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‘Pudsey won’t be the same’ – customers praise ‘outstanding’ tea shop owner

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Old Booths Tea Rooms on Lowtown, Pudsey. Photo: Google

The owner of a popular Pudsey tea room has been praised for her time serving the community as she prepares to take a well-earned rest.

Olde Booths Tea Rooms, on Lowtown, Pudsey, has been put up for sale by owner Julie Pearson for an asking price of £39,950.

Julie has run the tea room for 30 years – and news of her selling the business has resulted in an outpouring of appreciation for her services to the town.

One customer called for public recognition of the efforts her – and her mum – have put in over the years. She wrote: “We have been going to the tea room for over 25 years, and Julie has been there for over 29 years, my heart goes out to her as an outstanding member of our local community.

“I know she’s hasn’t taken the decision to pack up lightly. She support the Pudsey Lottery and has three awards for the finest cafe in the area. She’s an ear to lean on, has calmed many trouble customers, and given so much advice over many years.

“Julie has many devout followers and we don’t want to see her go.”

Carol Hodgson posted on social media: “Really sad to hear. Pudsey won’t be the same without you all. Fabulous tea shop! Wonderful atmosphere, excellent staff and brilliant food. Wishing you all the best ladies.”

Jane Chamberlain added: “All the best for the future. I came here with my husband a few years ago to show him round the area and to see my mum’s old house. It brought back happy memories coming here with my mum and my two girls.

“All the staff were so friendly and kind and the food was amazing, as were the cakes. Good luck.”

Helen Garrand said: “I am so sad to hear this. As you say, you need to concentrate on your health and retirement. You have been a second family to me. Thank you for everything, I will miss you all.”

Helen’s friend, Julie Botham, added: “I totally understand and you look after yourself. I can only say that when I did my 15 years at adult social care at the Town Hall you actually saved my days. I used to escape to you.”

Local politicians have also paid tribute. Councillor Dawn Seary (Cons, Pudsey) added: “So sorry to hear this. The bar is set high for new owners, I hope you have a wonderful retirement, you will be missed.”

And Cllr Trish Smith (Ind, Pudsey) said: “Genuinely gutted to have seen this but you deserve your rest. Thank you for everything you’ve done for so long.

” I’m sure we’ll still have you there for a little while yet though (I certainly hope so) but I would like to wish you both all the very best. You will be so missed.”

Owner Julie confirmed on social media that, with regret, the tea rooms were up for sale, describing her business as: “Our little baby and pride and joy.”

She added: “It’s not a decision that we have come to lightly.

“We have had 29 amazing years and you never know we might have another 29 as nobody might want our baby, but if they do fingers crossed it stays the same.”

Horsforth banking hub plans gather pace

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Closing: The Halifax branch in Horsforth. Photo: Google

By John Baron

Town councillors have heard moves to introduce a banking hub in Horsforth have been gathering pace.

In January Lloyds Bank Group announced plans to close its Halifax branch, giving 12 months’ notice on their Town Street building. This led to LINK and Cash Access UK announcing plans to introduce a banking hub following the departure of the last banking hub in the town.

Banking hubs are shared banking spaces, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to all banking customers. The hub would include an ATM and a cash deposit and withdrawal service for personal current accounts and businesses, operating from 9am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays. 

Councillors at last night’s Horsforth Town Council finance and general purposes committee heard that representatives from Cash Access had been in touch and were actively looking for potential bases in the town.

“They seem keen to find somewhere,” said Councillor John Garvani (Broadfields ward).

He said a number of buildings were being considered for the facility but said Cash Access, which is operated by the UK’s major banks, were not keen on taking on a short term commercial lease to use the former Santander banking building.

Cllr Garvani said if a suitable building was not found that Cash Access was keen to use a venue which may already be operated by an independent business and possibly share facilities and do ‘drop in sessions’.

“I thought it might take eight months, but it seems to be suddenly coming together,” he added.

Meetings with Cash Access were due to be held in coming weeks to help identify a venue.

Horsforth Town Council chair Simon Dowling said: “It’s great that Horsforth has been considered for a banking hub. When I first looked at this five years ago it was a case of ‘not on your nelly’.”

WLD first reported on the hub plans in January.

At the time Dr Chris Ashton, Chief Commercial Officer at LINK, said: “While more people are choosing to bank and pay for things digitally, we know that many people still rely and choose to use cash and face-to-face banking. 

“That’s why we’re delighted to recommend a new hub in Horsforth. There are over one hundred hubs open across the country and when it opens, the Horsforth banking hub will be vital for the local community and high street.” 

