Launched to celebrate the momentous 35th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, the exclusive global promotion has landed on British soil ahead of any other nation. Running for a limited time until 2nd August 2026, every single Wendy’s Kids’ Meal ordered across the country will now come packed with a special five-card collectable pack inspired by the classic personalities of the Sonic universe.

There are 35 unique cards in total to collect, split across seven distinct character packs. Fans can hunt down cards featuring iconic heroes like Sonic the Hedgehog, Amy Rose, and Miles “Tails” Prower, faithful allies including Silver the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna, or notorious franchise villains Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat.

Designed to bring an extra dose of nostalgia and entertainment to mealtimes, the promotion gives families a brand-new way to play, trade, and collect together.

The exclusive card packs are automatically included with the purchase of any Wendy’s Kids’ Meal. This includes the signature Kids’ Hamburger or Cheeseburger Meals, featuring Wendy’s classic square fresh beef patties, as well as the Kids’ Nuggets Meal and the Kids’ Jr. Crispy Chicken Meal, all of which come complete with a choice of side and a drink.

Michael Clarke, Managing Director at Wendy’s UK, said: “Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most iconic gaming characters in the world. As the masters of “food play” ourselves, we’re proud to bring Sonic to Wendy’s Kids’ Meals, giving families across the UK the chance to collect exclusive character cards before anyone else in the world. Mealtimes just became a lot more exciting for our youngest Wendy’s fans.”

Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Business and Brand Officer at SEGA of America, added: “There is no better way to bring Sonic the Hedgehog to the next generation of fans than through a partnership with a brand as beloved as Wendy’s. We are excited for families across the UK to enjoy this exclusive, world-first experience collecting Sonic character cards at Wendy’s Kids’ Meals.”

The exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog packs are available at all participating UK Wendy’s branches now, but fans will need to move fast to collect all 35 before the promotion officially races away on 2nd August.

The spectacular event saw motoring enthusiasts begin their sun-drenched day with a gourmet breakfast at Rudding Park in Harrogate. Setting off from the estate, the convoy made its way to Boston Spa, where drivers passed by the newly refurbished Martin House hospice building to see firsthand the environment their fundraising supports.

A scenic drive through the North Yorkshire countryside followed, leading the fleet to the picturesque village of Harome. There, participants were treated to an exceptional Michelin-star lunch at the renowned Star Inn, followed by a high-stakes fundraising auction led by popular television antiques expert Angus Ashworth.

With the spectacular summer weather holding out, the drivers then navigated to their final destination, the ultra-luxurious Grantley Hall near Ripon, for a sophisticated afternoon tea and the final awards ceremony.

Prizes were handed out across a variety of fun and competitive categories, including the best-sounding engine and the most-loved British car. The competition for the coveted best-dressed “Mad Hatter” award was famously fierce this year, but it was ultimately a team dressed as Minions who triumphed to take home the trophy.

The vital funds raised from the event will directly help Martin House continue to provide its specialist, round-the-clock palliative care to children, young people, and their families across North, West, and East Yorkshire.

Each year, the hospice supports more than 550 children and young adults living with life-shortening conditions, alongside roughly 200 bereaved family members. It costs more than £13 million annually to keep the facility running and provide this specialist care, which is given completely free of charge to families. Because the vast majority of this sum relies on voluntary donations, events like the classic car run are absolutely essential.

Becky Leighton, Relationship and Philanthropy Manager at Martin House, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in this year’s Mad Hatters event – from our drivers and passengers, to our amazing venues, and headline sponsor, Rothschild & Co Wealth Management.

“It was a brilliant day, with lots of fun for all involved. Crucially, we also raised vital funds which will allow us to continue to be there for families when they need us most. Finally, this event simply wouldn’t be possible without the vision and passion of our amazing supporters, Jonathan Sands OBE and Will Linley. Their dedication, generosity, and tireless commitment are instrumental in bringing the day together and making it such a resounding success.”

To find out more about the incredible work at Martin House or to see how you can support their upcoming campaigns, visit martinhouse.org.uk.

Officially set to open its doors on Thursday, 9th July 2026, the Barnsley site will become the sixth Asda Living store in the UK to be transformed into a dedicated George fashion and lifestyle destination. The concept originally rolled out across Leeds and Hull last year before expanding to Peterborough, Lincoln, and Maidstone.

