A bird's-eye view of Leeds, Sheffield, and Yorkshire

X

News

West Yorkshire wild swimming spot first in Britain to be granted ‘bathing water’ status

It will become the first ever official river bathing site in England

Georgina Pellant - 15th May 2021

Part of the River Wharfe in Ilkley is amongst the first in the country to be officially designated as an official bathing site by Defra.

It will become the first river bathing site in England, which locals say will in turn help to make the water safer for swimmers.

A public consultation ran for three months on designating the area of the River Wharfe, which runs between Ilkley Main Bridge and Beanlands Island.

It's long been a popular swimming and paddling spot for locals and visitors to the area. Now, it's official.

Yorkshire swimming spot to get bathing water status in UK first | Rivers | The Guardian — River Wharfe

The decision follows months of campaigning from residents and means that Yorkshire Water will no longer be able to release raw sewage into the river.

This had previously been done during heavy rainfall to protect homes and roads from flooding but caused concerns for swimmers at the popular spot.

Now, thanks to the new designation, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency will have to regularly test the water for pollution and alert people when it is not safe.

The hope is that this will help avoid a repeat of scenes from this summer, which saw swimmers bathing in waters containing dangerous levels of bacteria.

Wild swimming is a popular pastime in the UK and it's good to see that campaigning efforts have been effective in helping to keep people safe.

News

The Yorkshire artist who’s put together the official FIFA World Cup scarf collection

Danny Jones Official FIFA World Cup scarf collection 2026

Official FIFA World Cup scarf collection 2026

A Yorkshire-born and bred artist and his creative team have earned the huge honour of creating the official FIFA scarf collection for this year's World Cup.

Nothing short of massive for anyone from our part of the world.

The local legend in question is Tom Pitts, who was born in Sheffield and is now based just beyond Leeds, leading the campaign right from the helm.

Hand Drawn Pixels is a graphic design and digital studio based in Otley, and while you'll see plenty of folks wearing football shirts and even the odd scarf on the town's famous pub crawl, these lot are venturing on an entirely different kind of run this summer.

Credit: Hand Drawn Pixels (supplied)

Credit: Hand Drawn Pixels (supplied)

In fact, the work has very much already started, with Tom and co. collaborating directly with FIFA and US manufacturers, Global Scarves, to create the World Cup collection.

With this year's tournament obviously taking place across America, Mexico and Canada, they've joined up with a big LLC, but they describe themselves as "a true English custom scarf company with American parents."

In their words, "We knit scarves for clients all over the world", with a presence both near Leeds and over in Seattle, Washington.

The fixtures themselves kick off next month (England's first game coming against Croatia on 17 June), and so Hand Drawn Pixels have been hard at work meeting the briefs for each of the nations taking part.

Here's a quick breakdown of how the opportunity came about, their vision for the project, and how everything starts for them as a whole process.

You can see more of their work HERE, but as the brand name would suggest, it's pretty simple to begin with: nothing more than a pencil.

It's worth noting that the 2026 World Cup also featured the largest number of teams in the competition's history: 48 qualified national squads, to be exact. So, technically, they've had even more designing to do than they theoretically would have in any of the previous years, too.

Tom confessed that winning this bid is obviously a big deal on its own and that seeing his creations being worn in person by supporters at the stadiums will be a "surreal" experience.

Speaking exclusively with The Hoot, he said: "It’s been an amazing creative challenge for us to truly reflect the individuality and diversity of the nations competing in this prestigious tournament on such an iconic product as the football scarf."

He went on to add that "the whole project has been a huge learning experience, gaining deeper cultural insight into every nation involved."

More than 4.5 million fans have already entered the ballot for match tickets, and there have already been warnings issued over potential scam seats for World Cup '26.

We can't wait to cast eyes upon a sea of colour and finely crafted fabric in unique but somehow universally familiar patterns, all designed right here in 'God's Own Country'.

world cup scarves 2026 — Credit: Supplied

Read more:

Featured Images — Hand Drawn Pixels (supplied)

News

Award-winning Sardinian restaurant Domo announces Leeds opening date

Clementine Hall

Domo will officially open the doors to its Leeds venue this summer.

Get ready for Domo Leeds, a Sardinian independent born in Sheffield that is loved by many for its delicious food, inviting atmosphere and stellar service.

Run by Raffaele Busceddu and Sarah May Elliott, Domo serves a range of traditional Sardinian specialities from homemade pasta dishes to show-stopping grills.

They've also got a banging cocktail menu full of signature serves and refreshing spritz, perfect for enjoying with friends over some delicious sharing plates.

Images: The Sheff

Images: The Sheff

Domo has confirmed it will officially open the doors to its first Leeds venue on Friday June 5, so we really don't have long to wait.

Located at the iconic Tower Works development, Domo Leeds will offer a vibrant new canal-side destination, perfect for the summer months.

Alongside the main restaurant menu, there’ll be a dedicated bar food menu designed around relaxed dining and carefully crafted small plates designed to pair with the drinks offering creating a more informal way for guests to experience Sardinian flavours.

Domo co-founder, Sarah Elliott-Busceddu, said: “We’re incredibly excited to finally open the doors and welcome people into Domo Leeds. From day one, our vision has been to create a space where everyone feels welcome and somewhere that brings people together in the true spirit of Sardinian hospitality.

“Whether it’s an evening out with friends, a relaxed catch-up over drinks after work, or a big family celebration, we’ve designed Domo to feel warm, inclusive and full of life. We can’t wait for people in Leeds to experience not just the food and drinks, but the atmosphere and sense of community that sits at the heart of everything we do.”

You can book your table here.

Read more: A brand-new bakery from the masterminds behind Silver’s Deli is opening in Leeds next week

Featured image - The Sheff