An opening date for the Horsforth banking hub has yet to be set.

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Horsforth: Start date revealed for new community hub

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Town Council: The Green, Horsforth. Photo: Google

By John Baron

Work on converting a stone Victorian semi-detached property in Horsforth into a £290,000 community hub is set to start early next month.

Councillors on Horsforth Town Council’s finance and general purposes committee last night heard work on the long-awaited facility, at 3 The Green, would hopefully start on Monday, 7 April.

The building, next to Horsforth Village Museum, will become a new community space with a large meeting and conference room on the ground floor which will have capacity for up to 80 people.

There will be a new kitchen and new toilet facilities, one of which will be a Changing Places room, for people with disabilities.

There will be a lift from the ground floor to the first floor which, as well a providing access to the new town council offices, will also be accessible for Horsforth Museum next door.

Councillor John Garvani.

Councillor John Garvani (Broadfields ward) said work would take 12 weeks and he hoped the building would be up and running for the summer holidays.

“Things are starting to move,” he added.

Cllr Simon Dowling.

Council leader Simon Dowling (Broadfields) said it was hoped events like community cafes and information days could be held in the new building.

Cllr Dowling said: “We hope this will be a facility for the community, by the community.”

Last night’s finance and general purposes committee meeting was held in Horsforth Museum. The agenda can be read here.

History

The pair of stone Victorian semi-detached properties started life as a gentleman’s house and a vicarage. The buildings have had several uses over the decades. One of them was once a pub.

The two buildings were knocked together and became the buildings for the former Horsforth Urban District Council. In 1974 the buildings were handed over to Leeds City Council for their use.

Number 5 is the home of the Village Museum, which leases the building from the Town Council, and number 3 is currently vacant.

The process to acquire the buildings took the Town Council longer than initially expected but in May 2022, the transfer of the three properties was completed.

Horsforth Town Council has taken out a loan in order to purchase the buildings and complete most of the internal modifications required, along with using Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding.

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30-year minimum sentence for murderer of Claudiu-Carol Kondor

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A man convicted of the murder of delivery driver Claudiu-Carol Kondor in Armley has today been given a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years.

Mark Ross, aged 32, was found guilty by a majority verdict at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday of the murder of 42-year-old Claudiu, who was fatally injured in a collision in Heights Drive on August 20 last year.

Ross had stolen his van while Claudiu made a delivery in Alliance Street, Armley, and deliberately crashed it into a parked car causing him catastrophic injuries after he clung to the open passenger door of the vehicle as Ross sped off.

Tragic: Claudiu-Carol Kondor

Claudiu’s death was the subject of a murder enquiry by detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team. Over the course of the investigation, detectives seized and viewed about 110 hours of CCTV footage, recovered 368 exhibits and took 113 statements.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: “It is truly heart-breaking that the life of an honest hard-working man has been snatched away by the cruel and callous actions of Mark Ross.

“Through the hard work, dedication and commitment of everyone involved, from those initial attending officers, the public providing information and CCTV, to the analytical and support staff and the detectives there throughout the investigation to its conclusion at court, we have been able to provide justice for Claudiu and his family.”

In a victim impact statement to the court, Claudiu’s fiancée Mariana Gheorghe said: “I don’t know how I will live without him. Everything seems so difficult to me. I’m still shocked and confused by everything that happened, and I miss him very much.

“I lost the person with whom I planned my whole future. With the loss of Claudiu, his desire to work was also lost because he loved his delivery job, the dream of getting married, buying a house in England, retiring and living a quiet life died.

“We didn’t want to return to Romania, all our plans were based on life in England. I see myself forced to leave England, the country that adopted me five years ago, the country where I found love, the country that offered me a good life, a better life, without worrying about tomorrow.

“Both me and Claudiu are the kind of people who like to work and built their lives and dreams from honest work and on their own. England, the country that offered me love, peace of mind, many joys, many moments that I once only dreamed of, that offered me mental and financial comfort, now offers me insecurity, fear and loneliness. Yes, the loneliness is the reason why I am forced to leave England.

“Now I see myself forced to return to Romania, with a broken heart, alone without Claudiu, with empty hands, without a plan for the future, without dreams, without desires, a new life that I have to start from scratch.

“To Claudiu, life has been beautiful since I met you, you left such a big mark on my heart that I feel you next to me wherever I go. I miss you, I miss us.

“I wish I could turn back time, to be able to feel happiness, love, safety, hope and dreams again with Claudiu.

