Plans to transform a Grade II listed building into a high-end restaurant and club on East Parade have been approved by Leeds City Council.
Formerly hosting OK Karaoke, The Garage Club and La Rambla tapas restaurant, the huge building has been left derelict for several years, but it is hoped that the latest approval will bring the building back to life.
The plans are to keep the building's heritage features whilst full refurbishing to bring a contemporary edge to the classic design.
The standout features will include a curved glazed canopy and stunning light concepts as part of their 'sensitive modernisation'.
It is unclear at present what the name of the restaurant or club will be, or whether the building will be sold onto an existing chain.
The Grade II building formerly hosted OK Karaoke but will be renovated to feature a glamorous restaurant and basement nightclub. / Image: British Listed Buildings
According to The Move Market, the building was originally bought for £1.4 million in November 2019, before the pandemic.
Since this time, the property has decreased in value by £120,000 but still remains the most expensive property in its postcode.
East Parade has plenty of office and hospitality space up for sale at present. / Image: Savills
Buyers Mayfair Investment Group originally planned to deliver a mixed use scheme with leisure space on the lower floors plus either residential apartments or a serviced office scheme on the upper levels, but these plans have now been extended to include a hospitality venue.
Reports state that the building will host a high-end restaurant with a rooftop terrace and outdoor dining space and separate nightclub in the basement.
The upper floors will also house office space, accessed through a new entrance of Park Cross Street.
Originally, the Grade II building is thought to have housed the Mayor of Leeds in 1757, despite signage suggesting the three-storey house was established in 1840.
The plans for the re-development were commended by the Leeds Civic Society for their Heritage Appraisal, suggesting the building will be an exciting architectural addition to East Parade.
The venue has been described as 'game changing' and 'prestigious' by the owners and we can't wait to see the end result.
Feature Image- British Listed Buildings
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Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Leeds Tattoo Expo to return to the First Direct Arena for 10th anniversary
Clementine Hall
The tenth annual Leeds Tattoo Expo will showcase some of the best in tattooing both local and internationally.
If you fancy getting yourself a fancy new bit of ink, then look no further than the iconic Leeds Tattoo Expo that will be returning to the First Direct Arena this June.
Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, over 200 tattooists and 70 traders will be flocking to the city to show off their skills.
And not only that, but there’ll also be a whole host of market traders for you to browse as well as live music to have a boogie to.
The artists will be tattooing with options for both pre-booked appointments and walk ups available throughout the weekend.
Image: Leeds Tattoo Expo
There will also be a piercer, tooth gems and a henna artist ready to adorn your body.
Alongside getting tattooed, there’s plenty to do and to see over the whole weekend; there'll be an alternative drawing class, an illustrators market with kids’ workshops provided by Art Gecko, an art fusion event on the main stage, burlesque performances and competitions, a small vintage clothing pop-up, fire breathing and break dancing demonstrations in the square outside the arena.
The annual tattoo competitions will also be taking place each evening, where tattooists showcase their work to a panel of judges, sponsored by Killer Ink!
To celebrate Leeds Tattoo Expo's tenth anniversary, they'll be hosting a Pre-Party at Belgrave Music Hall on Thursday 5 June which is a completely free entry event complete with live music and free pizza.
You can find out more about the event and book your tickets here via the First Direct Arena's website.
Sophie Smith -
19th October 2021 
