IL Magazine (Issue 09)

Independent Leeds Magazine Issue 09 www.independentleeds.co.uk

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Issue 09

~ Wine Bar ~ Kitchen serving seasonal small plates ~ Wine Shop with unique range of small production, ethically sourced wines ~ Food Hall & Deli with George & Joseph cheese room and large selection of fine foods ~ Regular Tastings & Classes

A Leeds life. A city style.

As individuals, we increasingly define ourselves as representing a singular lifestyle.

Through how we look, what we do, where we live, who we know, and why we believe.

And so for all, the city must provide; fashions, foods, activities, buildings and cultures; for the high, the low, the fast and the slow. And yet, as every human is not only this, collectively we are all of this. Within one person are a thousand styles.

Within one city are a million lives. Within one magazine are these many diversities that create a Leeds lifestyle.

A Leeds Life Illustration Thom Milson  @thommilson

Front Cover Story Hana Skarratt  @hanaskillustration Hana Skarratt is a Leeds based illustrator at the College of Art. For this cover she designed 4 separate artworks of characters woven through the magazine and combined them into one piece to celebrate Leeds' diverse lifestyles coming together. The image is influenced by Blur's iconic 'best of' cover and reminiscent of Warhol's pop art portraits, whilst using her own definitive textured style to bring out the feeling, expression and culture of the city's people.

Friends of Ham presents their new wine bar, food hall & kitchen.

The Kitchen is now open and we are taking bookings via our website.

Please email with any group booking or private dining enquiries to squeal@ hamandfriends.com

~~~~

A Fond Farewell Illustration

Ham & Friends 7 Merrion Street Leeds LS1 6PQ

Amy Hall  @amy_illustrator

Second entrance in Grand Arcade w: hamandfriends.com f: /hamandfriends t: @hamandfriends i: @hamandfriends

Fancy Contributing?

This magazine is shaped by an amazing community of contributors who are each credited at the beginning of their feature. We are open to all, so if you would like to write, illustrate or photograph in future issues, or have ideas for future content, please get in touch with our Editor John to join our growing collective.

The high, the low, the fast and the slow. . . . . . 4 It was a mad idea that work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Coffee Shop Chatter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Racin’ with the wind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Wild Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Digger's Island Discs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Leeds Eye View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Call Lane Calling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Leeds Tattoo Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Mind the Fashion Gap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Art is Larger Than Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Subcultural City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Back to Where We Once Belonged. . . . . . . . 36 Write What You Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 With These Hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Sneaker Heads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Chicken Shop Shakespeare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Anarchy on the Dance Floor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Editor John Barran : john@independentleeds.co.uk

Too Many Protest Singers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Sales Sarah Laycock : sarah@independentleeds.co.uk

Tales From A Sharp Suited City. . . . . . . . . . . 52

Paul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

For the Love of Leeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Life in the Slow Lane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

NEW WEBSITE NOW LIVE Visit: www.independentleeds.co.uk

It's a Colourful Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 A Fond Farewell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Delve deeper into the independent scene in Leeds at www.independentleeds.co.uk Twitter: independntleeds | Facebook: independentleeds | Instagram: independentleeds

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Feature by Yixian Zhu ï…­ @nodarkcircles

The high, the low, the fast and the slow The fabulous Yixian Zhu captures some different lifestyle moments in her own candid style.

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Words: Lauren Entwistle Illustration: Hana Skarratt  @hanaskillustration Photography:  @shotbysodium  @thetomogram

Arthur France

It was a mad idea that work

Despite the explosion of colour, music and pageantry, the Leeds West Indian Carnival started from fairly humble beginnings.

In 1967, the idea formed from a group of West Indian Students studying at the University of Leeds, who decided they would channel their homesickness into something special. They would celebrate all that made their culture so vibrant, but bring it whirling and screaming to their new stomping ground in Yorkshire.

Thus, the Leeds West Indian Carnival was born.

Fifty years on, the Carnival is still thriving and now holds the prestigious title of being the longestrunning Caribbean Carnival in Europe, showing that things can only get better with age. The festival has seen huge changes throughout its long lifespan, but despite modernised surroundings and new generations taking to the parade - the Carnival itself has not lost one bit of its original spirit and unbridled energy that so many remember.

"I felt we need something to bind us more together …the community"

It's a huge event in the Leeds social calendar, with some members of the West Indian community planning their glittering parade outfits up to a year in advance, stocking up on the brightly-coloured feathers and sequins that catch both the light and attention of parade-watchers.

"That for me is the burning passion in me that give me the energy to drive Carnival."

The legacy of the West Indian Carnival is something different depending on who you ask in Leeds. To some it really is those costumes that still dance in their minds eye, over twenty years from when they first saw them. To others, it's the feeling of pride that their culture is out on the streets, celebrated and appreciated by a huge variety of people who religiously come every year.

But the real legacy is in the faces of those shimmying in the parade and those who are awe-struck watching from the side. Some are old, some are new, all hailing from different backgrounds, creeds and cultures – all here to have one hell of a good time and to celebrate one of the main cornerstones of the Leeds community.

Fifty years on from when it was first dreamed up by a handful of students, the spirit of the Leeds West Indian Carnival is still going strong.

"It was a mad idea that work"

And like Carnival, it only gets louder, bigger and bolder from here on in.

÷÷

Arthur France MBE Founder Leeds West Indian Carnival

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“The Carnival adds so much cultural diversity and it's a great opportunity for people from all backgrounds to share something. For it to be around for 50 years is really special.”

Rajdeep, Chapel Allerton

“The volume of it all hits you hard. The drums, the bass, when you get there you feel it in your chest and it gives you a real buzz. You can be yourself, you can dance and totally get into the music. And the parade itself is so important in terms of diversity. People from all walks of life are there, and it's just something big and different.”

Freddie, Hyde Park

“The thing that really stands out for me every time are the drums. It's proper West Indian music and everyone is together and enjoying the atmosphere."

Heather, Leeds City

“I went to one of the very first Parades, nearly fifty years ago when I was a small child. It wasn't very big, but I can still recall the loudness, the feathers, the music. The West Indian Carnival is pure happiness.

It's a really big event and it's just got bigger, which is brilliant.”

Sheryl, Adel

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Words: Lauren Entwistle Illustration:  @art_by_arjo

Coffee Shop Chatter

Stage Coffee

La Bottega Milenese

“Stage is quite quiet and a little of the way but it's still a really good spot for having a brew and doing a bit of people-watching. I'm pretty happy to just sit here with a coffee and relax for a bit. The prices aren't ridiculous, which is surprising for a specialty coffee bar, and the guys behind the counter are really friendly too."

“I've got a real thing for Italian coffee. I only go to two places in Leeds that I think do it really well, so I end up spending half of my time in here! My order is always different, but my favourites alternate between a latte, cappuccino and an americano.

They're all authentic.”

Victoria, Headingley.

Grub and Grog at Sheaf St Cafeteria “We both come here to work because it's got a really nice atmosphere. It's a lot easier to focus in here than it is at home. There's a nice level of bustle, which I guess would be disturbing anywhere else – but here it's calming. And the food is amazing!"

Alexa and Fredericka, Leeds City.

Laynes Espresso “Coffee shops are a place I find myself a lot because my place of work doesn't have an office yet, but Laynes is a good spot where I can get on with whatever I need to do. It has a great location and atmosphere, friendly people and good coffee. The guys will probably tell you my go-to is a flat white. I've got to know a few of the people here so when you walk in and they say hello, that's part of the attraction."

Michael, Horsforth

Mrs Atha’s

Kapow

“I started coming here when I was in my third year of Uni, and the thing I love about Atha’s is the vibe of it. I usually get a flat white or the batch filter, because that’s delicious. The staff here are great, and I got to know them all quite quickly over my final year.

I’d be working in here and they would be like, “right! 500 more words and you can have another coffee. You’re not allowed to order anything until you’ve written those 500 words! So when I graduated I thought that I wouldn’t have got my degree if it wasn’t for Mrs Atha’s!

