THE LEEDS BRIEF ⏰ Thursday, 12 November 2026

Morning, Leeds! Parking is free again in five of our towns, and the council wants you to spend the savings locally this Christmas. Also today: a £1m veterans' centre for Armley, a listed Holbeck building saved from becoming a 17-bed shared house, and a late-night bid in the Freedom Quarter pulled after police objections.

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🅿️ Free parking is back in five Leeds towns

Leeds City Council has scrapped the parking charges it brought in last October in Wetherby, Horsforth, Garforth, Rothwell and Guiseley, after a public consultation, with effect from Monday 9 November. The charges covered the Wilderness and Station Gardens car parks in Wetherby, Fink Hill in Horsforth, Barleyhill Road in Garforth, Marsh Street in Rothwell and Netherfield Road in Guiseley. The council says the fees raised more than £330,000 a year, but fewer drivers paid than expected, and the consultation found some were parking on nearby streets to avoid paying. Councillor James Gibson, executive member for environment, said the council had always meant to review the charges and had listened to businesses and local people, adding: "It's free car parking now so there's no excuse. Let's shop local." Wetherby councillor Penny Stables, who leads the Leeds Green Party, said the party had opposed the charges from the start and that they shouldn't come back until the town has a better bus service. So if you've been avoiding the high street to dodge a ticket, the excuse has officially expired.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP / LDRS

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📰 NEWS

🎖️ A £1m veterans' centre for Armley

Leeds has won £999,014 from the government's VALOUR fund for a regional centre supporting veterans, reservists and their families across West Yorkshire, based at Armley Community Hub and due to open in July 2027. The bid was led by Leeds City Council with Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield councils. It will be a "no wrong door" service, connecting people with help on housing, health, jobs, education and money without having to repeat their story, and a team of community connectors will work across all five districts. Over three years it aims to support around 1,500 veterans and reservists directly.
👉 Read more: Leeds City Council · West Leeds Dispatch

🏭 No to a 17-bed shared house in Matthew Murray House

The council has refused plans to turn Grade II-listed Matthew Murray House on Water Lane, Holbeck, into a 17-bed house in multiple occupation with a sandwich shop on the ground floor, after earlier turning down a 22-bed version. Leeds Civic Trust and eight neighbours objected, raising harm to the listed building, road safety and the quality of the rooms. Planners agreed the area needs homes and the building is under-used, but had concerns about living standards, noise and ventilation. Planning documents say the building is named after the Victorian manufacturer Matthew Murray, who designed the first steam locomotive in 1812.
👉 Read more: YEP / LDRS · South Leeds Life

🌈 Bridge Inn drops its 4am bid

The Bridge Inn in the Freedom Quarter has withdrawn its application to serve until 4am from Thursday to Saturday, two hours later than now, before a council licensing sub-committee could hear it. Police, the council and the nearby Indigo and Malmaison hotels had objected, and the venue sits in the strictest "red zone" of the city centre's cumulative impact area. Operator Star Pubs said it wanted more time to consult the authorities on its plans.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP / LDRS

🤝 Families call for a say on day services

Families of adults with learning disabilities who use day services took a deputation to yesterday's full council meeting, after provider Aspire said it will end its contract for building-based day services in May 2027. They told councillors the change affects more than 700 people across 19 buildings and asked for five commitments, including early communication, properly funded transport and keeping familiar staff. West Leeds Dispatch reports that families have had positive meetings with the council recently, and their points have been passed to the relevant department for a response.
👉 Read the full story at West Leeds Dispatch

🕯️ Beckett Street crash victim named

The pedestrian who died after being hit by a car on Beckett Street on 29 October has been named as Květoslava Horvathova, 36. Police say the car had failed to stop for officers on Harehills Road shortly before, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the pursuit. A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and is due at Leeds Crown Court on 27 November. Her family described her as "friendly, happy and wise".
👉 Read the full story at BBC News

🏙️ AROUND THE CITY

⛵ Learn to skipper a boat at Leeds Dock

Department, which runs the city's water taxis, has become an accredited training centre with the National Community Boats Association and launched three courses at Leeds Dock. There's a half-day introduction to boat handling for beginners, a two-day community crew course, and a two-day helmsman course that works towards a qualification to skipper community boats carrying up to 12 passengers on inland waterways. Captain Loiner has a ring to it.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP

