Actors and local councillors prepare for Shakespearean fun in Bramley Park. Photo: Simon Cullingworth
Words: Sarah Cullingworth. Photos: Simon Cullingworth
The local residents of Bramley were treated to a midsummer night’s showcase of Shakespeare’s most famous plays in the park this weekend.
Young and old were entertained by the cast of Front Room Productions, who performed scenes with a mix of original tongue and modern day music which delighted the audiences.
“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy…”. Photo: Simon Culingworth
Local resident Judith said:
“We were happy that Bramley Park was used for this production. We enjoyed it. It was lively, fun and very creative. The young people were very enthusiastic and kept us entertained.”
The free shows were funded by the Inner West Community Committee Wellbeing Fund and Leeds Inspired, part of Leeds City Council, and could be followed by more activities in the park in the future.
Front Room Productions can be seen at Temple Newsam Leeds from the 4th to 15th of August for booking and further information visit www.frontroomproductions.co.uk.
On Saturday parkrun returned to Bramley Park after being postponed since March last year because of the pandemic.
A new three-lap course was used to help with social distancing and the event was a huge success.
31 volunteers welcomed 175 runners and walkers to the event. Six of those were completing their first-ever parkrun and 24 runners were new to Bramley. 25 people managed to gain a new parkrun personal best.
Ben Whitehead completed his 100th parkrun and Frances Russell completed her 50th.
Judith Armitage celebrated her birthday by completing the 5k course.
Karl Field finished first with an impressive time of 18:37, closely followed by Barney Plummer (18:59) and Oliver Gregory (20:01).
A special mention has to go to Ciaran Forde, who finished fourth while pushing his twins around the course. He completed the 5k in 20:16.
A council report has given the green light for a new pedestrian crossing as part of multi-million pound works to relieve congestion at Armley Gyratory.
Highways chiefs have agreed to advertise an order to implement the proposed new pedestrian and cycling crossing at the bottom of Wellington Road, subject to there being no objections.
The council report says the new crossing comes as a result of feedback from local residents, who see the gyratory as a ‘barrier’ and inaccessible. It adds:
“One of the key points of feedback from the residents of New Wortley was how the current gyratory is a barrier. From the responses received, 40% of the respondents wanted the new scheme to address poor pedestrian crossing provision.
“The proposed improvements will therefore improve access to jobs, education, culture and shopping for this neighbourhood with low car ownership, and at the same time encourage people to undertake short distance trips by active modes, which helps people’s health and the environment.”
As well as advertising the proposed new crossing, the council report – which can be read here – gave the green light for a number of legal agreements attached to the scheme to be agreed.
It also revealed a timescale for the development, with a full planning application to be submitted this month, with a proposed start date of January 2022, with the overall scheme completed by July 2023.
Council chuefs say the scheme plays a vital part in regulating traffic flow into Leeds City Centre and enabling City Square to become a car-free zone by 2023.
WLD reported in March that the council had put together revised proposals for the junction, following feedback from public consultations in 2018 and 19. Proposals include:
The updated plans will address the movement through the gyratory by providing the following features:
A new signal-controlled junction on the entrance from B6154 Wellington Road South and a signal-controlled pedestrian and cycle crossing across B6154 Wellington Road South.
Existing pedestrian routes will be upgraded to modern standards and made safer, more pleasant and more accessible with new landscaping and footpath widening.
New landscaping will provide enhanced visibility between road users and improve the personal security of pedestrians and cyclists.
Cycle routes will be introduced and connected to existing routes at the junction, making it easier and safer to travel by bicycle.
The two existing footbridges over the A643 and A58 will be replaced with a dedicated, accessible pedestrian and cycle bridge.
To discourage people from running red lights, new traffic signal technology will be introduced which will manage queues more efficiently.
New traffic lights added at the junction of the A643 with Gelderd Road, to better manage the traffic flow.
Proposed new drainage system to address the issues of flooding at the A58 Wellington Road North under the railway bridge.
Works on the privately-owned central island have been minimised so all existing features will be retained as part of the scheme.
The improvements are part of Connecting Leeds, the council’s transport strategy for the city. Connecting Leeds are working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, partners and stakeholders to improve all aspects of the transport network in Leeds and connecting to the wider Leeds City Region.
The Armley Gyratory is a had an estimated 100,000 vehicles passing through it daily pre Covid-19.
Work is also continuing on the A647 Bus Priority Scheme to improve bus journey times into Leeds. Work is due to finish on this scheme next summer. More details here.
