An independent Farsley brewery has launched a crowdfunding appeal to expand its taproom and kitchen collaboration.
Amity Brew Co is looking to raise £50,000 as part of its ‘FAMITY’ reward scheme, supporting a major refurbishment of its Farsley taproom at Sunny Bank Mills.
The transformation, set to launch in summer 2025, will see the space evolve into a full-time hospitality venue, offering all-day food and an enhanced customer experience.
The ambitious project will include a complete refit of the lower level brewery space.
A key change is the introduction of a brand-new kitchen in partnership with James Ooi, the innovative concept from the founder of Little Bao Boy.
The revamped taproom will also boast increased seating, additional toilet facilities and a dedicated upstairs event and workspace.
As Amity Brew Co relocates its brewing operations three miles down the road to Greengates, this move presents an exciting opportunity to transform the Farsley venue into a vibrant, all-day community hub.
“Our taproom is going to fulfil its beery destiny as a true centre for our community,” said Verity Clarke at Amity Brew Co. “This isn’t just about expanding our space—it’s about creating a welcoming destination for beer lovers, foodies, and local businesses alike.”
Supporters of the FAMITY crowdfunder will receive exclusive perks, including a lifetime 10% discount on purchases at the Amity Taproom and online shop, 120% of their donation back in bar credits, a digital credit card to track and redeem rewards and a new loyalty scheme redeemable for future drinks at the Farsley or new Greengates taproom.
Russ Clarke, Co-Founder of Amity Brew Co., added: “This project is more than just a refurbishment; it’s about bringing people together over great beer in a space designed for our community.”
Richard Degnan, Co-Founder of Amity Brew Co., commented: “Our first crowdfunder back in 2022 overfunded by 180% and is still talked about today by our customers as they really appreciated the chance to be actively involved in our growth.
“We hope in these challenging times that this crowdfund is just as successful, but we’re not taking anything for granted!”
For more information or to contribute, visit the crowdfunder here.
Horsforth’s town and city councillors have expressed concern after a developer appealed against the refusal of housing plans on land next to Wood Lane.
The most recent application was submitted last May and subsequently refused by Leeds City Council in July. An appeal against refusal was recently submitted to an independent planning inspector for consideration.
The application is for nine dwellings and access at land near Wood Lane and Cragg Hill Farm. The land has not been used since 1978 when it was a “council waste tip in a former quarry”.
Horsforth town councillors released a detailed statement regarding their concerns with the application and subsequent appeal: “This land lies within the boundaries of the Town Council and therefore falls within the remit of our Neighbourhood Plan.
“We are against the proposals put forward by the applicant. We support the planning refusal put forward by Leeds City Council.
“We believe this appeal should be framed in the context of the application to construct nine dwellings only, and not the previously approved sports hall (which the Town Council considers an aberration of the planning process).
“We are concerned about the suitability of Wood Lane to handle the additional traffic generated by the development. We believe that the proposed access road is unfit for purpose. Not only is the lane of insufficient width, it is not suitable for this volume of traffic. We believe the additional risk to the houses on Craggwood Road (due to the sheer drop below the wall) is unacceptable.
“In addition we are concerned that the development is contrary to the made Horsforth Neighbourhood Plan.
“The proposed development lies within the Cragg hill and Woodside Conservation Area. Policy BE1 of the adopted Neighbourhood Plan states that future proposals respect the importance of green space in the character area. The plan also requires that mid distance views (including along Wood Lane) be respected.
“Given this development would occupy a key green space, and would be visible in these key views, we must object to this development on this principle as there would be significant harm to the character and conservation area which would be outweighed by the benefit of any additional housing.
“The proposal also runs counter to policy H6 of the plan – the housing as currently described is unlikely to be suitable for the elderly or for assisted living, nor are they likely to be starter homes for young people. We must therefore object on this principle.