🎄 Christmas lights for Armley and Kirkstall

The Inner South West Community Committee has approved £2,770 for Armley's Christmas lights and £3,624 for Kirkstall's. It also agreed £1,100 towards a new 30-foot waterslide at West Leeds Activity Centre, £5,598 for New Wortley Community Association's Stronger Me project for young people, and money for grit bin refills in both wards.
👉 Read the full story at West Leeds Dispatch

🚦 GETTING ABOUT

🚆 Christmas closure on the Leeds to Doncaster line

Planning to head south by train over Christmas? Network Rail is replacing the rail bridge over Agbrigg Road, next to Sandal and Agbrigg station in Wakefield, as part of improvements to the Doncaster to Leeds line. The work happens while train services are halted, from the early hours of Christmas Eve until 8am on Sunday 27 December, and Network Rail is spending almost £5m on the new bridge. Check before you travel.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP

⚽ SPORT

Aaronson and Muharemović join veterans at Elland Road

Brenden Aaronson and Tarik Muharemović laid wreaths and observed a two-minute silence with veterans at Elland Road, as guests of the Leeds United Foundation's weekly veterans' social group, before chatting with them about teamwork and representing their country. Aaronson said it was "amazing to hear their stories". Meanwhile, Daniel James has admitted he gets frustrated at his lack of minutes, with just 118 Premier League minutes so far, but says he'll be ready when called on.
👉 Read more: Leeds United · YEP

Super League goes to 15 teams

Super League's shareholders have agreed to expand from 14 to 15 clubs for 2027, with the RFL board now setting criteria and a panel to judge applications. The BBC says London Broncos look likely to be the beneficiaries. Still to be sorted: a title sponsor, broadcast deals and the 2027 fixtures, so the Rhinos will have to wait a bit longer to circle dates.
👉 Read the full story at BBC Sport

Under-21s tickets for Fleetwood

Tickets are on sale for Leeds United Under-21s' EFL Trophy group decider at Fleetwood Town on Tuesday 24 November, where a win sends them through to the knockout rounds. Adults £10, seniors £5, under-16s £1.
👉 Read the full story at Leeds United

🎭 CULTURE

⚔️ Highlander's writer at the Royal Armouries

Gregory Widen, who wrote Highlander, is hosting a 40th anniversary screening of the 1986 film at the Royal Armouries Museum at Leeds Dock on Tuesday 17 November (6pm to 10pm), with a live Q&A and meet and greet. His idea for the story came from a visit to the Royal Armouries collection at the Tower of London when he was 19. He'll be in conversation with the museum's Keeper of Firearms, Jonathan Ferguson. Standard tickets are £20. There can be only one, so book early.
👉 Read the full story at South Leeds Life

📅 THIS WEEK IN LEEDS

🎶 Tonight, 7.30pm: Widowspeak at the Brudenell, £15.
🎤 Friday, 7.30pm: Northside at the Brudenell, £25.
🎸 Saturday, 5pm: DORKs Day Out with Panic Shack and more at the Brudenell, £23.
🎄 Saturday, 4pm: Hunslet's Christmas lights switch-on, Church Street.
🤠 Sunday, 7.30pm: The Sheepdogs at the Brudenell, £18.
🎬 Tuesday 17 November, 6pm: Highlander screening and Q&A with Gregory Widen at the Royal Armouries, £20.
🎙️ Tuesday 17 November, 7pm: Cheekface at the Brudenell, £22.50.
🎷 Thursday 19 November, 7.30pm: Corto.alto at the Brudenell, £22.
Sources: Brudenell · South Leeds Life · South Leeds Life (lights)

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🍵 AND FINALLY...

Young people in Armley are going into business. Andrea Edwards of the Community Anchor Network told councillors that after years of hearing "there's nothing to do, there's nowhere to go", Armley Youth Voice is running pilot projects to help teenagers make, brand and sell their own products. One is a six-week baking course, and the young people have now come up with the idea of making their own brand of tea, which they'll name, package and sell across the area as a little social enterprise. Leeds runs on tea, so the market research is done.
👉 Read the full story at West Leeds Dispatch

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