There's a company offering to pay you £30 an hour to shop in the magical 'middle aisles' at budget supermarkets Aldi and Lidl, and it sounds like the best thing ever.
Whilst most come for affordable and fresh food, it's these lauded intersections that create the most excitement for shoppers - rammed full of bargain items that you want, but don't necessarily need.
But now, you can have it all - and get paid for the pleasure of it too.
Whether it’s bluetooth speakers, hedge trimmers, exotic meats, or literally anything else, the middle aisles are home to everything you couldn’t ever think of, but you somehow convince yourself you need once you’re in there.
Over the past couple of months, the middle aisles have been home to a new wave of products, and some have been so popular, they’ve sold-out in stores across the UK.
With stock so short, some people have been missing out on product drops too.
So, one discount and coupon company, WeThrift, has decided to do something about that by enlisting the help of some “savvy shoppers” and is now recruiting three members of the public for the dream job of ‘Middle Aisle Shopper’ who will be tasked with tracking-down and buying the latest must-have bargains from Lidl and Aldi, so that customers who weren’t able to buy them locally in store, can purchase them online via its site for the same price.
Not only is WeThrift actually paying the chosen candidates £30 an hour on a PAYG basis, each ‘Middle Aisle Shopper’ will also be given £500 to spend on items.
In its description for the role, WeThrift says the main aim of each shopper is “to ensure that consumers from other areas of the UK can purchase limited-edition products at the same price seen in the likes of Lidl and Aldi, if their local store sells out, via the WeThrift website.”
Leeds City Council has confirmed that work to stabilise buildings on Lower Kirkgate is set to begin later this month, with repairs expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
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.
Now, almost two years after the initial incident, the council has confirmed that a contractor has been appointed to carry out the work.
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.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
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 has been awarded for the work, which is scheduled to get under way later this month and is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
“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.”
Further details about the work, including when the street may be able to reopen, have not yet been confirmed.
Canadian rock legends Nickelback announce Leeds gig on huge world arena tour
Clementine Hall
Nickelback announce world arena tour in support of their new album - and they're coming to Leeds.
The Canadian rockers will be bringing their biggest hits as well brand-new music to arenas around the world.
Formed in Hanna, Alberta, the band made up of Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger and Daniel Adair, have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide.
Best known for rock anthems including Rockstar, Photograph and How You Remind Me, Nickelback have built up a huge global following over the course of their career.
The upcoming tour will see the band celebrate their new album, Everything Under The Sun, and they'll be kicking off the UK leg of the tour right here in Leeds at the First Direct Bank Arena.
The tour follows their record-setting Get Rollin' world tour, and will once again take them to venues across North America, Europe, and Australia.
The group have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide, and achieved billions of streams across digital platforms.
Their new album will be released at the end of the month on Friday 30 October, so you'll have plenty of time to get to know their new tracks before they come to Leeds on Saturday 22 May 2027.
They'll be supported on the tour by Don Broco, an English four-piece featuring Rob Damiani, Simon Delaney, Tom Doyle and Matt Donnelly. Known for their genre-defying sound and dynamic approach to modern rock.
Nickelback 2027 UK Tour Dates in full
22 May - Leeds First Direct Bank Arena
24 May - London The O2
28 May - Birmingham Utility Arena
1 June - Glasgow Ovo Hydro
2 June - Manchester Co-op Live
Tickets for Nickelback at the Leeds First Direct Arena go on sale next Friday 16 October and you can get yours HERE.
The Hoot -
21st January 2022 