Situated at Cortonwood Retail Park, the expansive 28,000 sq ft transformed store will serve as a dedicated hub for fashion and interior design enthusiasts. It will bring together an extensive array of George clothing for men, women, and children alongside a massively expanded George Home department featuring trending bedding, bath essentials, dining ware, and home accessories.

Shoppers at the new-format store will also have direct access to highly anticipated seasonal celebrity edits, including Stacey Solomon’s exclusive George Home collections and selected clothing pieces from Yasmin Le Bon’s George fashion lineup.

The contemporary layout features upgraded fitting rooms, an abundance of new self-service tills, a streamlined parcel collection service, and a dedicated character shop tailored specifically for families.

To allow for the complete physical transformation, the existing Asda Living store will officially close its doors this weekend on Sunday 28th June, before triumphantly reopening as the newly branded concept store on Thursday 9th July.

A massive celebration has been planned for the big opening day. Starting at 9am on 9th July, the first 500 customers who step through the doors and spend £5 or more will be handed a mysterious “golden ticket,” offering an instant chance to win between £5 and £500 to spend entirely in-store. The morning will also feature a live DJ and a high-profile guest appearance from award-winning, Barnsley-born radio personality Stephanie Hirst.

The festivities will stretch into the weekend on Saturday, 11th July from 10am, where shoppers can step inside a high-energy “cyclone challenge” wind machine to catch as many flying vouchers as they can to win George gift cards.

Karl Doyle, Vice President of George, said: “We’re excited to bring our latest stand-alone George store concept to South Yorkshire and give local customers an even better way to shop our fashion and home collections. This investment in Barnsley reflects our commitment to continuing to grow the George brand and enhancing the experience we offer customers. We’ve created a modern shopping destination that brings together our best fashion and home ranges in one place, and we look forward to welcoming shoppers through the doors in July.”

Representing a significant £35 million investment, the state-of-the-art expansion includes the new warehouse facility alongside an additional production and packaging line at HARIBO’s major manufacturing site in Castleford. The move is set to drastically strengthen the future of manufacturing in Yorkshire while helping the brand, which operates its UK headquarters just down the road in Pontefract, bring even more of its iconic, much-loved treats to fans across the country.

Delivered in partnership with Wakefield-headquartered Caddick Construction and built using a strictly local supply chain, the tech-forward warehouse will allow HARIBO to seamlessly manage future product volumes, store additional raw materials, and further modernise its entire Castleford operation with state-of-the-art technology.

The cutting-edge facilities will support operations at both its Castleford site and its Pontefract headquarters, where the business proudly employs more than 700 local people across the region.

HARIBO has called Yorkshire home for over 50 years, and the massive investment comes off the back of another stellar year of performance. The brand has firmly maintained its position as the UK’s top sweets manufacturer, commanding a whopping 22.6% of the market share, with four of the top ten bestselling confectionery products in the country belonging to HARIBO or MAOAM lines.

Beyond manufacturing, the confectionery giant continues to pour support back into local communities. HARIBO recently celebrated its 18-year partnership with Martin House Children’s Hospice at the opening of ‘THE BUILD’. Running a major campaign across 2024 and 2025, HARIBO helped the hospice smash its £2m fundraising target to create a purpose-built space with new and improved facilities for the children and young adults relying on its services.

The brand has also confirmed it will return as the headline sponsor for the popular Pontefract Liquorice Festival on 12th July 2026, welcoming thousands of visitors to celebrate the region’s historic sweet-making heritage.

Phil Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer at HARIBO UK & Ireland, said: “We’ve been part of West Yorkshire for more than 50 years and we’re very proud to call it home. The region plays a hugely important role in HARIBO’s success across the UK, from the products we make here through to the people, skills and manufacturing expertise that support our operations every day. Being the UK’s leading sweets manufacturer is something we are incredibly proud of, and this investment reflects the important role West Yorkshire continues to play in that success.”

Yvette Cooper, MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley, who was on hand to officially cut the ribbon, added: “It was great to cut the ribbon at the opening of the new warehouse at HARIBO’s Castleford site. I’m really pleased that the new warehouse will allow them to expand and continue to support 700 jobs across our area. HARIBO are a brilliant manufacturer who have been at the heart of our towns for decades, carrying on our sweet-making tradition.”