“The policy also does not compliment policy TT3 of the plan – the development would obstruct several non-definitive footpaths that run across the land, without securing a commitment to creating protected public rights of way. Wood Lane is also a public bridleway and the increase in traffic along this public right of way would bring users into conflict. We must therefore object on this principle.
“We trust that the adopted Neighbourhood Plan will be used in the decision making by the inspector.”
Cllr Ray Jones (Lan, Horsforth) expressed the views of Horsforth’s city councillors on the matter. He said: “The Horsforth ward city councillors fully support the position of the Town Council and have also made written representations against the appeal. In our view the development is wholly unsuitable.”
Town planner Jennifer Hubbard is the agent acting on behalf of the applicant, Mr Machell. She said: “I think the thing we’re most concerned about is that there hasn’t been any engagement with Leeds City Council at all.
“We resubmitted the proposals because we weren’t entirely sure they’d been completely understood by anybody really and particularly the proposals to make available a large part of the site for public open space.
“We had no reaction at all from the City Council or the Town Council or any local organisations. We had to proceed [on the basis] that nobody wanted the land to become public open space. We can’t do anymore than say come and talk to us and nobody has.”
Ms Hubbard went on to discuss the issue of footpaths across the land.
“The council believed that the public footpaths had been created over time across the site through usage,” she added.
“Mr Machell has documentary evidence of making it clear to the public that it was private land and that they were trespassing so the council haven’t sought to confirm their view by trying to put these routes on their register of public footpaths. But again as part of the proposals we said that we would provide a public route across the land that’s not going to be developed, but nobody has responded to that either.”
Ms Hubbard added that there was also an issue with access to public consultation comments.
“Leeds City Council don’t put public consultation advice on the public access website. We asked for copies of public comments so that we could see if anyone was interested in the land becoming open space.
“We had to submit a freedom of information request. By the time we got the papers the application had been refused and some of the comments made were based on a misunderstanding of the proposals which is why we put the application back in again.
“The main thing is the landowner has had to go through having the application submitted twice. He’s extremely disappointed that having made proposals to have more than half of the land given over to public use with footpaths and lots of extra planting, not a single person has commented or engaged with us to discuss it. It’s disappointing more than anything else.”
The appeal refusal currently sits with the planning inspectorate in Bristol.
Comments are invited on the application before 12 March. The average decision time for appeals is 30 weeks, meaning a decision could be reached by November.
Background
Previous applications relating to the land go back to 1990.
An application from June 2023, almost identical to the current application, was refused the following month but no appeal was submitted.
The Reverend Nathanael Poole at St John's Church, Farsley.
By John Baron
A vicar has swapped a church in a former Bradford city centre nightclub for village life in Farsley.
The Reverend Nathanael Poole has taken up the post at St John’s Church in Farsley following a decade in Bradford.
His work saw him establish the new Fountains Church in a former nightclub, which has space for 800 people. He has also raised money to invest into a new heating system for St Mary’s in Frizinghall.
A poster outside St John’s Church. Photo: John Baron
The Rev Poole, 32, only moved to Farsley with his two young children a couple of weeks ago but is already enjoying life in the village, which he says is very different to his previous ministries.
“Both Fountains and St Mary’s were very different – coming to Farsley I feel like the Vicar of Dibley!” he joked.
“I love the village feel, and the restaurants and cafes and the feel of the place. I’ve received nothing but goodwill and it seems like people love living here and are really proud of their community.”
It’s that community spirit that Rev Poole is looking to tap into, He has been visiting local groups and businesses, like the butchers, to introduce himself – and he’s also on a mission to draw younger people to the church.
‘I would love the church to become more confident in itself, I believe in God and His ability to transform lives and I would love to see that happen in Farsley,” he said.
“I’d love to see young families and young people more actively involved with the church. I love music, it draws me in to the church and I think that will play a big part. Farsley is well known for its creativity and I’d love to use some of that creativity to draw people in, whether it’s an open mic session at somewhere like Amity Brewery or Christmas carols in a pub.