Rich history: The Queen Hotel in Burley Road. Photo: Mark Stevenson
Words & Photos: Mark Stevenson
Plot 201 in 1845 was nothing more than grassland adjoining Burley Road.
It was owned by George Lloyd Esquire (or the Executors of his Will) and occupied by Benjamin Riley. By 1861 No 102 Burley Road had been built – aka The Queen Hotel (now a Tesco Express store) on plot 201.
In 1861 the landlord of The Queen Hotel was George Fletcher (59) who lived there with his wife Lettuice (62).
From 1871 to 1901 the Thompson family ran The Queen Hotel. William Thompson (29) ran the pub from 1871 to at least 1891.
I would imagine that it was during this period that William was teaching his son Arthur Henry the tricks of the trade because by 1901 Arthur Henry (39) was the licenced victualler of The Queen Hotel.
From at least 1911 to the outbreak of World War Two it was the turn of the Teale family to run The Queen Hotel.
In 1911 a Frederick Cattley Teale (52) was the Landlord. Again he may have been teaching his son the tricks of the trade because in 1939 his son Fred (52) was now the Licensed Victualler of the pub.
For around 147 years The Queen Hotel served the surrounding community. I wonder if in its present form as a Tesco if it will serve the community anywhere near as long?
The weekly 'place to sit' protests at Bramley Shopping Centre. Photo: Philip McConnell
Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves writes her monthly column
Campaign for Bramley Shopping Centre seats
It is unacceptable that the new owners of Bramley Shopping Centre have removed all of the benches, which so many shoppers, including older and disabled people, rely upon each time they visit.
I am working with Bramley councillors to press for the benches to be reinstated, and I am hopeful that we can work together to find a solution.
I am also pleased to see the community joining together to show the strength of their feelings by holding a sit-in protest each week.
Head teacher round table
Rachel Reeves with Jo Smithson, head teacher of Greenhill Primary, and two therapy dogs.
A positive thing to have come out of the national lockdown has been the emergence of time saving technologies such as Zoom.
This has meant that my previously annual head teacher meetings are now able to happen much more frequently – I now meet “virtually” with heads half termly.
It’s still lovely to run into them when I am out and about though, as I did recently with Jo Smithson, head teacher of Greenhill Primary.
The added bonus was that she was walking the school “therapy dogs.”
A great idea, especially after a year such as this one! School staff, pupils and families have had a tough year – exam and assessment uncertainty, late issuing of government guidance, bubble collapses!
As the academic year draws to a close, I’d like to pay special thanks to the brilliant staff in Leeds West schools. We owe them, and so many others, a debt of thanks.
Forging Futures Graduation
Graduation: At the Forging Future graduation ceremony at Kirkstall Forge.
I was pleased to meet the Forging Future Graduates and to present the certificates at their recent graduation ceremony. The scheme, based at Kirkstall Forge, helps train up future architects, plumbers, bricklayers and more by offering work experience and apprenticeships.
I always find it inspiring to meet those on the scheme, many of whom have never had the chance to enjoy such a great opportunity that could pave the way for an exciting career. It was also great to hand out their certificates with council leader James Lewis, and also play a bit of Swingball with the graduates!
Kirkstall Valley Farm
Tranquil oasis: Community led Kirkstall Valley farm is off the A65 Kirkstall Road.
I have been trying to visit Kirkstall Valley Farm for several months – but Covid guidelines have meant I have had to cancel several times.
But it was well worth the wait! In glorious sunshine I met some of the farm trustees and volunteers and finally managed a tour of the site.
The farm is just off Kirkstall Road and can be accessed from the side of Ready Steady Store.
It was privately farmed for many years until the leaseholder died in 2017 – Kirkstall Valley Development Trust have now leased the farm and are developing a community supported agriculture scheme that employs a worker and sells veg boxes to local residents and shops to cover costs.
They even have a part time blacksmith on site! A really impressive organisation who have done so much in such a short time- I can’t wait to go back!
Northern Bloc Small Business Network
It was lovely to visit Northern Bloc earlier this month. We discussed the impact Brexit has had on their supply chains, but also how we can restart the Small Business Network as society opens up.
The Small Business Network is a great network which offers support for all small businesses in Leeds West, along with chances to meet with other small businesses to discuss your concerns and experiences.
If you are interested in joining, please do send me an email at Rachel.reeves.mp@parliament.uk. Thanks also to Dirk and team for the lovely ice cream – which was much needed during the heatwave!
