants on Tuesday 5 July 2022 on food only.
In addition to this, Aagrah will also be offering 25% off food Monday - Thursday throughout July and if it is your own 45th birthday you will get to eat for free and your party will get 25% off food (at Aagrah Leeds only).
What a way to celebrate 45 years of business.
Onion Bhaji starter. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
If you need any recommendations, every curry from the Masala to Makhani served three different ways oozes with spices and flavours, and all dishes come as huge portion sizes- even the onion bhajis come as huge circular rings.
Whilst there's plenty of soft drinks and beers to choose from to accompany your meal, the stand-out option here are the cocktails on tap.
Grab a seat underneath the flower-covered ceiling at the Chapel Allerton venue and you're set for an Instagrammable Kashmiri cuisine packed with flavour.
The Government have revealed plans for a new train station at Bradford Interchange.
The new station will bring passengers across the North more reliable services, better connections and faster journeys across Leeds, Manchester and York.
The new site at Bradford Interchange will unlock the potential to regenerate Bradford's Southern Gateway, and in hand with the proposed West Yorkshire Mass Transit, will support thousands of new homes, jobs, and up to £1 billion in economic benefits.
The station will also become part of Great British Railways (GBR), the new publicly owned railway that will bring track and train together helping deliver a more reliable, efficient and passenger-focused railway.
Image: Northern
The announcement marks a major milestone in the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
The NPR aims to deliver a 'turn-up-and-go' railway for passengers, meaning multiple trains an hour will run frequently enough between major cities across the North that passengers won’t need to check a timetable before going to the station.
The new station is set to be delivered in the 2030s, replacing the current station built in the 2030s.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: “Today is an exciting and important milestone for Bradford, with an iron clad commitment to a new station in the city centre.
“Bradford has so much untapped potential, and faster, more frequent trains to Leeds and Manchester, and the transformation of the city centre through Bradford City Village, will help to finally unleash it.
“Together with investment for northern powerhouse rail, a mass transit system for West Yorkshire and our brand-new Weaver Network, we are working in lockstep with the government to deliver a better-connected region.”
Henri Murison MBE, Chief Executive of Northern Powerhouse Partnership said: "The decision to build Bradford’s new station at the interchange in the city centre is a long-term commitment to the city and the wider North.”
“By unlocking the regeneration of the Southern Gateway we will see homes and jobs for this city which otherwise would not be built or come here. Working with the council and Mayor Tracy Brabin and her team I will be doing everything I can to push on and move forward with ambitious plans that enable future phases of Northern Powerhouse Rail. This network will better connect the young people in the city with opportunities in Manchester and Liverpool as well as Sheffield.”
Plans to repair historic Lower Kirkgate delayed again, Leeds City Council confirms
Clementine Hall
Work to stabilise buildings on Lower Kirkgate was set to begin this week, but has now been delayed.
Back in 2024, Lower Kirkgate in Leeds city centre was closed following the partial collapse of a building, leaving one of the city's oldest streets inaccessible.
Since then, the street has remained closed while plans were developed to address the structural issues affecting the buildings.
Last week, almost two years after the initial incident, the council confirmed that a contractor had been appointed to carry out the work and was due to start this week.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
However, this work has now been delayed due to the contract awards awaiting finalisation.
The buildings are privately owned, but Leeds City Council says it will step in to carry out the stabilisation work to prevent further deterioration and protect the historic properties.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “We are pleased that, following months of careful planning and preparation, we are now in a position to begin stabilising these privately owned buildings.
“A contract is being awarded for the work and is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
"Work was provisionally due to start on Monday this week but some legal documentation relating to the contract award still has to be finalised and we anticipate that it will begin before the end of the month.
“It should be stressed that the situation on Lower Kirkgate is not of the council's making, with the owners of the buildings allowing their condition to deteriorate over many years and then failing to take the necessary steps to address the resultant structural issues.
“By stepping in and carrying out this work itself, the council will be able to arrest the deterioration of important heritage assets on one of Leeds’s oldest streets. As always, we thank the local community for their continued patience and support.”
We can't wait to see this area of town back up and thriving again.
Sophie Smith -
1st July 2022 