“I believe a lot of people would come to church if they were invited. Jesus said ‘come and see’ and I’d like to say that to the people of Farsley and Rodley: ‘Come and see what we have to offer’.”
The Rev Poole is hoping to tap into the existing spirituality of younger people.
He is trying not to change anything in his first 100 days in charge as he adjusts to life in the village, but is already keen to support and grow the Church in Rodley, which currently has a small but loyal band of worshippers.
He added: “From what I have seen, Farsley is an exciting place to live and I look forward to seeing what the Lord might do in the community. I am praying that we will grow together as a church and we will be able to join in with some really effective mission to Farsley and Rodley.”
The church wardens from St John’s Farsley welcomed his appointment. They said: “We are thrilled that Nathanael has joined us and we are excited by his passion for helping more people to join us in church and finding new ways of supporting the community.
“We hope that he will soon become a very familiar face to people in both Farsley and Rodley and look forward to the start of his ministry with us.”
There was a good turnout for the first community conversation event hosted by Horsforth Climate Action at St Margaret’s Parish Centre last week.
The event “Community Conversation – Air Quality and Community Action” was well attended and featured presentations from noted figures on the subject followed by group discussions on the subject.
Dr Jim McQuaid from the University of Leeds was the first speaker on the night. Dr McQuaid works in the Faculty of Environment and is an expert in air pollution and air quality amongst various other subjects.
Following that Andrew White from Leeds City Council spoke about the council’s Air Quality Strategy, looking at the three main pillars of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth and net zero (carbon).
A lively discussion followed the presentations with a number of interesting points being raised on people’s concerns for the environment.
Asked which air quality issue concerned them most, those present raised issues including transport and its impact on active travel, traffic and pollution from traffic, Leeds Bradford Airport, wealth inequality and its impact on solutions and domestic burning and and log burners.
Actions suggested to address these issues in the community included setting up clean air zones in Horsforth, encouraging parents and children to walk to school, car share schemes, improving regularity of buses, consultation with Leeds Bradford Airport and car share schemes.
Cllr Emmie Bromley was one of those in attendance. She said: “Such a brilliant and engaging event hosted by HCA and initiated by their new member, Josh.
“It’s always great to hear that Leeds City Council are rated highly on the Climate Emergency Declaration however discussions and engagement like this allow for grassroot input and the building of energy needed for changes that are really needed for sustainable achievement long term. A few points arose that I’ll be able to take along to Horsforth Town Council also.”
Jenny Morgan from Horsforth Climate Action said they were pleased with how the event had gone.
“This was the first “Community Conversation” event that we have held, and we felt it went really well,” Jenny said. “We hope to hold more in the future and are happy to take any suggestions for future events.
“A special thank you to our two speakers Jim McQuaid from University of Leeds and Andrew White from Leeds City Council, and to all our volunteers who helped make the evening such a success.”
Horsforth Climate Action are one of eight climate action hubs in the city set up to tackle climate issues on a local level. They’re involved in a variety of projects in Horsforth such as the community composting collective at Drury Field amongst others, and also organise the monthly HCA Saturdays and Repair Cafe events.
They are always looking for more volunteers. To get involved get in touch with them via email on hub@horsforthclimateaction.org.
The first Saturday of the month is always a busy one in Horsforth with three popular events taking place.
Horsforth Farmers’ Market takes place at St Margaret’s School between 9am and 12.30pm. And this month there are a variety of guest stalls and music.
This month’s community guest is Cookridge and Horsforth U3A who will be based in the lower market and music this month will be provided by Richard Stirland.
As well as the regular stallholders providing a range of food and drink, there will be guest stalls from a variety of providers. Olgish Cakes, specialising in Ukrainian cakes, will be there as will Olianas Coffee.
Thistlemist Farm sell homemade soups and sauces and Yorkshire Dama cheese are local purveyors of Yorkshire halloumi. Horsforth Brewery will be there with their selection of fine ales as will Melanie’s Chocolates.
