“Is it worth us fighting to keep the shop open?”: Leeds zero waste store battling closure
"We were never here to get rich, we just wanted to be able to pay all the bills all the while offering this service, giving people the power to choose a more sustainable way of life."
A zero waste shop in Leeds city centre has been asking customers "is it worth us fighting to keep the shop open?" after seeing a downward spiral in sales.
EcoTopia has become a synonymous face in Leeds city centre for those trying to lower their carbon footprint. Stocking everything from Tony's Chocolatony in just about every flavour imaginable to zero waste versions of flour, washing powder and other household essentials, the store has been a huge educator about plastic and chemical waste.
Now, the store faces closure, citing a lack of sales as their reason for considering giving up their position in the heart of the city.
The eco-friendly store is facing closure. / Image: EcoTopia
In a heartfelt Facebook post, the owners explained that the sales of their Central Arcade Store have been declining over a period of weeks and with sales so low, they have an opportunity to fight to stay open, or close the store.
The post explained: "The last 2 weeks have been pretty bad for sales at our Central Arcade store. Can we be real and ask if it's worth us fighting to keep the shop open? Do people actually, really want the Arcade shop to stay open? We can't justify keeping it open when sales are so low."
"We have the chance now to tell the landlord we want to surrender the lease, or we can make a deal to stay open until another business takes the lease off our hands, or the lease ends (Sept 2023). Right now we aren't sure which option to go for because people say they want our shop to stay, but sales over the last 2 weeks tell us a different story.
"We want to keep fighting and keep a presence in the city centre, but we won't fight if there's no reason to. It's really hard on our purses, our mental health and our families.
The store has been educating Leeds about climate change through its zero plastic waste and selection of books. / Image: EcoTopia
"We just feel really downhearted about the Arcade store at the moment because a city centre shop SHOULD be doing better.
"People in all walks of life say they are fed up of plastic and chemicals in and around their products, but they don't set foot into our shop or come onto our website to see what the options are, simply because we "appear" to be a shop suited for a specific type of person. We need help.
"We need more customers, it's as simple as that. Any suggestions to widen our appeal to EVERYONE - without stepping on toes - will be gratefully received.
The store also stocks a range of cold drinks. / Image: EcoTopia
The post has since received over 100 comments, some offering advise and others genuine gratitude for their presence: "It would be wonderful if it's was profitable to stay in the centre because I do love your shop. wish I visited more tbh.. but if its too much to keep, then it may be best to concentrate on the Bramley one I think x I want the best for you guys! And I hate to hear one of your businesses suffering. it may feel bad to lose one, but I just think shopping centres like the central arcade are suffering and it would be awful for you to continue in that. I'd say do what's best for you and your family xx".
Many others suggested new locations for EcoTopia to take on a new venture: "Move to crossgates. Its much cheaper for rent and I would use a local refill station! I do not travel into town as I work and don't have the time or money to go in. Local shops is your best option", however the owners shared that there are only two individuals running the stores so opening further branches is not an option to them.
To support EcoTopia, you can visit their store inside Leeds Central Arcade and speak to the staff, make a purchase and raise awareness for the hidden store that's been making Leeds a more sustainable place to live for quite some time.
Feature Image- EcoTopia
Leeds
No Greek Tragedy, just indie bangers – The Wombats set Leeds’ First Direct Arena alight
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
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.”
Sophie Smith -
13th July 2022 