Steve Ford, Regional Managing Director at Caddick Construction North East & Yorkshire, commented: “It has been a privilege to work with HARIBO on this impressive expansion project, which has been especially significant with HARIBO making such a huge contribution to employment locally to our Wakefield Head Office. Together with our local supply chain partners, our team worked hard to deliver the new warehouse to a world-class standard to support HARIBO’s high-calibre production.”

This summer, the world-renowned museum is inviting families to collect a special museum passport and embark on a “summer holiday in a day.” Running from 20th July to 6th September 2026, the completely free programme of hands-on activities will take visitors on an imaginative journey to explore the British countryside, have fun at the seaside, and even head abroad – all without ever leaving the museum.

Upon arrival, young adventurers can grab their Summer Holiday Passport to collect stamps as they explore the vast halls and participate in various interactive experiences.

The journey begins at the station, where a miniature interactive ticket office lets children dress up, sell tickets, sort out lost luggage, and even make their own station announcements over a Tannoy® system. From there, families can journey to the “countryside” zone to try their hand at birdwatching and sketch the scenery, before heading to the “seaside” to design their own classic Punch and Judy puppet shows or traditional carousels to take home. For those looking for an international adventure, a bespoke card game will challenge kids to match iconic trains from around the globe with their respective countries.

Sarah Price, Head of Public Programming at the National Railway Museum, said: “Summer holidays are all about adventure, discovery and making memories together, and this year we’re bringing all of that to the National Railway Museum.

“With more families choosing to holiday in the UK this summer, we’re excited to offer something unique with our summer experience where visitors can grab their passport and explore the countryside, enjoy the seaside or even travel the world by rail, all in one place. Best of all, the activities are included with free museum admission, making it a fantastic, great value family day out during the summer holidays.”

Alongside the daily passport trail, the museum has lined up a blockbuster schedule of special, time-limited events running throughout August:

• Giant Track Layout (3rd–5th August): The Great Hall will be taken over by a massive track-building zone where mini-engineers can use challenge cards or pre-built sections to create epic layouts for motorised trains.
• Immersive Storytelling in the Shinkansen (11th–13th August): A rare chance to step aboard the legendary Japanese bullet train – the only preserved Shinkansen outside of Japan – for a bespoke, immersive storytelling adventure.
• Classic Punch and Judy Shows (18th, 21st, and 25th August): Bringing traditional British seaside magic directly into the South Yard and Station Hall.
• York Railway Institute Band Performance (29th August): A spectacular, hour-long live brass band performance at 2pm, playing holiday and train-inspired music in the Great Hall.

While admission to the National Railway Museum and all of its Summer Holiday activities is completely free, spaces fill up incredibly fast during the school holidays, so booking your free timed entry tickets in advance is highly recommended.

To secure your tickets and view the full schedule, head to railwaymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/summer-holiday-fun.

Over the last eight decades, the business has undergone a staggering transformation, evolving from a humble, single-site garage into one of the UK’s largest independent motor retail groups, boasting more than 50 locations across the country.

The story began on 20 June 1946, when Edward Tordoff founded the business as ‘Tordoff Motors’ on Sticker Lane in Bradford. It was later transformed by his son, Jack, who went on to build JCT600 into a privately owned powerhouse. In later years, Jack’s sons, John and Ian, joined the ranks, helping shape the business for future generations.

Today, the fourth-generation family-owned firm represents some of the world’s most prestigious and leading vehicle brands – including Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen- across Yorkshire, the North East, and the Midlands. The company now employs more than 2,000 people and brought in massive revenues of £1.33bn in 2025.

The milestone celebration comes just weeks after JCT600 reported stellar financial results, with pre-tax profits hitting £20.1m. A significant growth in used vehicle sales and an excellent after-sales performance helped the firm completely outperform wider, more sluggish market trends.

To mark the exact month of the anniversary, colleague celebration events have been taking place across the entire dealership network throughout June.

John Tordoff, executive chairman of JCT600, said: “Reaching 80 years is a significant achievement and reflects the contribution of generations of colleagues, customers and partners who have supported the business over the years.

