That's right, Hyde Park Picture House is reopening to the public this week after three long years.
And for those wanting to have a nosey inside ahead of the opening, check this out:
The iconic Leeds cinema is set to reopen its doors on Friday 30 June, following completion of transformational redevelopment project.
Thanks to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the 109-year-old cinema has successfully carried out significant restoration works over the past two years and is set to reopen at the end of the month.
Refurbishments include repairs to it's façade and external lamppost, the restoration of it's beautiful original terrazzo flooring and the refurbishment of it's iconic nine gas lights which will be lit during every screening.
Image: Ollie Jenkins
The Picture House Project, which received funding from Leeds City Council and the Garfield Weston Foundation, has also introduced new accessible facilities, including a ramped entrance, Café Bar, Community Room, platform lift and wheelchair accessible toilet.
Later in July a brand new 50-seat second screen will open in the basement, allowing the Picture House to bring to Leeds even more award-winning films from around the world.
Opening on Friday 30 June with Wes Anderson’s critically acclaimed Asteroid City, followed by a summer of screenings and launch events.
Image: Ollie Jenkins
During its opening week, the Hyde Park Picture House is hosting a series of open days, where audiences are invited to visit the cinema and explore the new and refurbished spaces.
Visitors can enjoy free films on the big screen and see archive material up close in the new Community Room.
Alan Gay, Chair of the Leeds Heritage Theatres Board, said: “Hyde Park Picture House is a crucial and much-loved part of the Leeds Heritage Theatre’s family of venues, a community asset and an important heritage venue in the city.
"We’re grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for all their support throughout this project, enabling us to restore and enhance this beautiful cinema and bring film and the history of film to new audiences."
Image: Ollie Jenkins
Chris Blythe, Leeds Heritage Theatres CEO, said: “When we started work on the Picture House project in 2015 we had no idea of the challenges ahead and how long our original timeline would have to be extended.
"Nor did we fully appreciate the support and love so many people across the city and nationally would show for our cinema. As we stand on the cusp of re-opening, we are looking forward to a bright future with this gem of a Picture House restored and more accessible than ever before.”
To find out more about Hyde Park Picture House and their exciting upcoming events, take a look at their website.
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 June 2023 
