How to join, what to expect and how to get in touch...
Incase you missed the memo on our socials over the past few weeks, we've been texting the people of Leeds and beyond twice a week.
Every Monday and Friday, around 4-6pm, we send out a WhatsApp broadcast message with all the best things you can up to in Leeds that week or weekend.
The idea is that a member of our team (usually our Social Exec, Fran) will drop you a message with all the best things to do in Leeds - expect a bit of news, foodie recommendations, new openings and everything in between.
Take a look below to see what the Whatsapp message you'll receive will look like...
How to sign up
To sign up, you must save The Hoot's phone number +447507689583 and send us a WhatsApp saying “hi ”.
From there, you must add us as a contact to receive our weekly message - and that's it! We'll do the rest to make sure you receive a message from us twice a week.
You can add yourself any time of the day or night, and from this point you'll be added to the next broadcast list. For instance, if you add us on a Wednesday, your first message will be on the Friday.
to receive our broadcasts for next week and take a look at all the cool stuff we’ve been talking about over on WhatsApp over the last few months
I've changed my mind
If you've decided you no longer want to be messaged from The Hoot, all you need to do is send a message to The Hoot phone - +447507689583, and we'll remove you from our broadcast list.
It's no fuss, and means you can easily test out our Whatsapp broadcasts without worrying about getting bombarded with messages if you decide it's not for you.
Have any more questions?
You can actually message us on Whatsapp if you have any further questions about the broadcast message. Alternatively, drop us a DM on Instagram and a member of our team will get back to you.
Feature Image- The Hoot Leeds / Unsplash
Leeds
One of Leeds’ most loved sushi restaurants has just opened a second location in the city
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
Independent Leeds matcha stand forced to close by council despite 3,000 people signing petition
Clementine Hall
An independent matcha stand in Leeds has been forced to closed due to council concerns.
You may remember back in August when the whole of Leeds rallied to save Sips Matcha over in Headingley.
The front garden matcha spot has become a firm favourite for students and locals alike over the past year, gaining more than 12,000 followers on Instagram.
The self-proclaimed 'tiniest matcha stand in Leeds' is located in the residential area of Little Woodhouse and is run by the lovely Matt and Julia.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, in August their retroactive planning application was rejected by the council and they were given 28 days to remove the shed.
In a published document via Leeds City Council website, multiple reasons were listed for the decision to refuse planning permission for the bright-green matcha shed.
The electronic letter signed by Martin Elliot, Chief Planning Officer, listed spoiling the property's character, increased footfall, and a failure to comply with numerous development and design policies.
In response, Matt and Julia launched a petition urging people to save Sips Matcha, labelling the painted wooden shed-turned-coffee shop as a 'Community Stand'.
Despite over 3,000 signatures, Sips Matcha have announced on their social media today that the shed must be removed by the end of November.
The statement reads: "our retrospective planning was declined, we appealed, and the appeal was dismissed. then the dreaded email arrived: the shed has to come down by the end of november.
"we don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re working out what happens next. over 3,000 of you signed the petition and it meant the world. thank you for every sip, share and signature. come say hi while we’re still here."
We're absolutely gutted for them, so make sure you pop by for a matcha before the end of November to give them a proper farewell.
The Hoot -
27th December 2023 
”. 