“Our colleagues are the key to our growth, and we’re really proud to have remained a family-owned business, which allows us to keep our employees and customers at the heart of every decision we make. The automotive industry has changed dramatically over those eight decades and continues to evolve rapidly. Remaining successful through those changes has required the business to adapt while staying true to the values on which it was built.”

In recent years, that ability to adapt has seen JCT600 successfully navigate seismic shifts in the automotive industry, notably the rapid rise of digital retailing and the transition toward electric vehicles. The company launched its online vehicle reservation platform in 2020, completing its first fully digital vehicle sale the following year.

Today, the firm continues to invest heavily in its dealership network, digital capabilities, and robust electric vehicle infrastructure.

“We’re really proud that, 80 years on, our fourth-generation family business is still leading the way,” added John Tordoff. “With our Yorkshire roots firmly intact, we’ve been embracing the move to electric vehicles and an exciting wave of new brands into the UK market. We’re looking forward to what the future holds.”

York’s property market is one of the most distinctive in the north of England. It is a compact historic city of around 200,000 residents, with medieval walls, internationally recognised heritage, two universities, sustained tourism and a tightly bound centre.

From 2024 to 2026, York has continued to attract steady market interest, supported by heritage, constrained geography, universities, tourism and professional services.

Demand is varied, from heritage-conscious buyers and academic households to professional families, downsizers and second-home considerers drawn to York’s mix of history, culture and connectivity.

For York homeowners considering selling in 2026, the choice of estate agent has real weight. The right agent should understand the street, property type, buyer pool and likely route to completion.

Local Evidence Beats Broad York Assumptions

York’s sub-markets sit close together, but they do not behave in the same way. The City Centre, Bootham, Clifton, Bishopthorpe Road, known locally as Bishy Road, Holgate, Heworth, Tang Hall, Fulford, Fishergate, Heslington and Acomb each carry different buyer expectations.

Strensall, Haxby, Wigginton, Bishopthorpe village, Dunnington and Stockton-on-Forest appeal to buyers who want village character while staying close to York.

For sellers comparing options, GetAgent, the UK’s leading estate agent comparison platform, helps homeowners compare York estate agents by reviewing local performance data, sale prices achieved, time on market and fee structures.

According to Peter Thum-Bonanno, Co-Founder and CTO at GetAgent, the data the platform sees across York property sales tells a more nuanced story about how the city’s estate agents perform than headline marketing suggests.

What Makes York Different From Other Yorkshire Cities

York’s geography is unusually tight. The medieval walls, conservation areas, green belt and protected historic character create supply constraints that do not operate in quite the same way in Leeds, Sheffield or Bradford.

Heritage also matters at scale. Listed buildings, period terraces, conservation-area homes and protected streetscapes often need marketing that understands more than room counts and square footage.

The University of York and York St John University act as permanent demand anchors, supporting interest from academic staff, families, investors and education-linked movers.

The tourism economy adds further depth, supporting demand from hospitality, retail, professional services and creative-sector households who want to live close to the city centre.

York’s mainline rail position also sustains interest from buyers who want Yorkshire life with wider connections.

The Range of Agents Serving York

York sellers have a meaningful choice. Long-established Yorkshire-rooted independents may bring street-by-street knowledge. Regional Yorkshire firms can offer a wider market reach. National chains bring brand infrastructure and systems.

Premium and heritage specialists may be relevant for listed homes, conservation-area property and higher-value homes in Bootham, Clifton and the City Centre.

There are also agents with experience in university-linked moves, academic households and rental-to-sale activity around Heslington and other student-influenced areas. Online and hybrid operators have a place too, particularly for confident sellers with straightforward homes.

What Sellers Should Check Before Appointing an Agent

Start with recent performance for similar homes in the same York area. Citywide averages are useful background, but rarely enough.

Three valuations can help sellers test the market. If one valuation is much higher than the others, it should be backed by comparable evidence and a clear pricing strategy.

Commission should not be the only deciding factor. A small difference in achieved sale price can outweigh fee savings, particularly for heritage homes or properties in premium locations.

The agent should also suit the property. Bootham’s expertise is different from Holgate’s expertise. City Centre period knowledge is not the same as experience with family homes in Heworth or modern homes in Acomb.

For listed or conservation-area homes, sellers should ask about heritage marketing, photography, viewings, buyer qualification and how the agent handles questions about older property. They should also ask about portal coverage, social media reach and, where appropriate, drone footage or discreet marketing.