Leeds West Local Heroes
This month I have also relaunched my Local Heroes competition.
It is a great way to hear about all of the amazing work local people have been doing in Leeds West over the year, and I look forward to it every year.
The winner this week is Carol’s Confectioners from Bramley for all of their hard work over lockdown and for supporting families in need over school holidays by ensuring children can be fed.
If you would like to nominate anyone, please email Rachel.reeves.mp@parliament.uk.
Fostering in Leeds saw a “very positive” year despite the Covid-19 pandemic, a Kirkstall councillor has said.
Leeds City Council had braced itself for a difficult time finding people willing to be foster carers during the pandemic.
But the council’s executive member in charge of social care said the people of Leeds stepped up to the challenge, with the city seeing a net increase in the number of carers in its fostering service.
Coun Venner warned, however, that more BAME foster carers were still needed, and work was ongoing to make this happen.
The comments follow a report from Leeds City Council officers, which claimed there had been an increase during the 2020/21 municipal year of around 20 percent in the numbers of people expressing an interest in becoming a foster carer.
This led to 35 new mainstream foster carers, another 10 foster carers for those with complex needs, 89 new kinship carers and 10 new rent-a-room providers for young people.
In total, 121 households were de-registered from the fostering service, while 166 new households were added.
Coun Venner told a meeting of Leeds City Council’s Executive Board:
“It’s a very positive story in terms of fostering in the challenging past year.
“The raw numbers of looked after children have gone up because the child population has gone up, but the rate per 10,000 is the key figure. It’s been between 75 and 79 in the past few years.
“Our foster carers have been magnificent during the pandemic. We had thought we would be scrabbling around for placements during the pandemic, but we had a really high rate of placement stability, and also foster families reporting improved relationships as a result of lockdown and spending so much time together.
“In Leeds, 34 per cent of our foster families are kinship families, compared to 20 per cent nationally. It is our aspiration wherever we can to place children first in their extended family.
“There are always things we can do better – we always need more BAME foster carers, particularly more black foster carers. That has been a priority for the past couple of years.”
A report, which went before board members, stated: “Covid has made our work more challenging, but with the support of our carers and colleagues, we have been able to maintain children’s placements with foster families. COVID has delayed some of our service development activities and these are covered in the sections below.
“The need to prioritise support for carers and our children has meant that some of the service development activities we had planned have been delayed or paused during the last year, these are back on track now and will be progressed during the next 12 months.”
A bench has been unveiled to remember the contribution of an unsung Armley community hero who passed away last year.
Alan Jackson was a well-known and loved character in Armley whose life could not be celebrated fully by his family and those in the community due to the pandemic.
Stalwart: Alan Jackson
Alan was Armley famous for his volunteer daily clean ups on Armley Moor which he undertook.
It was a great pleasure to be able to join some of Alan’s family and friends who held a small memorial session for the unveiling of a bench in Sir Karl Cohen Square in his honour.
The event was attended by Alan’s sister and brother in law, who along with local resident Tia were really keen to have a permanent feature which would mark Alan’s commitment to his community.
The bench has been located near to where Alan used to like to sit and rest after his litter picking or local shopping.
And of course no event commemorating the life of Alan would be complete without a litter pick!
Rest in Peace Alan and thank you for your services to Armley.
The bench was funded thanks to the Inner West Housing Housing Advisory Panel. Thanks to Leeds City Council Parks team for installation.
Problems: Armley Town Street. Photo: Lilly Marchesi
A ‘landmark’ new by-law banning street drinking in Armley town centre has been given the go-ahead this month.
Secured by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police at Leeds Magistrates Court earlier this week, the ‘Partial Closure Order’ forms part of a wide range of work being undertaken in the Armley community to tackle different anti-social behaviour issues.
As part of the terms of the order, which is thought to be one of the first to be granted in the UK, no person will be allowed to be in possession of an open container of alcohol in specific areas of Armley unless they are on licensed premises or residential premises.
The terms of the order will be in place for an initial period up to October 19, 2021.
This legislation provides additional support to a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) already in place to address street drinking issues in Armley and also offers greater powers to take action against those involved.
Any person found to be ignoring the terms of the order and repeated warnings could face prosecution. This includes a fine or imprisonment for up to six months.
The new powers form part of a long-term strategy put in place by the council, police and partner agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour issues in Armley.
