If you've ever looked at your bill and sighed after racking up more pounds than expected: we've got the perfect job for you.
There's an exciting position opening up at Open Gift Cards: a local gift card company that supports indie shops, bars and restaurants around Leeds, and it involves you spending their gift cards.
Three lucky people in January 202 will trade in their day jobs to become a ‘gift card spender’, and go shopping and dine in some of the best local independent coffee shops, cafes and bars in the city.
The idea is that the spenders will report back on their shopping experience and in return, have the opportunity to spend £100 at over 80 different cafes, restaurants and retail stores around the city.
You’ll even get free transport in and out of the city as every gift card comes with a First Bus Day mTicket.
Sounds like a dream job if you ask us.
You can spend your voucher at Saint Jude in Farsley and order anything on the menu. / Image: Open Gift Card
The company announced their search for staff on Instagram, stating:
“Applications now open for the best job in Leeds (probably). Are you passionate about supporting independent businesses? Do you like the sound of spending a £100 gift card in any of our 80+ partner indies….on us?
“If the answer to the last two questions is yes and yes, we want to hear from you. Open is looking for three gift card testers to take an afternoon or a day out in January, to visit a variety of independent businesses and spend some free £££ – think hair salons, delis, bars, retail stores.”
All you need to do is follow Open on Instagram, and enter as if it's a giveaway with the usual like, comment and share- but just make sure to tell your friends to like your comment as the person with the most liked comment will be the lucky shopper chosen for the experience.
If you need any more reasons to apply to shop for free in Leeds, here are just some of the places you'll be able to wine and dine whilst spending someone else's money:
George's
Saint Jude, Farsley
The Tetley
Liquor Studio
Punk Vegan, Hyde Park
Bare Coffee, Headingley
North Star Coffee Roasters
Hyde Park Book Club
George & Joseph, Chapel Allerton
Chophus, Oakwood
Pizza Fella
Sebbys
Little Yellow Rice Co.
Mill Kitchen, Farsley
Sabroso Street, Farsley
Grumpy's Pizza, Farsley
Tasty Kitchen, Oakwood
Slow Rise Bakery, Horsforth
Pookies Deli, Horsforth
S! Bar & Eats, Knaresborough
Horsforth Brewery & Tap Room
Dapur Malaysia, Chapel Allerton
Residence 74
and that's only a few of the options available.
Residence 74 in Oakwood accept the vouchers. / Image: Open Gift Card
Alternatively, you can choose to use your card for a shopping trip at an endless supply of retail stores, yoga studios and zero-waste stores and clothes shops in the city centre and neighbouring suburbs, including:
Leeds Refill in Hyde Park, Waste Not in Burley, The Nature Narrator, Handmade by Nabara, Becky Moore Designs,The Dance Studio, Headingley Enterprise and Arts, Sarah Louise in Horsforth and Haus of XS in Chapel Allerton.
For more information on Open Gift Cards, visit their website or to enter their draw to become their gift card spender, visit the Open Gift Card Instagram page.
Feature Image- Open Gift Card
News
Wakefield set to be the first city outside of London to display the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt
The UK Aids Memorial Quilt is set to go on display across Wakefield this summer.
The quilt - consisting of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels, representing over 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS - will go on display at WX Wakefield from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June 2026.
All 42 quilts will be on display, with WX working in partnership with the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Conservation Partnership.
Across the same weekend, selected individual panels will be displayed at different venues across the city including The Hepworth Wakefield, The Art House Wakefield, Theatre Royal Wakefield, Pontefract Castle and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Part of the world’s largest community art project, this is a huge opportunity for the city of Wakefield. The project started in the USA back in 1985 by activist Cleve Jones, commemorating friends, family and loved ones lost to AIDS.
Individual panels were then stitched together to create larger quilts, which were shown outdoors as a form of protest to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.
Today, the quilt stands as a crucial reminder of those who were lost and of the continuing affect that HIV and AIDS has on the people of today.
At WX Wakefield, viewing the quilt is completely free and on Friday 5 June there will be a special late night opening up until 10:30pm to view the exhibition.
And on Saturday 6 June at 2:30pm, there will be a very special and poignant reading of the names of those commemorated on the quilt.
Featured image - UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, installation view at Tate Modern, June 2025. Photo: AM Hanson
News
Leeds’ first frozen yoghurt bar is opening in Headingley this weekend
Clementine Hall
The frozen yoghurt craze is on its way to Leeds as Kefiyo is set to open in Headingley in just a few days.
It's a phenomenon that has caught the attention of the TikTok and Instagram girlies as of late, with frozen yoghurt bars popping up in Manchester and going viral online.
The ice cold sweet treat is supposedly 'healthy' and with a slogan of 'eat Clean. feel Light. live Better.' - this new spot in Leeds seems to be going down that route too.
Kefiyo will be opening in the old Sixes site on Ash Road in Headingley, and they've just announced that they'll be soft launching this Sunday 19 April 2026.
The space is already sporting a super cute pastel green and pink exterior, and it's exactly matching the aesthetic that you'd expect with froyo.
Kefiyo will offer a range of frozen yoghurt flavours with a whole bunch of toppings for you to customise to your tastebuds, as well as fresh acai bowls.
Situated slap bang in the centre of Headingley, we've got a feeling it'll be very busy with students on their way to their morning lecture or at night for those looking for a sweet treat that doesn't feel too naughty.
We'll keep you updated on more Kefiyo updates as and when we find out.
But in the meantime, you can keep an eye on their socials here. We'll see you soon for a scoop Leeds.
Sophie Smith -
23rd December 2021 