For higher-value York homes, it is worth asking whether off-market marketing is appropriate, rather than assuming full portal exposure is always the best route.

Recent reviews should be read carefully, ideally for the specific York office or representative rather than only the parent brand.

Every York estate agent should belong to either The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme. York agents also operate within the standard UK estate agency framework, including the Estate Agents Act 1979, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and Material Information disclosure requirements.

Where York Sellers Can Go Wrong

One common mistake is accepting the highest valuation too quickly. A strong asking price may be right, but it needs evidence. Overpricing can weaken momentum and lead to later reductions.

Another mistake is choosing based on commission alone. A lower fee is not a good value if it comes with weaker advice, limited negotiation or poor sales progression.

Some sellers rely too heavily on a familiar name or prominent office. Visibility helps, but it does not prove recent performance for a specific York property.

Fall-through risk is also easy to overlook. An early offer is only useful if the buyer is qualified and the sale progresses properly.

The bigger mistake is treating York as one market. Bootham, Fulford, Heslington, Acomb, Bishopthorpe and the City Centre can all require different selling approaches.

Choosing With Confidence in York

York’s estate agency landscape in 2026 gives homeowners plenty of choice, but choice only helps when it is properly compared.

The best decision is not automatically local or national, traditional or online, premium or standard. It is the decision that matches the agent’s track record, local knowledge and service level to the property being sold.

For York homeowners, the most useful selling decision is to look beyond brand familiarity and headline fee. Honest comparison data, local evidence and a clear understanding of the property’s likely buyer market remain a sound foundation for choosing well.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute estate agency, financial, legal or property advice. UK estate agents are regulated through membership of either The Property Ombudsman (TPO) or the Property Redress Scheme (PRS) and operate under the Estate Agents Act 1979, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and Material Information disclosure requirements. Sellers should consider their individual circumstances and the local market when choosing how to sell.

The reality is messier, and the gap usually shows up at the worst possible time. If you take card payments online or over the phone, it’s worth knowing exactly where the risk sits before you assume you’re protected. Read ahead to see where the money’s actually going, why Yorkshire SMEs are in the firing line, and which controls genuinely close the gap.

The Numbers Behind the Problem

UK card fraud isn’t shrinking the way it was a few years ago. In 2024, total losses on UK-issued cards hit £572.6 million, a 4% rise from £551.3 million in 2023. That broke a run of falling figures, which is why payments and fraud teams have started paying close attention again.

The bigger issue for small businesses is where that money goes missing. In the UK, card-not-present (CNP) fraud accounted for about 70% of total card fraud losses, an 11% increase year on year, according to FICO’s European Fraud Map. CNP fraud covers any transaction where the card isn’t physically there, so online checkouts, phone orders and mail orders all count. If that’s how you take payment, that’s where the risk concentrates.

This matters because SMEs rarely have the same defences as a big retailer. There’s no in-house security team, no dedicated fraud analyst watching transactions, and often no clear sense of which controls are actually mandatory.

Why Yorkshire SMEs Get Hit Harder

From a Sheffield ecommerce shop to a family-run business in Harrogate, smaller Yorkshire firms often lag behind on the latest anti-fraud measures, and that’s not down to carelessness. It’s usually a question of time, budget and knowing what’s required in the first place. A busy independent shop or a small online trader has plenty to juggle before card security makes it onto the list.

The problem is that fraudsters look for the weakest link. When the big players tighten up, criminals move down the chain towards businesses with older systems and fewer checks. A small firm running an outdated payment page or skipping basic email protection can become an easy target without ever realising it.

For a lot of Yorkshire firms, that’s where outside help starts to make sense. Bringing in specialists who offer PCI DSS consulting means you’re not trying to interpret the standard on your own, and you get a clearer view of which controls actually apply to your setup.

The Controls That Actually Stop Fraud

Generic advice like “be careful online” doesn’t help anyone. The latest version of the payment security standard, PCI DSS 4.0.1, spells out specific controls that businesses taking card payments now need to have in place. A few of the requirements worth knowing about:

• Payment page script monitoring, which watches the code running on your checkout so anyone tampering with it to skim card details gets caught quickly.
• Multi-factor authentication for anyone accessing the systems that handle card data, so a single stolen password isn’t enough to get in.
• DMARC email authentication, which makes it far harder for criminals to spoof your business address and trick customers or staff. It’s not a strict PCI DSS line item, but it sits alongside the standard as a sensible anti-phishing layer.

