Hyde Park Picture House is the latest in Leeds to show its support for the people of Ukraine.
The cinema will be donating ticket sales of a range of movies to the UNHCR Refugee Agency Emergency Appeal, which aids Ukrainians that are forced to flee their homes in search of shelter and safety.
Image: Hyde Park Picture House (HPPH)
The showings will highlight a selection of Soviet 60s movies alongside more contemporary films that feature Ukrainian talent or storylines, as well as raising money for the cause.
All movies will also be shown either as a socially distanced or reduced capacity showing. The first being a distanced screening of Wings on Sunday 20th March at 3.30pm inside Leeds University Union.
Wings. / Image: HPPH
The picture house had initially planned to host a Soviet 60’s screening season but decided in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this could no longer go ahead as planned.
Instead, they have revised the schedule and plan to donate all proceeds to help Ukrainian refugees in need.
Hyde Park Picture House explained that:
"This screening of Larisa Sheptiko‘s Wings was originally part of the Soviet 60's season, alongside three other Russian and Armenian-language films from the 1960s, in collaboration with Klassiki.
"In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this season is now no longer able to go ahead as planned. However, we have decided to go proceed with our screening of Wings, for two reasons. Firstly, Larisa Shepitko was a Ukrainian director, and her work is an important part of the cultural heritage of a country now under assault. And secondly, we've agreed with Klassiki to donate all the ticket sales to the UNHCR emergency appeal."
Olga. Image: HPPH
Olga, a movie about a young gymnast with Olympic-potential leaves Kyiv just as Ukraine experiences unprecedented political turmoil, will be shown at Leeds University Union on Sunday 3 April 2022 at 3.40pm with a reduced capacity.
The film follows the life of Olga, who is a distant bystander, as her mother, an investigative journalist, challenges a brutal regime. A subtle, tensely handled tale of exile reflecting the pressures on young athletes, the clash between the personal and the political, and Olga’s search for who she is and what she is prepared to sacrifice.
Meanwhile, We and Our Mountains, "one of the most storied of the USSR’s so-called “national” cinemas, which remains relatively unknown abroad" will be shown at 3.30pm the following weekend on Sunday 15 May 2022- another of the Soviet 60s season that was due to be shown but was cancelled in light of current events.
Hyde Park Picture House in its current scaffolded state is presented in the colours of the Ukrainian flag to show its support.
After six years in the city, independent homeware retailer North Home is closing its Leeds city centre shop.
If you're a lover of all things home then you'll have most likely visited the gorgeous North Home shop in the Victoria Quarter.
Stacked to the brim with unique pieces from striking ceramics to stylish soft furnishings, North Home is known for its well-curated stock and great customer service.
Seriously, we've probably spent a good hour in here in awe of all the beautiful pieces.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Last week, curious shoppers noticed the three-storey store was suddenly empty and now the company have confirmed that they have closed for good.
In a statement, they said: "After nearly 6 wonderful years trading in Leeds, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our physical store while we restructure the business and explore the next chapter for North Home.
"Retail has changed significantly in recent years and, like many independent businesses, we’ve faced increasing costs.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
"Taking this step now gives us the opportunity to protect what we’ve built and focus on the future of the brand. North Home continues to operate online and all existing customer orders will be fulfilled as normal although delivery times may be slightly extended.
"We’ve loved being part of the Leeds retail community since 2020 and are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received. We hope to share more about our plans soon."
We'll be sad to see them go and we hope this isn't goodbye forever, but you can still shop from North Home online here.
Neighbourhood Leeds bistro hailed as ‘a bit horny’ and ‘brilliant’ by national critic Camilla Long
Clementine Hall
Food critic Camilla Long visited Leeds for her latest review for The Times with her sights set on Horsforth's finest - Bavette Bistro.
Ever since opening back in 2024, Bavette Bistro nestled in the leafy suburb of Horsforth has made waves across the country for its sheer brilliance.
It's pretty much received five star reviews across the board and been handed awards from left, right and centre. And rightly so.
The Good Food Guide crowned Bavette the best local restaurant of 2024, and Michelin handed them a well deserved Bib Gourmand - so it's safe to say it's not just us who think it's really something special.
So it was only a matter of time until The Times popped in for a review, and this one is truly glowing.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review labels Bavette as "warm, unmannered and unpretentious" as well as "authentically French".
Long describes the food as "gorgeous, confident, surprising" with a menu that "isn’t too long" and "filled with sturdy, noble dishes, whiffing mightily of the sea and the soil."
It continues: "All of it made with generosity and cheer, served fast by nimble waiters, with a long, if slightly eccentric, wine list. To bang out French dishes with this much fiddly detail and to do it to a full room is not easy. Yet all four courses came in under two hours, for about £75 a head, which in London terms is nothing.
"It’s not that this place was perfect, it’s that it was decidedly not perfect. A bit too much chat about the menus; the oeufs in the meurette not quite runny enough. But the point is: it didn’t matter. All of it came charmingly together. It felt relaxed, just right."
The review is then wrapped up with a pleasing five stars, the cherry on top of the cake.
It's a review only restaurants can dream of, and we can't think of a more deserving team - congratulations Bavette.
Sophie Smith -
17th March 2022 