Meanwhile Horsforth Climate Action will be holding their community events in St Margarets Church and Parish Centre.
This month’s Horsforth Climate Action Saturday event is Get Growing between 2pm and 4pm in St Margaret’s Church.
There will be a seed swap, children’s art activity, a video game which explores the unseen world of soil, composting and gardening giveaways.
Next door in the Parish Centre the Repair Cafe invites people to bring their items for fixing. Taking place between 1pm and 4pm people are invited to bring all manner of items to be fixed from clothing to electronic equipment, toys to tv remotes.
Unfortunately they are unable to fix bikes due to the hall not being suitable. If you are bringing an item such as a kitchen appliance or garden equipment please ensure it is clean.
The cafe is free but if a part is required that may have to be charged for and cash and card payments are available. There will be refreshments available too while you wait.
Pioneering paint re-use social enterprise, Seagulls, is celebrating 20 years helping people to access recycled low-cost paint to redecorate their homes and upcycle their furniture.
The social enterprise started as an idea thought up between two friends around a kitchen table in Burley, about how to support the environment and make a positive difference to the local community.
Fast forward 20 years and the social enterprise has helped provide countless people with work-based training and volunteering opportunities alongside transforming several community spaces in to bright, positive and welcoming places.
Working in partnership with Leeds City Council, the first paint collection container went on to Pudsey household waste and recycling centre in 2005. Since then, Seagulls has:
Recycled over 2,085,889 litres of paint, enough to fill 6 swimming pools or the weight of 750 elephants!
Provided 4325 volunteer hours in 2024
Provided over £1million of social impact to Leeds residents in 2024 through volunteering, environmental benefits and cheap paint
To help reduce the millions of litres of paint that are wasted in the UK each year, Leeds residents can drop off their unused paint in the bright pink Seagulls containers at any of the eight recycling centres around Leeds.
The paint is recycled and can be purchased at a low-price from Seagulls Paint Store at 129 Water Lane.
Cat Hyde, co-founder at Seagulls said: “The last 20 years has been a rollercoaster of a ride, navigating Boxing Day floods on Kirkstall Road, Covid, and the cost of living crisis but we are still here and thriving which is an amazing achievement for Seagulls and worth every moment of celebration.
“I feel extremely proud that we run Seagulls with people and planet at our heart and continue to grow and thrive.’’
The social enterprise was based on Kirkstall Road for many years.
Seagulls marked their birthday with a celebration at the Grangefield Industrial Estate in Pudsey on Wednesday.
Some of the attendees of a community reporters' training course. Peter is pictured far left. Photo: John Baron
Updated: 8 March with new date.
If you’d like to get more involved in what’s going on locally, our free West Leeds Dispatch community reporters’ beginners’ training course could be right up your street.
The friendly and informal course runs over six, weekly sessions and offers a friendly and fun introduction to writing articles, taking photos and interviewing – as well as offering wider help and guidance on everything you need to know to be a community reporter. We can even help with spelling and grammar!
Swinnow Community Centre
Our free course is aimed at beginners interested in telling the story of their community and runs over six, two-hour sessions at Swinnow Community Centre.
There will be refreshments, cake and biscuits – and it looks great on your CV as you will learn transferable skills you can take into employment or studying. We hope you’ll go on to contribute many articles for us.
Community reporters on our course in Armley. Photo: John Baron
They’re run by West Leeds Dispatch editor John Baron, a journalist with 30 years’ experience who has worked for a variety of local newspapers as well as The Guardian.
At the end of it, you’ll become part of the Dispatch family of community reporters and earn a community reporters’ ‘press card’ and lanyard, as well as gain increased skills and confidence.
Our latest course starts from Wednesday, 2 April (7-9pm) and runs for six sessions finishing on Wednesday, 7 May. Sessions run at Swinnow Community Centre, Swinnow Lane, Leeds LS13 4RF.
Multi-million pound savings to help the local authority balance its budget have been agreed by councillors.