None of these are huge undertakings on their own. The trouble is that most small firms don’t know which ones apply to them or how to set them up properly. That’s exactly the sort of thing a consultant sorts out, turning a vague worry into a clear list of jobs done.

Close the Gaps Before Someone Else Finds Them

Card fraud is rising again, and card-not-present transactions are taking the brunt of it. Small businesses across Yorkshire are exposed because they’re least likely to have the right protections switched on, and fraudsters know it.

The good news is that the fixes are well understood and within reach. Getting the basics right, like script monitoring, MFA and email authentication, closes off the routes criminals use most. You don’t need to become a security expert overnight. You just need to know what’s required and get it done before someone finds the gap for you.

Here are seven of the best early bird restaurant deals in Leeds city centre in 2026.

The Best Early Bird Deals In Leeds…

Phranakhon Thai Tapas

Address: 11 York Place, Leeds, LS1 2DS.

Early Bird available: Monday to Thursday, 17:00 to 19:00.

Tucked away in the financial quarter on York Place, Phranakhon is a local favourite for genuinely authentic Thai tapas, and their Early Bird Special is one of the best ways to start an evening.

For £22.95, choose one of their traditional tapas-sized starters, plus a full, hearty main curry or stir-fry, served with steamed rice. Start with crisp Por Pia Ped (duck spring rolls) or deep-fried Geaw Goong Tord (prawn and pork dumplings), then move on to the deeply aromatic Gang Panaeng beef curry or a fiery Pad Krapow loaded with fresh Thai basil and chillies.

The post-work crowd loves this place, so booking ahead via 0113 244 2111 is a smart move.

Browns Brasserie

Address: Unit H21, The Light, 70 Albion Street, Leeds, LS1 6HA.

Early Bird available: Monday to Friday, 12:00 to 17:00.

Browns inside The Light on Albion Street is a masterclass in grand, old-school brasserie dining – all art deco styling and bustling atmosphere. Established way back in 1973, the brand has spent over half a century perfecting the classic British brasserie experience, and their Lunch & Early Evening Set Menu makes that heritage properly accessible. Grab a table before 7:00 PM on a weekday and enjoy two courses for £19.50 or three courses for £24.50. The menu leans into elevated comfort food, featuring beautifully prepared options like their classic Steak Frites, savoury Pan-Fried Seabass with potato salad, and vibrant seasonal risottos.

How to book: Check out the full seasonal lineup and reserve your early evening table via the Browns website

Tattu Leeds

Address: Minerva House, 29 East Parade, Leeds, LS1 5PS.

Set Menu available: Monday to Thursday 12:00 to 16:45 and 21:30 onwards | Friday 12:00 to 16:45 | Sunday all day.

If you think theatrical, upscale dining is strictly reserved for payday treats, Tattu’s daytime menu will change your mind. This stunning, neon-lit contemporary Chinese restaurant on East Parade lets you experience its full theatrical atmosphere without the usual price tag – 2 courses for £29.50, or 3 courses for £34.50. If you’ve been before and ordered from the main menu, you’ll know what an incredible deal that is!

The options feature some of the resturmt’s most popular plates, including wild mushroom spring rolls, pulled pork shoulder bao, sea bass tom yum, and their iconic cherry blossom dessert (highly recommend!).

How to book: Grab your early evening table straight through Tattu Leeds.

Still not sold? Check out my Tattu Leeds review

Sous Le Nez

Address: The Basement, Quebec House, 9 Quebec Street, Leeds, LS1 2HA.

Early Bird available: Monday to Saturday 17:30 to 19:00 (and Saturday lunchtime 12:00 to 14:00).

Hidden away in a cosy, rustic basement on Quebec Street, Sous Le Nez is an award-winning independent French bistro that’s been quietly excelling for over three decades – a genuine Leeds institution.

If you appreciate classic, unpretentious French cooking paired with an impressive, award-winning wine cellar, the Menu du Soir early evening deal is a must: 3 courses alongside half a bottle of house wine for £28.95.

