Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
My second helping of LIFI25 was a panel discussion concerning the plight of the hospitality industry in a swiftly changing world. Obviously the word ‘hospitality’ includes a multitude of sectors and there were top representatives from a selection of them on the stage this lunchtime. The travel industry was represented by Joanna Reeve, the UK…
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Here we are again. Another year, another eclectic range of guests and topics for discussion. Due to other commitments I am only able to attend two presentations this year, but what a couple of crackers. Both of them had special relevance to me, so, thank you LeedsBID and Chapter81 for scheduling them on the days…
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Transform is a festival of powerful international performance, it says on their programme, and, judging by the contents, it certainly lives up to the claim. The 2025 event marks ten years of the biennial, this, being number six, shows that they must be doing something right. That is a feeling reinforced by the way in…
Read MoreI realise it is a bit early to be promoting an event in October, but anything emanating from the partnership between LeedsBID and Welcome to Leeds is bound to be in great demand. They also don’t mess about by cutting corners as can be seen from the Christmas spectaculars and the Summer Holiday specials, details…
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Leeds Jazz Festival 2025 continued with Camilla George at Howard Assembly Room, and what a show it was. From the cast of thousands the previous night, we were given a superb set by a quartet – quite the contrast. Camilla George is a female saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator, with all of the components being…
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It’s not often that I spend a Tuesday tea time dancing to the beat of two African drummers, in fact I can’t remember it ever happening before, but this event was to change that. I was at the amazing Hyde Park Picture House for the launch of the 2025 Leeds International African Arts Festival, but…
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When anyone mentions the violin, most people don’t immediately think of Indian music, but the instrument has become a staple in the South Asian classical world and this evening proved why. After an introduction from Keranjeet Kaur Virdee MBE, CEO and Artistic Director of South Asian Arts, the event began. Ms Virdee said that there…
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You can look at the cv of Nile Rodgers and see that he has written, produced and performed on singles that have sold over 75 million copies as well as 500 million albums worldwide. He has collaborated with artists such as Madonna, David Bowie, Dianna Ross, Sister Sledge, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger and…
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After a quiet summer, it is all systems go for the end of the year. Again, there is the mixture of classics, innovative new productions, one-nighters and, of course, the Christmas Spectacular. So why don’t I just get on with it then. We begin, from 3rd-7th September in the Quarry, with Cluedo 2 which, I…
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I have just seen a feature on Breakfast about the Sunday headline act at Glastonbury, SZR, being the lowest attended for many years, if not ever. Well, if they will insist on staging their do to clash with Harrogate’s Food and Drink Festival, what can they expect. Not only is there a huge choice of…
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Tyke It To The Limit 