Leeds’ Merrion Market to be New Leisure Destination

Town Centre Securities, the Leeds-based owner of the Merrion Centre has recently confirmed that the Merrion market space is to be turned into a new leisure development. TCS said that Leeds Arena officials presented the firm with ‘a number of opportunities including a leisure development of bars, restaurants and a gym to replace the former Merrion Market; creating a new frontage for the Centre’. TCS expect to be on site for the first quarter of 2012 with completion to coincide with the Arena opening in Spring 2013.

Mulberry Launches AW2011 Pre-Collection

Countryside casuals, bustling hedgerows and effortless English glamour have all inspired Mulberry’s Autumn Winter 2011 collection. New bag families reference classic British heritage shapes, luxury fabrics and Mulberry’s signature styles all lovingly created with a dash of elegant English country detailing and a rich colour palette.

We’ve already fallen in love with the Taylor Satchel in Mole Grey Ostrich – it’s going on the Christmas list in the hope that Father Christmas is feeling super generous this year!! Head over to the Mulberry store in Leeds’ County Arcade to check out this lovely quintessentially English pre-collection (make sure you take a responsible adult with you who will keep hold of your credit cards!)

Enjoy Fine Liquor and Cigars with Latitude Wine and Liquor Merchant.

Latitude Wine and Liquor Merchant will be hosting an evening of true decadence with their ‘Fine Cigars and Liquor’ evening on Tuesday 27th September, taking place at Calls Landing from 7pm. For just £25, Latitude are offering you the chance to experience a selection of the world’s best liquors all accompanied by a H. Upmann Winston Churchill cigar. Call Latitude to reserve your place (0113 245 3393) www.latitudewine.co.uk

Model scouts on the hunt for new talent at Leeds City station

Premier Model Management, the company behind Channel 4’s The Model Agency, was on the hunt for models at Leeds City Station after partnering with East Coast trains for their East Coast Premier Model Search.
Both companies have joined forces to launch a search for the freshest male and female faces who have what it takes to become the next stars of the fashion world.
Leeds marked the final point of the search following those in Harrogate, Peterborough, Doncaster, Newcastle, Edinburgh and York.
Tom Berry, a scout for Premier Model Management, said: “Finding a model is not as easy as one, two, three, it takes a lot of effort and time. There are so many factors that come into being that perfect model.”
One young hopeful spotted at the station was 16-year-old Emily Ashdown of Bubwith, near York, who could be steaming towards a future career in the modelling industry.
Tom said the youngster, who was visiting Leeds city centre to do some shopping with her mum in preparation for this weekend’s Leeds Festival, had a lot of potential.
Those lucky enough to be scouted as part of the search have been invited down to a glittering reception in London this autumn, where the winners will be announced.
Each will have the chance to win a year’s modelling contract with Premier, as well as a VIP trip and cash prize courtesy of East Coast

Styling Competition at Folli Follie

Throughout September, jewellery lovers have the opportunity to be styled in the new AW 2011 Folli Follie range in the Leeds Victorian Quarter shop. Customers are welcome to try on several items from the new collection, and are encouraged to take a photo and upload it on the Folli Follie facebook page. Over the next month, people can vote for who they think is the most stylish Folli fan, with the winner receiving £500 worth of Folli products and the runner up receiving £250.

The competition will run from 12th – 30th of September, with the winner announced on 3rd October.

Good luck!

Costa Coffee Acquire a New Flagship in Leeds City Centre

Costa Coffe have taken a new lease at 133 Briggate in Leeds – situated in between Gap and H&M and directly opposite the new Trinity Shopping Centre (opening in 2013). The well-known coffee shop will be set over two levels and is due to open in October 2011.

Voting update!

We’ve had a staggering 14,000 votes so far with nearly three weeks still to go! Looks like we are on course to beat the best ever voting total of 20k from 2010!

Voting is still live for the shortlisted businesses until Monday September 26th.

Ben Sherman’s Plectrum is Hip in Leeds

Young fashion brand Ben Sherman is launching a concept store for its ‘Plectrum by Ben Sherman sub-brand’ in conjunction with Leeds contemporary menswear shop Hip. The 700 sq ft ‘Plectrum’store will be built next door to Hip in the city’s Thornton’s Arcade, and is due to open at the end of this month.

It will stock the full Plectrum by Ben Sherman collection, which launched for autumn 11 and features more directional and contemporary pieces than the main line. The store name is yet to be decided but is likely to reference both Hip and Plectrum.

Hip co-owner Everton Campbell said: “[Plectrum] is going to take the brand in a whole new direction and that’s what we found appealing. It is very, very now. “Most people know who Ben Sherman is but I don’t think the brand has had a store in Leeds before, so this will make it a destination.”

Plectrum has 12 stockists, and in the North is currently only available in Selfridges in Manchester and Birmingham.

Leeds Retail Academy in Full Swing

Plans are under way to further develop Leeds’s successful Retail Academy. The new initiatives are set to help young people and the unemployed find much needed work.
Leeds is already one of the country’s leading shopping destinations and thousands of new retail jobs are expected to be created over the next few years with the building of the Trinity Quarter and Eastgate Quarter schemes. After the opening of Trinity, Leeds is projected to rise to 4th place in the UK retail rankings, ahead of Manchester.
Council chiefs are to discuss the idea of expanding the academy – based at Leeds City College’s Horsforth campus – to develop “a business-led centre of excellence” for a sector that is a major contributor to the city’s economy.
Discussions have already been held with major employers, including Asda, Tesco and Harvey Nicholls, about how to develop the academy, which would play a key role in supporting new recruits at entry and graduate level as well as supporting the continued development of employees into management roles.
The council is also in talks with further education colleges over a proposal to establish an Apprenticeship training association, which would work to improve skill levels and get young people into work.

Kirkgate Market – Supporting a Local Landmark

At the start of August 2011, Leeds City Council met with Leeds Kirkgate Market officials to discuss the future development and progression of the Kirkgate Market space. Initially there were fears that the council planned on knocking down a substantial portion of the markets and replacing it with a car-park. It now appears they aim to improve the overall appearance of this superb market hall, giving it a more ‘up-market’ feel.

With the demographics of market shoppers changing over the last few years (thanks to the ‘organic’ and ‘local produce’ boom brought on by Jamie Oliver etc) this market certainly cannot be perceived as being a low-quality option. We’re embracing the ‘market’ culture and are enjoying the vast array of superb local produce available at wonderfully reasonable prices.

If you haven’t already visited Kirkgate Market I can highly recommend it – with the engaging and helpful stall-holders alongside the array of reasonably priced items of offer, it’s certainly a first stop for me when concocting a tasty meal without breaking the bank. If you’re interested in the market’s future then check out the Friends of Kirkgate market blog http://kirkgatemarket.wordpress.com/ and make sure you visit the stalls for yourself and pick up a bargain or two!