THE LEEDS BRIEF ⏰ Friday, May 22, 2026

Good morning Leeds - Friday 22 May, and what a way to end the week. The city has a new Lord Mayor who made history at Wednesday's annual meeting. The sign at the city's station may be calling us "Leeps." A legendary Leeds nightlife brand has finally revealed its new home. And summer has officially arrived just in time for half-term. Let's go. 👇

🏛️ POLITICS - ANNUAL MEETING ROUND-UP

🏅 Leeds appoints its first openly gay Lord Mayor - Councillor Stephen Holroyd (Ardsley and Robin Hood) was confirmed as the 132nd Lord Mayor of Leeds at Wednesday's annual council meeting at the Civic Hall — becoming the city's first openly gay Lord Mayor. His partner Simon Mapals, who runs an established LGBTQ+ venue in Leeds city centre, will serve as Lord Mayor's Consort — also a first. The appointment falls during Leeds's 400th anniversary year of its Royal Charter. Holroyd, who grew up in Wakefield and moved to Leeds in 2014, spoke in the chamber about overcoming dyslexia: his charities for the year are Yorkshire MESMAC and St Gemma's Hospice. (Sources: West Leeds Dispatch · Attitude)

🌙 Salma Arif becomes Leeds's first Muslim deputy leader - Labour confirmed its executive team following the annual meeting. Salma Arif (Gipton and Harehills) has been appointed deputy leader and executive member for the economy — the first Muslim deputy leader in Leeds City Council's history. Mary Harland (Kippax and Methley) also becomes deputy leader with responsibility for communities. James Lewis continues as leader of the minority Labour administration, which holds 47 of 99 council seats. Conservative leader Alan Lamb joins the executive board. Former council leader Andrew Carter takes the chair of the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee. (Sources: West Leeds Dispatch · Yorkshire Evening Post)

Today, I officially became Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council, and the first Muslim to ever hold this position. Never in a million years would young me from Harehills have believed this was… | Salma Arif | 61 comments

Today, I officially became Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council, and the first Muslim to ever hold this position. Never in a million years would young me from Harehills have believed this was possible. I hope young people across our communities can look at this and know that where you come from should never limit where you can go. My forefathers, who first arrived in Leeds in the 1930s, would never have deemed it possible that one of their own would one day hold this position. Leeds gave my family, and countless immigrants, a place to call home. Generations later, it is now my turn to give back to the city that has given us so much. Growing up in Harehills shaped who I am. It taught me resilience, compassion and the importance of fighting for people whose voices are too often overlooked. To now be in a position to help lead the city I love is something I will never take for granted. This moment is bigger than me. It belongs to every resident, supporter, friend and family member who believed in me, encouraged me and stood beside me along the way. Thank you to my Leader James Lewis, and to my colleagues in the Labour Group who have placed their trust in me. I will continue to work hard every single day for the city that raised me. | 61 comments on LinkedIn

LinkedInSalma Arif

😂 ONLY IN LEEDS

🔤 "Welcome to Leeps" - council investigates upside-down 'd' in £46m station sign Social media has been debating whether the new "Welcome to Leeds" clocktower sign at Leeds City Station — part of the £46m Sustainable Travel Gateway scheme — features a letter 'd' that is actually an inverted 'p'. Reddit users were first to spot the apparent misalignment, with one declaring "Looks like an upside down p, they must've run out of d's. We can't do anything right." Others pointed to the spacing of the 'e's as the real problem. Leeds City Council has confirmed it is "aware of a potential issue" and is "in discussions with the relevant contractors" to rectify any error. The station's new entrance is scheduled to open in Summer 2026. (Sources: Yorkshire Post · ITV Calendar)

🏗️ DEVELOPMENT

🏛️ Royal Armouries Waterfront gets government backing — hotel, events venue, 445 jobs - The government has confirmed funding for the Royal Armouries Waterfront project — a new riverside cultural, events and conference venue at the heart of Leeds's South Bank, made possible through the Leeds City Fund (a 25-year business rates retention scheme from the 2025 Autumn Budget). The development will deliver 3,500m² of flexible event space, 4,500m² of new public space, and a planned 150-key hotel — cementing Leeds as a premier conference and exhibition destination. Projected to support 445 full-time jobs, contribute £20m GVA annually, and attract 300,000+ new visitors per year. (Sources: South Leeds Life · Yorkshire Evening Post)

🏢 Jacobs brings 400-strong Leeds team to Aire Park - Global engineering and advisory firm Jacobs has officially moved its Leeds team of 400 people from its former Holbeck base to a new 17,500 sq ft office at 3 South Brook Street, Aire Park - one of 15 core Jacobs offices across the UK. Jacobs works across infrastructure, energy, transport, water and life sciences. The firm joins Devonshires, TPT and interactive investor at the South Brook Street commercial hub, which is taking shape around the UK's largest new city-centre green park. (Source: Insider Media)

🎵 NIGHTLIFE

🎧 Mint XL: Leeds's legendary club brand reveals its new 2,500-capacity home - former PRYZM on Woodhouse Lane - The location of Mint XL — the much-anticipated new flagship venue from the team behind Mint Club, Mint Warehouse and Mint Festival — has been revealed as the former PRYZM nightclub site on Woodhouse Lane, within the Merrion Centre. The space is currently undergoing a full renovation, and will officially launch with a party on Friday 25 September. The 2,500-capacity multi-room venue will be powered by a new Funktion-One Vero sound system and will operate a strict no-phones policy on dancefloors. Programming will cover electronic music, extended DJ sets, live acts, private hire and brand events. Mint Club originally closed in 2018 after 20 years. (Sources: Mixmag · Yorkshire Evening Post)