“I want him (Ross) to receive the punishment he deserves and, more than that, to learn his lesson that in the current situation, those who suffer the most are not to blame for his lifestyle, but these people pay with their lives and through their suffering a price they did not deserve to pay.” 

Action day to improve Farsley Celtic’s ground

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The Citadel is the home of Farsley Celtic. Photo: Kelvin Wakefield

Supporters and members of the wider community are being invited to an action day to help Farsley Celtic’s ground meet FA ground grading requirements.

Farsley Celtic Supporters’ Club is holding a day of action at The Citadel this Sunday (March 16) in a bid to help get the facilities up to required standards.

The club said: “Some of the work has already started and we will also be holding an action day at The Citadel on Sunday where we hope to get as many supporters and community members to help out at the ground. 

“Any help people can provide to carry out some general tidying up or painting the hatchings around the ground would be very welcome. There’s also a wall to take down in the referee’s room and we need a joiner to fit a couple of locks in the changing rooms.

“There are lots of different jobs available to suit people of all ages and abilities.”

Volunteers are being encouraged to turn up and lend a hand from 10am.

It’s been a tumultuous season for the troubled Celts, who haven’t played a game in Farsley for almost 11 months due to delays installing a new artificial pitch.

They are playing home games 70 miles away in Buxton and sit bottom of National League North, with relegation likely. Plans for a new artificial pitch, which would have provided a major new revenue stream for the club, have now been shelved.

The grass pitch at The Citadel was ripped up last summer. But the work to install a 4G pitch was beset with delays and those plans were shelved last month.

Chairman and owner Paul Barthorpe left the football club side of the business last month – which trades as FC2010 Ltd – leaving four directors (Paul Glover, Josh Greaves, John Stubbs and Jon Wickham) to run the club.

Barthorpe’s resignation was confirmed on Companies House last week, although he still still chairs FC 2010 Holdings Ltd, a separate company which owns the ground.

In a club statement, the directors described the past few weeks since Barthorpe’s resignation as ‘relentless’. They said: “As a board we are continuing to look at ways to bring in fresh funding into the club and ensure some stability moving forward.

“We have been meeting various potential funders [regarding the pitch], including the Football Foundation, as well as contractors and the league. Those discussions are complex and take time, but are progressing and are our priority.

“We hope to make a positive announcement regarding a new grass pitch once everything is in place.”

The statement commercial brochures had been circulated to businesses in Farsley and beyond. Any com apnoeas interested in becoming a partner should contact Jonathan Wickham on jon@farsleyceltic.com.

A crowdfunder aimed at securing the immediate future of the club has so far raised more than £13,500. The crowdfunder can be found here.

The Celts play league leaders Scunthorpe United at Buxton tomorrow as they look to secure their first win since Boxing Day.

Would you like to live at LILAC co-housing community?

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lilac leeds 1

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LILAC’s pioneering co-housing community is vibrant and friendly community of 32 adults and 12 children and young people based in West Leeds – and it is seeking new tenants.

Residents are community-focused and committed to a greener future.

LILAC currently has three vacancies; a two-bedroom, first-floor flat with balcony, a one-bedroom, first-floor flat with balcony and a one-bedroom, second-floor flat with balcony.

lilac leeds 3
View: Lilac wants to hear from you.

Five adult members and two children are moving on and to re-balance the multi-generational community they are are particularly looking for younger adults and children, though not exclusively.

LILAC stands for ‘Low Impact Living Affordable Community’, and tenants live across 20 straw bale homes. There is also a common house and shared facilities and gardens. Established in 2013 in Kirkstall, LILAC are a cooperative and a ‘Mutual Home Ownership Society’, meaning members own LILAC together.

Community: LILAC members on an away weekend.

All applicants must:

  • Want to live in and fully contribute to a community.
  • Wholeheartedly support LILAC’s vision, values and aims.
  • Be able to pay the deposit and meet other necessary financial criteria.
  • Fully engage with the recruitment process, so everyone gets to know each other.

More about capacity and skills:

LILAC thrives on the participation, socialising and the work of itsmembers. It is important that you have enthusiasm for active involvement and see Lilac as place to live in the medium to long term.

The community needs a broad range of people and skills across our task teams which include: finance, secretarial/legal, landscape, maintenance, food, common house, process and learning teams.

A spokesperson said: “We believe that we all bring our own unique contribution, and we recognise that our energy and capacity naturally varies at different stages in our lives.”

lilac leeds 2
Fancy moving into LILAC? Now’s your chance!

All applicants must:

  • Want to live in and fully contribute to a community.
  • Wholeheartedly support our vision, values and aims.
  • Be able to pay the deposit and meet other necessary financial criteria.
  • Fully engage with our recruitment process, so that we all get to know each other.

If you are interested in join gin the LILAC community, expressions of interest should be made As soon as possible.

There will be an open day on 29 March 2025, and an applicants day (induction) 12 April, deadline for applications is 24 April.

  • More information about living at LILAC, and full details on cost and how to apply can be found here.


New Farnley decorator paints his way to greener future

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A national trade body has shone a spotlight on a New Farnley painter and decorator who has placed protecting the environment at the core of his business.

The Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) created a case study about PDA member Anthony Wade of Sprayform Painting and Decorating Ltd – winner of the PDA Premier Trophy Award for Small Contractor 2024.

Anthony is a member of PDA’s sustainability initiative Paint Green and has been taking strides to reduce his environmental impact, including a water filtration system of his own invention.

Now, Anthony, whose business has won six industry awards over the years, is sharing his journey with fellow painters and decorators across the UK. He said: “My business, my clients and my wellbeing have all benefitted from moving in an eco-friendly direction.

“I’ve looked at various aspects of my business and found ways to reduce my environmental impact, from using water-based coatings and low-pressure spray machines to choosing compostable dust sheets and creating my own filtration system for paint wastewater in my back garden.

“I was delighted to win the Small Contractor category at the Premier Trophy Awards. I knew I was up against some of the best decorators in the country, and I think it was the combination of a high-quality job with all the environmental work I’ve been doing that impressed the judges.

“To then be asked to feature in a PDA case study for Paint Green is really exciting.”

An estimated 55 million litres of excess paint is generated each year in the UK – and much of it ends up in landfill or being disposed of as hazardous waste.

It’s believed that only around two per cent of left-over decorative paint is reused – by Leeds-based recycling social enterprise Seagulls, for instance – or remanufactured.

The PDA’s Paint Green initiative encourages Association members to take their first steps towards sustainability and commit to reducing waste and recording their efforts year-on-year.

PDA Chief Executive, Neil Ogilvie, said: “PDA members who sign up to our Paint Green scheme make a pledge to drive down waste by reducing, reusing or recycling paint and paint containers.

“By sharing his experiences in the case study, Anthony is demonstrating how an innovative approach to sustainability can make a real difference.”

Read the case study about Anthony here.

Wyther Lane Bridge repair work to start next week

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wyther lane bridge
Wyther Lane Bridge in 2021. Photo: Paul Chatterton

By John Baron

Contractors will be working to secure damaged Wyther Lane Bridge next Monday – but it could be several weeks before the bridge is reopened.

Leeds City Council says contractors will be on site from Monday, 17 March and that work to repair the bridge – which was damaged after being hit by a vehicle last week – will take three to five days.

Once the bridge – which is the responsibility of the Canal and River Trust – repairs are completed, the council’s highways department will put additional measures in place to reduce the likelihood of bridge strikes in the future.

Thos measures – as yet unspecified – will take a further two weeks after which the council hopes the bridge should be in a position to reopen in early April.

In 2021 Wyther Lane Bridge was closed between March and December following a crash which caused damage to the bridge over the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Horsforth: Police crack down on anti-social behaviour

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Photo: Google

Police in Horsforth have urged people to report issues with an anti-social behaviour as they continue to crack down on problems in the town.

At the end of January, police received a surge of reports regarding youth-related anti-social behaviour in and around the Horsforth Hall Park, Town Street and Drury Fields areas. 

A dispersal order was implemented on 18 February, which allowed police powers to disperse anyone seen to be causing anti-social behaviour, with a power of arrest attached should they return. 

Police are still investigating incidents, with some offenders having attended Police stations for interviews. 

A police spokesperson said: “We carried out an environmental audit of the area, to ensure any changes to the area – such as CCTV coverage and lighting – were optimised.  

“We also identified key offenders, attending their home addresses, speaking to parents about their behaviour and delivering banning letters from local businesses. 

“We are happy to report that recent figures show a reduced amount of antisocial behaviour in the Horsforth area, however, we would ask that residents continue to report any instances of anti-social behaviour to us because without it being reported, we cannot begin to take action.”

As part of the longer-term strategy, police are working with partner agencies to identify some diversionary activities and provide educational inputs on the impacts of anti-social behaviour, drugs and knife-crime. 

Contact police

  • In an emergency dial 999. In a non-emergency dial 101 Get advice on which number to call here.

Town Street revamp on agenda at Armley Forum

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What Armley Town Street could look like at its junction with Theaker Lane.

Crime, housing and the latest on the Armley Town Street revamp consultation will be discussed at the next Armley Forum public meeting.

A public consultation was held last August into £2.9m proposals to reduce bus delays while improving the street environment for visitors and shoppers with wider pavements, planting and landscaping and more crossing points.

Highways officers will be at the meeting to discuss feedback to the consultation.

West Yorkshire Police will also be on hand to discuss crime issues in Armley, and there will also be an update from the local housing manager.

Armley Forum, which is chaired by Councillor Andy Parnham (Lab, Armley) will be held on Wednesday, 19 March at Armley Hub, Stocks Hill, 7pm-8.30pm.

Leeds arts charity shortlisted for Northern Music Award

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Leeds-based arts charity Pyramid has been shortlisted for the Flare Audio Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award at this year’s Northern Music Awards.

High Rise Music, Pyramid’s weekly group for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), is in the running for this prestigious award which aims to celebrate groups that use music, arts and culture to support people with health, wellbeing and socio-economic issues.

James Hill, Director of Pyramid, said: “We’re very proud to see our High Rise Music Group shortlisted for the Flare Audio Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award at this year’s Northern Music Awards. High Rise has, for over 15 years, enabled people with PMLD discover the joy of performing and co-producing music.”

High Rise supports people, irrespective of abilities or disabilities, to come together to create new and innovative music. Its members regularly work with professional musicians and have previously collaborated with Opera North and the Leeds Lieder Festival. The group have also produced many original musicals which have been performed in venues across Leeds, including Bramley Community Centre.

Sandy Trappitt, Director of Fundraising, Nordoff and Robbins, said: “At Nordoff and Robbins, our music therapists use the power of music to help people across the UK connect, communicate and truly express themselves.

“We included the Music and Culture for Wellbeing award as part of the Northern Music Awards, alongside our artist and industry honours, to shine a light on some amazing Northern organisations who embed creativity into their health provision. The nominations we received this year were inspiring and we look forward to announcing the winner on the night.”

The High Rise Music Group has ambitious plans to share its message of inclusivity and joy in its most recent collaboration with Leeds Lieder Festival, entitled ‘Happiness, a sharing’.

The group will perform work inspired by the theme of happiness, co-produced with Leeds Lieder musicians, at an intimate concert at Archive in Kirkstall Road on Friday, 4 April from 10am to 12pm. More details and to book tickets here.

Pyramid’s High Rise Music Group is one of six shortlisted organisations for the Flare Audio Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award. The winner will be announced at this year’s Northern Music Awards ceremony on Thursday 27 March at Liverpool Olympia.

The event also features performances from Blossoms, Lightning Seeds, The Zutons, Luvcat, Chiedu Oraka and very special guest, Dr John Cooper Clarke.

  • Tickets are available for purchase online, with prices starting at £40+ £1 venue restoration levy. 

Video: Board game launched to help prevent county lines grooming

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Lewis Edwards, of Forward Leeds, playing Nicked.

A West Leeds-based service is launching a new game to help prevent county lines grooming and child criminal exploitation.

The city’s alcohol and drug service Forward Leeds is launching Nicked on 18 March 2025, which is National Child Exploitation Awareness Day.

Forward Leeds Young People’s Group Worker, Lewis Edwards, who designed the game, said: “The game helps young people recognise warning signs that they might be being groomed.

“Child criminal exploitation can be quite similar to domestic abuse in that people don’t believe it will happen to them. It’s often a positive quality like loyalty, bravery or a willingness to protect someone that enables a young person to be manipulated”.

Lewis first had the idea to develop the game following conversations with youth workers who wanted a way to explore the topic of child exploitation in a non-confrontational and open way. Lewis has been playing a version of the game with young people’s community groups since last year and the results have been encouraging.

Staff at Restore, an alternative education provision based at CATCH in Harehills, Leeds, have already been playing the game with pupils.

Restore Mentor Becky McHale said: “When we played the game the pupils all got engaged and it gave them an opportunity to speak about things they usually wouldn’t feel comfortable speaking about with teachers. 

“For some of them they probably felt they were able to “show off” but in this context it was beneficial to the flow of the game and bringing up important risk factors that usually get hushed up.”

The game will be available for schools, youth groups and community organisations to borrow from the Public Health Resource Centre in Leeds or through Forward Leeds from 18 March 2025.

Forward Leeds has three main sites in Leeds:

Forward Leeds also runs the Leeds centre for those in recovery from substance issues, 5 WAYS to Wellbeing at The Recovery Academy in Burley.

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