Leeds City Council will reduce spending by almost £104m by the end of the next financial year.
Job losses and the sale of buildings were among measures discussed at a full council meeting.
The future of 56 children’s centres will be put under review and council tax is set to rise by 4.99 per cent.
Leeds Council leader – Labour’s Cllr James Lewis
Councillor James Lewis, leader of the Labour-run council, said: “Councils are required to set a balanced budget. If councils can’t, then the power to make decisions is taken away from them.”
Councillors were told the rising cost of looking after vulnerable children and adult social care were among the main cost pressures.
Coun Lewis, who represents Kippax and Methley, said: “This is the legacy we are dealing with. The cost of supporting the most vulnerable continues to grow.”
The council proposed to close Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall, and reduce funding for neighbourhood networks, which help elderly people live independently, by ten per cent. But those measures were avoided after an extra £67m in central government funding for Leeds was announced.
Deputy council leader Debra Coupar said the financial situation facing councils was expected to improve.
She said: “We are finally in a position where we’ve got more money from government than we expected.”
The council will press ahead with the closure of the city’s Child Bereavement Support Service. A contract with Child Bereavement UK to support families will not be renewed.
Coun Lewis said other services run by charities in Leeds would continue to support youngsters and parents.
More than 60 amendments to the council’s budget proposals were tabled by opposition councillors at the meeting at Leeds Civic Hall.
The council was asked to scrap parking charges at parks around the district and outsource services to cut costs. But all the alternative proposals were voted down.
Councillor Alan Lamb, leader of the city’s Conservative group, said: “The council has become too big, too bossy and too bureaucratic.
“Our services are struggling, our roads are crumbling and people feel they are paying more while getting less.”
The meeting was told the equivalent of more than 230 jobs would be lost at the council, mainly through voluntary redundancies.
Rachel Reeves visits Pudsey Sixth Form College during construction.
Leeds West and Pudsey MP Rachel Reeves has toured the construction site of the new Pudsey Sixth Form College and met with prospective students.
The new college, expected to host around 700 learners off Kent Road, is set to open its doors to its first cohort of students in September this year.
Funding has been sourced through a £12.7 million loan from the Department for Education.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was ‘delighted’ to see the progress made in building the new college in her constituency.
“Speaking to future Pudsey Sixth Form College students while on the visit, their positivity around being able to remain in the local area to attend sixth form was clear,” Ms Reeves added.
“Without the creation of this large new sixth form college, many prospective students would instead have to travel further afield for their sixth form education.”
Rachel Reeves visits prospective students at the college.
Once operational, Pudsey Sixth Form College will not only ensure that young people have additional learning opportunities but it will also release capacity in partner schools.
Partner schools include Crawshaw Academy, Co-op Academy Priesthorpe and Leeds West Academy, along with Leeds Sixth Form College and Leeds City College.
Phil Mark, principal of Pudsey Sixth Form College, said: “It is exciting to think that in a few months Pudsey Sixth Form College will begin its role providing the young people of Pudsey and the surrounding area with educational opportunities leading to employment or further study.
“Drawing on links with Leeds City College and Leeds Sixth Form College, this new sixth form in Pudsey will be able to expertly provide both academic and technical courses for young people.”
Steve Ford, regional managing director of Caddick Construction Yorkshire & North East, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome prospective students and local figureheads to the site to see the progress we are making.
“This project is not just about the building; it’s about giving local people the educational resources to help them succeed, contributing to a thriving community. We’re grateful for Rachel Reeves’ interest and support, and we look forward to continuing our work to welcome new students to the project later this year.”
The site of a new Burger King drive-thru restaurant in Kirkstall. Photo: Google
Fast food giant Burger King has applied for planning permission to put up new signs at its planned £2 million drive thru restaurant in Kirkstall.
Full planning permission for the new restaurant at Kirkstall Retail Park was granted by Leeds City Council last October, despite concerns around traffic. The plot is based next to Matalan.