🍽️ FOOD & DRINK

☕ Abu Bakr's Aura dining concept officially opens in Roundhay - Aura, the luxury all-day dining venture from Leeds's Abu Bakr Supermarkets, has officially opened in Roundhay — with the brand describing it as bringing "a touch of Mayfair" to suburban Leeds. High-end interiors, ambient lighting and plush seating give way to a breakfast and brunch menu by day that transitions into a grill and dessert destination by evening. The concept is part of Abu Bakr's wider expansion: the family business, founded in 1987, has 5 stores, 400+ staff and plans for 6-7 additional sites across the UK in 2026-27. (Sources: Retail Times · Yorkshire Evening Post)

🌊 ENVIRONMENT

📱 Yorkshire Water develops AI app to tell you if it's safe to swim in the river - right now - Yorkshire Water is trialling a new AI-powered app that will tell you every 15 minutes whether river water at popular swimming spots is safe to use — based on real-time pollution data combined with AI-processed water samples. The two-year trial covers 20 locations across Yorkshire, including the River Wharfe at Wetherby and Ilkley, and the River Nidd at Knaresborough. Manual testing at each site four times a week will provide the 7,800 data sets needed to train the AI. The app is developed by software firm Unifae Technology. (Source: [BBC News]

🚨 CRIME

💊 Operation Phoenix charges four county lines dealers — including a Leeds man - West Yorkshire Police's dedicated county lines taskforce Operation Phoenix has charged four men with supplying heroin and crack cocaine following a two-month crackdown targeting drug lines across the region. Among them: Craig Raynor, 20, of Latchmere View, Leeds, arrested on 7 May following a warrant linked to a drug line operating in east Leeds. He has been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, and possession of cannabis. The taskforce, comprising 16 officers, has made dozens of arrests since launching and continues to target county lines gangs who exploit children and vulnerable adults. (Sources: West Yorkshire Police · Examiner Live)

🏗️ PLANNING

🔥 New bid to demolish 'dangerous' Armley Conservative Club — engineers say it's 'beyond viable repair' - Developer Richards Banks has submitted fresh plans to demolish the fire-damaged Armley Conservative Club building on Theaker Lane — two years after an arson attack gutted it in September 2024. Structural engineers Dart Engineers concluded this month that the building is "unsafe and presents an immediate risk to life," with both chimney stacks now leaning unsupported and the external masonry walls acting as "freestanding elements." The council previously refused demolition in August 2025, saying the building was a "positive building in the Conservation Area." New evidence of the fire damage has been submitted to support this latest application. (Source: West Leeds Dispatch)

🎓 EDUCATION

🏆 University of Leeds named University of the Year — plus three other Leeds wins - The University of Leeds was named University of the Year at the 2026 Education North Awards on 7 May at Emirates Old Trafford, beating institutions from across the North. Judges praised the university for combining global academic excellence with civic leadership and local impact. Also celebrating: Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College in Woodhouse was named FE College of the Year; and Leeds Beckett University won the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Award for its #WECAN programme addressing gender inequity in leadership. (Sources: The Tab · University of Leeds)

👥 COMMUNITY

👕 3,400 sports kits donated across Leeds - £57,902 saved, 1.5 tonnes from landfill - The Kit Equipment Exchange Partnership (KEEP) held its latest sports kit swap at the John Charles Centre for Sport, distributing 3,400 items to over 50 organisations and residents — including schools, LGBTQ+ groups, looked-after children, and substance misuse support groups. Three hundred items were donated from kit left behind at the Leeds Marathon. Jonathon Burn, Head of PE at Dixons Unity Academy in Armley, said the items — including cricket gear, pads and helmets — "make a meaningful difference to our students by removing financial barriers." (Sources: West Leeds Dispatch · Leeds City Council)

🌿 HALF TERM: Wild Play at Skelton Grange - woods, fire-lighting and pond dipping - TCV Skelton Grange Environment Centre (Stourton, LS10, just 2 miles from the city centre) has two half-term events: Wild Play for 8-12 year olds on Tuesday 26 May — shelter building, fire lighting, campfire cooking, hammock making and more (tickets via Eventbrite); and the Big Wild Play Out for all the family on Saturday 6 June — free entry, pond dipping, bug hunting and woods play. (Source: South Leeds Life)

🔒 Newlay Locks repairs planned - Grade II listed canal heritage site - Canal & River Trust has submitted a planning application to repair Newlay Locks - a flight of three Grade II listed locks along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Bramley - on safety grounds. A lock ladder needs extending by 900mm to meet current safety guidelines, and stonework on lock 12 has eroded and become a tripping hazard. Comments on the application can be submitted until 3 June, with a decision expected by 13 June. The locks have been listed since 1976. (Source: West Leeds Dispatch)

🚆 TRANSPORT

🚦 Kirkstall junction: six weeks on from the signalling works - what do drivers think? - Six weeks after Leeds City Council completed works to replace ageing traffic signals and reconfigure the busy junction at Broad Lane, Wyther Lane, Leeds and Bradford Road and Bridge Road in Kirkstall, the verdict is mixed. Some drivers report no improvement during peak hours; others say journey times have improved. The removal of the left turn from Wyther Lane onto Leeds and Bradford Road has pushed some drivers onto residential rat runs. The council says the changes improve efficiency by 30% and enable pedestrian green times to run every cycle. The junction remains one of the busiest pinch points in West Leeds. (Source: West Leeds Dispatch)