This includes increased patrols by neighbourhood policing team officers, increased licensing activity and regular operations to address specific anti-social behaviour concerns.
Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member with responsibility for Safer Leeds, said:
“We simply will not tolerate anti-social behaviour in our communities, and residents can be assured that in conjunction with our partners, we will use every possible tool that is available to us to put a stop to it.
“I welcome the additional new powers which we have secured through the courts to tackle the issue of street drinking in Armley town centre and surrounding areas, which is a blight on the community and contributing to a range of anti-social behaviour issues. Through the order, we will be able to take tougher action against those repeat offenders.”
Inspector Phil Gill, who heads the Leeds West Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
“The granting of this order is a real landmark, and will give vital additional support to our ongoing work to tackle the issues around street drinking and anti-social behaviour in the area.
“We are very much aware of the completely unacceptable negative impact that this kind of behaviour has on the community, and we have been working closely alongside our partner agencies to address any increased problems when they have occurred.
“We are committed to doing everything we can to improve the situation, which this innovative use of existing legislation should illustrate.
“The order will give extra support to the wider work that we will be continuing with, and we hope people in the area will see some significant improvements.
“We will continue to monitor the situation going forward and will take firm action over any breaches of the order, and also work to ensure the issues are not just displaced elsewhere.”
Areas covered by the order include Town Street, Theaker Lane, Modder Avenue, Branch Road and Armley Moor.
Residents David Cockayne and David and Anne Cartwright point out some of the dirt on the roadside. Photo: Jo Fiddes
People living on a stretch of busy Whitehall Road are living with daily problems of dust, dirt and debris from the road, caused, they say, by passing HGV wagons. Community reporter JO FIDDES paid a visit to find out more.…
If you are a regular user of Whitehall Road, Leeds 12, then you will probably have driven through dust clouds and avoided roadside debris on many occasions.
https://youtu.be/Lq1wBD90vWM
A main arterial route into the city centre from New Farnley and beyond, this is a busy road which is well used at all hours.
Walking the route should be pleasant. Along part of it there are fields and greenery on either side, and some impressive views into the city. However, you only have to be on the road for a minute to realise the walk isn’t pleasant at all.
The view is wasted as too often you are looking down to avoid dirt and stones shed from lorries – and also walking through clouds of dust thrown up by traffic.
For some time now, local residents have been saying enough is enough and are lobbying the council to implement more effective solutions to the ongoing saga of dirt and debris. The council feel that the regular road cleaning they have put in adequate – the residents disagree.
Despite local objections in 2008, two Leeds 12 Whitehall Road locations were chosen as waste management sites – Far Royds and Whitehall Industrial Estate (formerly Ashfield Industrial Estate). These are “safeguarded waste management sites” until at least 2026.
Whilst accepting that every major city needs to address waste management, and so there is a need for sites such as these, from the outset local residents were concerned about noise, mud and dust.
In granting the planning application, the council felt these issues could be mitigated through regular road sweeping and on-site procedures to reduce noise and dust.
Thirteen years later and residents remain unsatisfied and maintain that these measures are ineffective – either because they aren’t being implemented or because they were ineffective in the first place.
Last week I visited the site with local resident David Cockayne. This was the day after a heavy downpour, which washes away a considerable amount of dust and dirt – and yet roadside dirt and debris were plain to see.
Lorries and cars threw up orange dust clouds – an inconvenience for drivers in terms of cleaning, but much more concerning for the people who walk or cycle the route and are forced to breathe in these particles. David said:
“Cleaning of the road, whilst welcome, is not the answer, and the dirt should be addressed at source, as should the noise and general disruption. The council’s last site visit took place the day after a thunderstorm so didn’t reflect the true picture.”
David and Anne Cartwright added:
“All these regulations, and still the dust clouds gather on Whitehall Road when the weather is dry. mud collects when the weather is wet, drains are clogged with mud, pavements have weeds growing in the mountains of detritus, rocks accumulate on the road and residents have to live with this muck on our roads, in our houses, on our cars, and in our lungs.”
Residents now want to know if the planning regulations aren’t being enforced – or if they simply aren’t tough enough to begin with.
The issue has come up several times in the office of Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves. She said:
“Residents in Farnley and Wortley have been in regular contact with my office and have raised concerns about the ongoing issues at these two sites. Whilst I have been in frequent contact with Leeds City Council and the Environment Agency, it is clear that a more permanent solution is sorely needed.”