Burger King has this week applied to Leeds City Council for permission to add eight illuminated fascia signs, freestanding illuminated car park signs and one totem sign.
A Horsforth community volunteer has been presented with a prestigious award acknowledging her work with several community projects in the area.
Penny Pinn was presented with the Outstanding Community Champion award by Councillor Sharon Hamilton, food champion for Leeds City Council, on Monday.
The award, presented at the Feed Leeds AGM and Local Food Growing Awards, recognises Penny’s huge contribution to a number of projects in Horsforth.
Feed Leeds are a food growing network bringing together individuals and organisations across Leeds communities to provide help and advice to growers across allotments, community plots, parks and all sorts of other places where food is grown, bringing them together in one network to feed the city.
A number of other awards were also presented on the evening to community projects and organisations involved in food growing across Leeds including Best Community Food Growing Initiative, Best Local Business Supporting Local Food Growing Enterprises and Best Community Composting Initiative.
Penny is involved in food volunteering across a variety of projects in Horsforth. As well as being the coordinator of Horsforth Community Cafe, held every Monday in St Margaret’s Parish Centre, Horsforth Community Garden, based in Horsforth Hall Park, Horsforth in Bloom, where she is involved with the edible herb beds and the community orchard, and through several projects with Horsforth Climate Action.
Having been involved in Horsforth Climate Action since its inception a few years ago her current projects with them are developing community composting sites at Inspiration Nursery/West End School and Drury Field, with another site soon to be added.
She also runs ‘Horsforth Climate Action Saturdays’ food and gardening events, including Get Growing, Green Gardening Fairs and Apple Days, where hundreds of kilos of local apples which would otherwise be wasted are juiced.
“Amongst her many associations with community life here in Horsforth Penny is involved in a number of projects connected to growing food, something she is very passionate about,” Claire said.
“On behalf of our community I would like to thank Penny for all the volunteering she does and for sharing her skills and passions with others so that we can all continue to learn and grow. What an asset to Horsforth. Thank you Penny.”
Horsforth residents are invited to share their views on car parking charges set to be introduced at Fink Hill car park.
A public consultation on the TRO (Traffic Regulation Order) is set to end on the 14 March 2025.
Cash-strapped Leeds City Council will charge motorists will get up to one hour for free, then pay £1.15 for two hours, rising to a daily maximum of £3.65. Weekly tickets will be priced at £12.15.
Blue badge holders will be exempt from the new payments.
Cllr Emmie Bromley (Lab, Horsforth) encouraged people to have their say. She said: “Please contribute to and circulate the consultation as much as possible to those who live near or use Hall Park / Fink Hill car park.
“Feedback after the last consultation from residents voiced concern that this wasn’t engaged with enough by those that live around Hall Park. I hope there will be improvement on that this time.”
Cllr Ray Jones (Lab, Horsforth) added: “I will be voting for the charges but I remain concerned about the method of how it would be implemented and this is the view of all three Horsforth ward city councillors.”
Leader of the opposition, Cllr Alan Lamb (Cons), a vocal opponent of the charges and ward councillor for Wetherby, another of the areas affected by the introduction of such charges, urged the public to make their feelings known.
“I want to urge everyone to make their own views known on this proposal by contacting the Council during the consultation period,” he said. “Personally, I believe this will be hugely damaging to our local high streets and businesses, and is incredibly myopic. We need to be encouraging visitors, not giving them excuses to go elsewhere.”
Parking charges will also be introduced on Netherfield Road in Guiseley, Barleyhill Road in Garforth, Marsh Street in Rothwell and Wilderness and Station Gardens in Wetherby.
Full details of the proposals including a plan showing the affected areas are available by emailing districtcarparks@leeds.gov.uk.
Objections and representations regarding the TRO should be made in writing by post to Parking Services, Leeds City Council, PO Box 139, Leeds, LS9 1AA. Or via email to districtcarparks@leeds.gov.uk stating the specific grounds for objection.
Objections or representations must be made no later than 14 March 2025.
