THE LEEDS BRIEF ⏰ Wednesday, 4 November 2026
Parking charges scrapped at six district car parks, four cemetery chapels for sale, £1.35m to fix tower block heating, and a supercar club's £28k for Leeds Mind.
Morning, Leeds! 🚗 The big one: the council has scrapped the parking charges it brought in last year at six district car parks, from Wetherby to Rothwell, and they stop from Monday. Also today: four cemetery chapels go up for sale, £1.35m to fix the heating in two tower blocks, a ram raid in the Victoria Quarter, and a supercar club that's raised more than £28,000 for Leeds Mind.
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🚗 Parking charges scrapped at six district car parks
Leeds City Council has done a U-turn on the parking charges it introduced in October 2025 at six car parks outside the city centre: the Wilderness and Station Gardens in Wetherby, Fink Hill in Horsforth, Barleyhill Road in Garforth, Marsh Street in Rothwell and Netherfield Road in Guiseley. Drivers had been paying up to £3.65 a day. The charges end with effect from Monday 9 November. The scheme brought in £336,790 in its first year, just above the £335,000 estimate, but parking fines made up 20% of that income against the 12% predicted, and 80% of people who answered the Horsforth consultation were against the charges. James Gibson, the council's executive member for environment, said: "we have decided to remove the district parking charges introduced at these six car parks." Wetherby's Green councillor Penny Stables said "the right decision has now been made", and Conservative councillor Simon Seary said: "This is welcome news."
👉 Read the full story at the YEP · West Leeds Dispatch
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📰 NEWS
⛪ Four cemetery chapels go up for sale
The council is selling former cemetery chapels in Horsforth, Harehills, Armley and Otley, hoping to raise at least £350,000 between them. The Harehills chapel on Kimberley Road has a guide of £170,000, Horsforth and Armley are £50,000-plus each, and the Grade II listed Otley chapel is £75,000. They'll go to auction with BTG Eddisons on 250-year leases.
👉 Read the full story at West Leeds Dispatch
🔥 £1.35m to fix heating at two tower blocks
The council plans to spend £1.35m fixing failing heating at Potternewton Heights in Chapel Allerton and Holborn Towers in Woodhouse. Air source heat pumps were fitted by Cenergist Ltd, which has since gone into administration, and temporary boilers have been costing around £12,000 a month. Clade Engineering Systems has been contracted to do the work. The decision can still be called in.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP
🚨 Ram raid at Victoria Quarter shop
Police are appealing for information after a Kia Ceed was driven into the Belstaff shop on Vicar Lane at about 8.40pm on Monday and a large quantity of clothing was stolen. Leeds CID asks anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference 13260623871.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP
🛒 Asda brings in ex-Morrisons boss
Leeds-based Asda has appointed David Potts, who ran Morrisons for eight years until 2023, as chief executive with immediate effect. Allan Leighton becomes non-executive chairman. Potts said Asda had "made good progress but significant opportunities remain", with a focus on keeping prices low.
👉 Read the full story at BBC News
🏙️ AROUND THE CITY
🥤 Joe and The Juice coming to Trinity Leeds
Joe and The Juice is opening its first Leeds store, a 3,595 sq ft unit on Trinity Street at Trinity Leeds, with juices, shakes, coffee and sandwiches. No opening date yet. Trinity's first Santa Dash 5k is on Sunday 6 December too.
👉 Read the full story at Leeds Live
🌱 Kirkstall Valley Farm nearly at its target
After a run of vandalism and an arson attack, the Kirkstall Valley Farm crowdfunder has raised more than £9,600 towards its £10,000 target for better perimeter security, electricity to the social area and CCTV. Kirkstall Valley Development Trust is asking for "one last push".
👉 Read the full story at West Leeds Dispatch
🙋 St George's Crypt needs shop volunteers in Pudsey
The homeless charity is looking for volunteers at its Pudsey town centre shop, with slots from 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Saturday. Details are on the Crypt's website.
👉 Read the full story at West Leeds Dispatch
📚 Free homework club at The Hunslet Club
The Hunslet Club runs a homework club for anyone aged 8 to 16 every Wednesday, 5pm to 8pm, alongside Fusion Youth Club, for homework, revision or just getting organised.
👉 Read the full story at South Leeds Life
🚦 GETTING ABOUT
🚆 Leeds to York line back open
The line between Leeds and York reopened on time after nine days of Transpennine Route Upgrade works at Church Fenton, where engineers put in the new Common Lane railway bridge, replacing one from 1901, and finished fitting overhead power lines. Separately, a broken rail near South Milford cancelled Leeds to Hull trains for part of Tuesday, so check before you travel that way.
👉 Read more: the YEP on the reopening · the YEP on the broken rail
⚽ SPORT
Tanaka boost as Asian Cup moves
Ao Tanaka should now be available for Leeds through January after the Asian Football Confederation moved the 2027 Asian Cup to 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028, subject to FIFA approval. He'd been due to miss at least the home game with Manchester City on 6 January and the trip to Spurs on 16 January. Before that, Leeds host Tottenham at Elland Road this Saturday at 12.30pm.
👉 Read the full story at the YEP
🏏 Finlay Bean leaves Yorkshire
Yorkshire academy product Finlay Bean, 24, has joined Northamptonshire on a three-year deal. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 2,649 runs in 48 first-class matches for Yorkshire.
👉 Read the full story at BBC Sport
🎭 CULTURE
🎸 Gigs this week
Yard Act play O2 Academy Leeds on Friday (sold out) and Saturday (£28). Also on Friday, Ferocious Dog bring their farewell tour (£28.50). Saturday has The Lancashire Hotpots (£21) and Kiwi Jr. at Hyde Park Book Club (£15), and on Sunday Matthew And The Atlas play a 10th anniversary show (£18). Six is at the Grand Theatre until Saturday.
👉 Read more: Brudenell Social Club · Leeds Live
📅 THIS WEEK IN LEEDS
👑 All week: Six at the Grand Theatre, until Saturday.
📚 Wednesday 4 November, 5pm to 8pm: Homework club at The Hunslet Club.
🎆 Thursday 5 November: Bonfire Night.
🎤 Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November: Yard Act at O2 Academy Leeds.
⚽ Saturday 7 November, 12.30pm: Leeds United v Tottenham at Elland Road.
🎖️ Sunday 8 November: Remembrance Sunday.
🚗 Monday 9 November: Parking charges end at the six district car parks.
Sources: Leeds Live · Brudenell Social Club · Leeds United · South Leeds Life · YEP
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🏎️ AND FINALLY...
Leeds Supercar Meet has now raised more than £28,000 for Leeds Mind. Its latest Supercars and Coffee morning, with around 20 supercars at United Car Wash & Valet on Elland Road for World Mental Health Day, added £595. Founder Jason Holman said: "Mental health affects everyone, and our events are about bringing people together as much as they are about the cars."
👉 Read the full story at the YEP
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