A Facebook group – Whitehall Road in Leeds 12 – has been set up to collect personal experiences of using Whitehall Road. Residents are invited to share their stories there.
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said the authority was aware of cleanliness concerns raised regarding a specific stretch of Whitehall Road. They added:
“In response, we are ensuring that all planning conditions are being monitored and met. In addition, we have also increased the frequency in which the road is cleansed.
“We take any potential breaches of planning regulations extremely seriously and will always investigate any complaint that is made.
“If subsequently evidence of a breach is found, we will use all powers at our disposal to ensure that they appropriately tackled and addressed. We also work closely with partners and other agencies responsible for regulation to ensure all businesses in Leeds comply with relevant legislation and guidance.”
A water safety campaigner has issued a stark warning over the danger of swimming in Farnley reservoir.
Daniel Riley has been leading calls for more signs and safety precautions around the edge of the reservoir over the past few years – and today revealed he’d received a number of messages asking about the reservoir’s safety.
Mr Riley said:
“During this recent heatwave I’ve received around 20 messages asking me if Farnley Reservoir is safe to swim in. The simple answer is ‘no’.
“It’s not your typical reservoir, it serves as a flood defence and a wastewater asset. The same dangers remain.”
Farnley Reservoir is maintained by Yorkshire Water, which today also urged people not to enter the water at any of its reservoirs.
The recent warm weather saw 762 people recorded swimming or intending to swim at just 14 of the water company’ 130 reservoirs in a seven-day period.
The incidents were recorded between 11 and 18 July at a handful of reservoirs, despite continued warnings from Yorkshire Water and emergency services across the region about the dangers of open water.
Gaynor Craigie, head of land and property at Yorkshire Water, said:
“The last week has tragically seen four people lose their lives in open water in our region, following on from a further four fatalities earlier in the year.
“Our sites have seen a dramatic increase in people swimming, particularly during the recent warm weather, with our teams speaking to almost 800 people intending to swim at just a handful of our sites, including young unaccompanied children. We know the true number of people entering reservoirs across the region will be much greater and we would urge people not to take risks by getting into the water for any reason.
“There are several risks associated with open water at reservoirs, which are often underestimated, and pose a potential risk to life. These include cold water shock, unseen objects, the hazards of operational machinery and the underwater currents they cause. We would urge people not to underestimate these dangers and to speak to their children about the risks of entering open water.”
Yorkshire Water is holding discussions with a range of organisations responsible for watercourses, as well as the emergency services and wild swimming groups, to work together to warn of the dangers of open water and keep people safe.
The water company also hosted events with schools in Yorkshire to raise awareness of the dangers of entering open water.
Dare you enter Armley Park, Gotts Park and Bramley Fall Park this summer holiday?
Children are being encouraged to walk amongst dinosaurs this summer across some of the city’s green spaces, thanks to the help of the Love Exploring App.
Leeds City Council are launching the app to help change how people enjoy parks across Leeds for years to come. Utilising augmented reality, the app will bring parks and locations across the city alive, populating them with interactive dinosaurs and walking trails.
Designed for all ages, the Love Exploring app is set to engage adults and children with their local parks and green spaces, inspiring them to get outdoors and be active.
The app has been introduced after city wide research showed that that people want to be active, but environmental barriers such as cost, lack of transport or lack of equipment often gets in the way.
Free to download and easily accessible to anyone with a smart phone, the Love Exploring app will allow residents to connect in a unique and engaging way with their local green spaces and kickstart a habit of walking that will help them stay active in the long term.
The Dinosaur Safaris will be available from tomorrow (23 July 2021) at Cross Flatts, Middleton and Gotts Park and a further four parks (including Bramley Fall) as well as the Leeds waterfront, just in time for the summer holidays.
Tom Matthews, the creator of the Love Exploring app, said:
“As a father, I am always on the lookout for good activities that we can enjoy as a family. Parks have so many stories to tell but they aren’t always easy to discover. The Love Exploring app uncovers the stories and then presents them in ways for everyone to enjoy.
“I wanted to ensure that Love Exploring was an app that both children and adults could engage with. Whether you’re a child looking for fun and games such as a treasure hunt or hide and seek, or you’re an adult that simply wants to explore the history of your local park and its nature trails, our app brings the park to life through sounds and games, taking you on a visual and immersive journey – all from the palm of your hand.”
For more information about the Love Exploring app and how you can get involved this summer, please visit this website.
Full list of parks where the Love Exploring app is initially launching is:
