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Mini heatwave forecast for Leeds this weekend Bank Holiday

Georgina Pellant - 28th May 2021

It looks like the weather's set to take a turn for the better this weekend - bringing a bit of cheer to our Bank Holiday weekend plans.

It feels like summer could finally be on its way, as sunshine is set to blast the city this weekend as part of a mini heatwave forecast.

Friday will begin dry and cloudy, with highs of 18C, then on Saturday afternoon at around 3pm the sun is expect to start making its full appearance in honour of the long weekend.

It's expected to be sunny and clear all through the evening, with the good weather carrying through into Sunday - which is set to be the best day of the whole weekend.

With highs of 20C, there shouldn't be a cloud in the sky - perfect for taking advantage of Leeds' many alfresco bars and restaurants.

And according to the Met Office forecast, it's going to be just as lovely on Monday with blue skies and 21C sunshine kicking off a full week of warmth in the city.

A perfect excuse to slap on the suncream and enjoy a few beers in the sun if you ask us.

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.

Read more: Mumford & Sons add new Leeds show at the First Direct Arena to sell out UK tour

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

Leeds

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

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:

@the.manc @GET BAKED® are giving away 1000 slices of Bertha right now at their new store in Northern Quarter and Manchester, you turned up 👏 #themanc #manchester #getbaked #giveaway #newopening #bakery #queue #manchesterfood #manchestereats #cake ♬ original sound - The Manc

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.”

Read more: The Swine That Dines announces the official opening date of its brand new restaurant

Featured image - Get Baked