Back in May, the team behind Whitelock's and The Turk's Head, the oldest pub in Leeds, acquired a new Meanwood property, East of Arcadia.
Since taking over, the new owners have invested a six-figure sum into the building to complete a full refurb and rebrand before reopening in September.
The acquisition was a new move for the company, who currently own pubs steeped in history. Whitelock’s first opened in 1715 and is locally known to be the oldest pub in Leeds, whilst The Turk’s Head was estimated to exist around the same era- named after the family that once owned the building.
East of Arcadia will become The Meanwood Tavern. / Image: East of Arcadia
Choosing the name The Meanwood Tavern, the pub is said to take inspiration from traditional British pubs, but offering a contemporary twist that will see a refreshed new site with all-new bar and seating areas, and capacity for up to 160 guests.
The tavern is going to have a particular focus on locality, bringing together a plentiful drinks menu with craft beers from Yorkshire and well-kept real ales, as well as a full selection of wines, spritz and a dedicated cocktail menu.
Ales from Whitelock's. / Image: Whitelock's Ale House
Taking over the kitchen, indie pizza operators Well Oiled will be showcasing the best of Detroit-style slices from October 2022.
Inspired by the unique American style of cooking pizzas in rectangular steel pans, Well Oiled also focuses on championing locals without compromising on quality. Think artisan-made slices topped with meats, veggies and flavours from local British producers and housemade fermented and pickled ingredients.
The Full Spec Pizza from Well Oiled. / Image: Supplied
Having sold the public on a series of successful pop-ups, Well Oiled will be topping their focaccia-style doughs with toppings aplenty. Take the Full Spec pizza for example, we're talking about Trealy Farm fennel salami, whipped ricotta, hot honey and pepper mash, whilst sharers include the brand’s signature garlic donut bread with a whole burrata centre, filled with turbo chimichurri.
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Sheffield amongst nine areas to be long listed for UK City of Culture 2029
Clementine Hall
It's big news for Sheffield as the city has officially been long listed to become the UK City of Culture in 2029.
It’s one of just nine places across the country to make the cut, alongside the likes of Blackpool, Portsmouth and Wrexham.
Winning the title could bring huge investment to Sheffield, thousands of visitors, and a massive spotlight on everything that makes our city special - and let’s be honest, Sheffield’s got plenty to shout about.
From music and film to art and grassroots creativity, culture runs right through this city, and it would be a huge achievement to receive this title.
So, what happens now? Each arena will now receive £60,000 to develop a full application with the aim to build a vibrant cultural programme by 2028.
The nine confirmed long listed locations are: Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "For far too long, opportunity has not been shared equally across the country. The UK City of Culture and new UK Town of Culture competitions recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation.
"I look forward to seeing what the nine long listed places have in store as they progress in the competition. I also urge any towns thinking about entering the UK Town of Culture competition to seize this opportunity and get involved. It’s a chance to show the country what makes them unique and shine a spotlight on their cultural offer, enriching the lives of local people."
Go on Sheffield, we're rooting for you big time. We can't think of a city more worthy.
Sophie Smith -
10th August 2022 
