You can win yourself a free England shirt at two beloved pubs in Leeds to celebrate the 2023 Women's World Cup.
A select number of Greene King pubs are giving away a limited number of England women's shirts to celebrate the start of the tournament and the Lionesses getting underway.
The two Leeds-based boozers taking part in the campaign are none other than two Headingley favourites in the Skyrack and Woodies Craft Ale House, and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a shirt is order a breakfast. Yes, that's really it.
You could literally start the Otley Run with a hearty brekkie and then set off dressed as an England player — easy. As reported by our friends over at The Manc, it's happening all over the country and Yorkshire's lucky enough to boast two participating pubs.
Sarina Wiegman and the girls kick off their first match against Haiti on Saturday, 22 July, but it's their game against Denmark the following Friday that you need to come along for to stand a chance of copping a free kit.
England play Denmark on Friday, 28 July and if you are among the first people to rock up to either of these pubs in time to order a breakfast, you could be one of the lucky few who receive a free Lionesses shirt. That's it, you just have to treat yourself to some early morning grub. Happy days.
There are 300 free shirts to be given away across the 30 different locations (i.e. 10 in each pub), so you stand a fairly decent chance of grabbing one. Better still, if you happen to opt for the Skyrack, they've got plenty on throughout the day too.
In case you were unaware, these things are worth £80, so you'd be getting your hands on quite an expensive bit of kit — quite literally.
Greene King isn't just giving away free England kits for no reason, of course; the promotion is part of a campaign to increase viewership around the women's game — something they have been championing for years now.
National research by the pub chain and brewery revealed that while 58% of Brits have started following a women’s sports team since the Lionesses' incredible Euro 2022 victory last summer, but a third admitted they have never been to the pub to watch a women’s football game.
Moreover, two-thirds of those surveyed believe there is a lack of awareness and support for women’s sports teams compared to male teams but 73% said that watching England's women's team last year has helped increase exposure around it. We can't imagine how massive it would be for women's football if they won the Women's World Cup too.
The first game between host nation New Zealand and Norway at 8am on Thursday and the Lionesses kick off this weekend. Come on girls, let's bring it home — again.
One of Leeds' most popular independent bakeries has addressed a recent one-star review, which slammed them for being sold out of sandwiches.
Silver's Bakehouse, which comes from the same team behind Silver's Deli, suggested that the reviewer should 'work on their manners'.
The review hit out at the Farsley bakery for being sold out of sandwiches by the time they travelled 'an 80 minute round trip', describing owner Chris Riley as a 'silly man'.
The reviewer said they have been 'loyal high-spending customers since the first one opened' but wrote that they won't be visiting Silver's again after being left empty-handed.
They wrote: "It's all very good being mr instagram but things can go south very quickly silly man, make more sandwiches if you are going to be sold out in the first hour, don't risk the disappointment!!!"
Silver's Bakehouse has now publicly shared and responded to the review, stressing that they won't tolerate 'rudeness' and detailing the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
He said: "Let me explain again for you, David…
Inside Silver's Bakehouse in Farsley. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
"We start baking at 5am and rarely finish before 6pm. Everything is made fresh, by hand, often taking days to prepare, in a very small bakery. You can literally see how small it is - and we utilise every inch.
"We make as much as we physically can. Sometimes we sell out earlier than we’d like, and we’re incredibly grateful that so many people want what we make. But there is, unfortunately, a limit to how much we can produce.
"For the record, I’m not overly enthused about being “Mr Instagram” - what a truly horrendous phrase to conjure up. I managed to avoid it for years, but needs must and all that.
"I am genuinely grateful for your custom, David. Rudeness, however, I’m considerably less enthusiastic about.
"So yeah, we’ll keep working hard. You keep working on those manners."
Major plans announced for Leeds Christmas Markets 2026 – food, drinks, stalls and more
Thomas Melia
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just two months' time and some major plans and changes have been announced.
Although Pop Princess Zara Larsson might want us to believe "Summer isn't over yet", it's safe to say that the recent downpours we've had across West Yorkshire disagree.
Leeds Christmas Markets are also ringing in the new season with a jam-packed video posted to social media announcing all the current plans and changes for its 2026 schedule.
This year, outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi are stepping up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular and are organising a celebration where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November with plenty of Yorkshire-centric stalls / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
In a video uploaded to its social accounts, foodie expert and Little Bao Boy Founder James 'Jimmy Chews' Ooi was given the honour of revealing all these exciting plans.
Informing everyone that "You best come hungry", Ooi noted that some of the phenomenal vendors taking part include La Grassa and The Savvy Baker.
Real Markets Yorkshire and Stump Cross Caverns are also getting into the Christmas spirit and setting up their own stalls at Leeds City Square this November.
La Grassa is just one of many familiar foodie faces returning to Leeds Christmas Markets / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Rated restaurants and bars are contributing to the festive frenzy too, like Cabaret Thursdays at Italian restaurant Bibi's and beer garden destination Green Room are hosting singalongs at Leeds Christmas Markets.
There will be plenty of activities for families happening all around the unofficial capital of West Yorkshire like elf-themed scavenger hunts, various elves on various shelves and lots of live music.
If it wasn't apparent already, in the words of Jimmy Chews himself, there's about to be "So much Christmas that Mariah Carey is going to look like the Grinch".
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November and there will be plenty of exciting announcements to the upcoming celebrations ahead of the big day.
Danny Jones -
19th July 2023 