Expect rich, comforting dishes like their signature fish soup with red pepper rouille, exclusive confit pork belly served with bubble and squeak, or a velvety creme brûlée to finish.

How to book: Grab a cosy basement table via Sous Le Nez Leeds.

Kendells Bistro

Address: 3 St Peter’s Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH.

Early evening menu available: Tuesday to Thursday 17:30 to 18:30 | Friday to Saturday 17:00 to 18:00.

Sitting right opposite Leeds Playhouse, Kendells Bistro is an entirely independent, wonderfully atmospheric French bistro that feels like you’ve been dropped into a Parisian backstreet – candlelit, intimate and ideal for a romantic evening or a pre-theatre dinner.

Their legendary Prix Fixe menu is the ultimate evening hack, offering 2 courses for £29.95 or 3 courses for £34.95. The menus change constantly as they are handwritten daily on blackboards depending on what’s fresh, but you can expect impeccable French classics like deep-set French Onion Soup topped with grilled Gruyère croutons, traditional Escargots, rich Boeuf Bourguignon, or a classic Tarte Tatin for dessert.

How to book: Guarantee your candlelit table directly over on Kendells Bistro Leeds.

Looking for Daytime Dining Packages instead?

If you’re out and about before evening falls or looking for a premium midday treat, we have also tracked down the absolute finest midday deals the city has to offer. Check out our comprehensive guide to the Best Lunch Deals in Leeds City Centre to map out your next afternoon trip!

Tips For Early Bird Dining In Leeds

• Book ahead: Early bird and set menu slots are popular with the post-work crowd, particularly on Thursdays and Fridays. Calling or booking online in advance is strongly advised at every venue on this list.
• Check the cut-off time: Most deals require you to be seated by a specific time (commonly 5:00 PM or 7:00 PM) rather than simply ordering from the menu – arrive with time to spare.
• Pre-theatre timing: Kendells Bistro and Tattu are both well-positioned for an evening at Leeds Playhouse or Leeds Grand Theatre.

Held down at the Bradford & Bingley Sports Club on Wagon Lane, it is a brilliant excuse to gather a group of friends, secure your spot, and support a locally run event right on your doorstep.

Here is the updated lowdown on what’s on, ticket tiers, and how to book.

The Lineup: What to Expect

Bingley Rocks has built a fantastic reputation for offering a highly inclusive, family-friendly atmosphere (and even better, kids under 10 go absolutely free!).

The event is run by local people and brings a massive mix of grassroots talent alongside a stellar lineup celebrating some of the biggest anthems in rock and pop. Whether you want to dance along to standard festival anthems or just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere, the four-day billing features premium tribute acts covering:

• Oasis (Fakermaker) & Green Day (Not Green Day UK)
• Muse (Plug In Maybe) & U2 (New2)
• Arctic Monkeys (Antic Monkeys) & Foo Fighters (Fore Fighters)
• Supergrass (Superbgrass) & Alanis Morissette (Alanish)
• Plus sets covering ELO, David Bowie, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and brilliant original sets from local talent like The Sheratons, Operator Six, and Arc of Triumph.

Alongside the main stage, a huge circle of independent local food vendors and pop-up bars will be operating across the site all weekend long, dishing out everything from hot street food eats to cold summer beers and ciders. On-site camping is also fully available across the weekend for those who want to commit to the full festival experience.

The Essential Details:

• 📅 When: Friday, 28th August to Monday, 31st August 2026
• 📍 Where: Bradford & Bingley Sports Club, Wagon Lane, Bingley, BD16 1LT
• ⛺ Accommodation: On-site camping options available
• 🧒 Families: Completely family-friendly, with free entry for children under 10 years old.

Ticket Tiers and How to Book

Because the festival is expanding to cover the whole bank holiday weekend, you can choose to grab individual day passes or save money with a full four-day weekend pass. Prices are scaled flatly across the days:

• Friday Day Pass: £15
• Saturday Day Pass: £25
• Sunday Day Pass: £25
• Monday Day Pass: £15
• Full 4-Day Weekend Ticket: £60

Tickets, camping configurations, and full event parking passes are officially live right now. To grab your spaces and check out the full breakdown of daily schedules, head over to the official portal at Bees Camping Tickets.

You can also keep track of community discussions, stage timings, and upcoming food truck announcements on the official Bingley Rocks Facebook Hub.