“Kapow is next to our office and we always come here. The coffee is good, and Steve (the barista) always serves with a smile! The main office orders are cappuccino, americano and a large latte, but our personal ones change like the wind here. Coffee culture and the amount of shops have exploded over the last few years in Leeds - we've been here five or six years and even around The Calls it's changed. There are loads more places to get coffee. It's very on-trend.”

Emily, Roundhay

Cielo Coffee House

Opposite Cafe

“Ceilo's has a really friendly and cosy vibe, which is great because we come here to study a lot. It's nice that the place isn't too busy compared to a lot of the mainstream coffee shops. We feel like there isn't enough focus put on really good independent coffee shops; there are just loads of chains everywhere. It's all about supporting small businesses and I love Ceilo because their profits go to charities.”

“I come here quite often, and as I'm vegan I always grab something with soy milk. Opposite is good for that and from a health aspect it's great which is one of the reasons I come here. The coffee culture in Leeds is good. There are loads of places around Uni and the fact a lot of them are independents rather than corporations is great.”

Jess, Cece and Katherine, Campus Accommodation, Leeds City.

Meenakshi and Monisha, Hyde Park and Leeds City.

Karen, Roundhay

Tom and Jack, Clarence Dock and Meanwood.

If Coffee Bar

Out of the Woods

“The first time I came in here was to get out of the pouring rain and was pleasantly surprised with the sandwiches and coffee on offer, so I kept coming back! It's a really good stop for breakfast. It used to be a teeny space, but they've opened it up now which I'm glad about. It's still cosy, but people can now sit down and spread out a bit.”

"Out of the Woods is out of the way, but it’s really nice. They stock loads of independent coffee blends, with a good choice of sandwiches and smoothies. I like to come in for brunch, which is great on a Saturday. The staff are nice and friendly and there’s always something to try.”

Alice, Leeds City.

Lauren, Headingley

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Words: Christian Gallagher Photography: Simon Erl  @simonerl Tom Pickering  @theblack_adder

Racin’ with the wind

Christian Gallagher takes us on a ride through the city’s biker scene and what it means to the lives of the obsessive community that it breeds.

What do we all know about motorbikes? They’re death-traps, the riders are lunatics, the hairy ones are a bit intimidating… lovely old myths, with no more truth in them than any other. Yep, it’s pretty tricky to pin down this scene, probably more so than ever.

In a world built around technology that is remote and unknown to most people, bikers are people who will get their sleeves up and learn for themselves how things work, because they just can’t keep their hands off the beauties (it’s usually plural) that they keep in the shed. The desire to fiddle with bikes overwhelms the ‘leave it to the experts’ mentality, and the debris of this clash, gorgeous or hideous, can be seen on two wheels all over the country.

It’s quietly empowering, flowing from a mood of self-reliance. Those who become proficient enough can barely avoid the urge to build their own bike, compelled by the knowledge of what they can now do. It just has to come out and be made metal – it’s what we dream of, sitting in garages and drinking beer (yes, that stereotype is true) and looking at our machines. Ask a biker what they’d most like to do with a £1000 windfall and you’d get pretty much the same response: I’d spend it on the bike!

Membership of biker subcultue is actually largely based on this mischievous curiosity more than the external aspects listed above. In the sense that joint endeavor creates kinship, this does make bikers a kind of extended family. If your bike breaks down on a country ride, the next biker who comes along will no doubt stop.

Custom bike shows have been happening for decades, and generally have showcased only the work of expert builders whose bikes are priced beyond the reach of most. But hard times foster ingenuity, and the last decade has seen a rise in both, so cash-strapped people are having a go for themselves, creating ‘shedbuilt’ bikes on low budgets in their own garages (and often enough, their kitchens and living rooms) using basic tools, the advice of their elders, and youtube tutorials.

Many are just coming of age, the next generation of bikers, and want a bike but don’t have much cash.

The new wave of custom shows reflecting this, such as The Bike Shed in London and Wheels and Waves in Biarritz, have elevated this approach as high as it can go without breaking from its roots, and they now attract the best in the world.

But there are huge urban centres in the north of England – a region full of technical expertise and industrial history – whose bike builders, clever as they may be, go largely unnoticed. There are wild, cleverly-made bikes, built by students, or quietlyspoken technicians, or old-school bikers living out in the sticks, to be brought into the light.

With a sprinkling of the better-known custom builders added to this hotpot of unknown local talent, Kevin McGonnell has turned this idea into Motorcycle Social, a low-key, all-welcome Northern show in the heart of Leeds. Everyone involved is a biker, and part of a community pulling together in celebration of itself.

It’s already an interesting scene, full of adventurous people who share the passion and excitement of biking, and whose lives are steeped in its culture and shaped by the machines they ride. This life may lie just under most people’s radar, but it is a life that brings us joy, shots of freedom, endless learning and travel, and the warmest and funniest friends.

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Words: Craig Worrall  @edible.leeds Illustration: Sophia Watts  @sophia_watts

Wild Gathering

Under 'common law' we have the right to pick the four 'F's'; flowers, fruits, foliage and fungi. We can exercise this right on any public land, if foraging on private land it is good practice to seek permission, though not essential. Wild plants and fungi are not owned by anyone, unless you have picked them and they are in your possession.

From a culinary perspective, wild foods add extra excitement, creativity, and above all else, unique and varying flavours. Their versatility knows no boundaries, they can be added to, or become dishes in their own right, be transformed into jams, jellies, syrups, sweets, pickles and chutneys, infused in alcohol or brewed in their entirety to produce wine, beer and cider, dried for herbal teas, longer storage and later use, powdered and blended to create bouillons, native spice mixes and curing blends... the list goes on and on...

Foraging, the very natural act of seeking one's food and resources, is etched deep within our genetic make-up, and this practice is gaining in popularity.

Records indicate that humans have been foraging in the UK for more than 30,000 years. As a species we've been foraging since time immemorial, and globally there are still many cultures, tribes and societies that rely on foraging as an essential part of their daily survival and well-being, which in turn provides a deeper connection and understanding with their natural environments and themselves.

In other parts of the world this is not the case; we have unwittingly surrendered ourselves to the reliance of other people and systems to supply our requirement for food and water, the basics to sustaining life. This disconnect from our food chain, in particular natural wild food sources, has led to a loss of innate knowledge and dented our confidence. Thankfully, foraging

and other outdoor activities can restore our vital connection with the rhythms and cycles of nature, and ourselves; it's extremely powerful, liberating and fun, but in order to experience we must first partake.

We live in a time where economic prowess takes precedence over our personal and environmental health, a worrying trend indeed. The natural world is the life support system for humans and everything else; why would anyone want to endanger that? Many of us work long hours, live time pressured, stressful lifestyles and struggle to find the time to relax properly

and eat healthily – the solutions to these problems are the problems themselves. We are all encouraged to get outdoors more, get fresh air, exercise, eat more healthily, in order to reduce stress and improve our health; foraging is the perfect prescription here for all of this. Pilot projects are currently being carried out with the aim of exploring whether nature can be utilised as a means of social prescription – I believe that if carried out independently and fairly these studies will be successful.

I find foraging for wild foods to be deeply relaxing and therapeutic and so much more besides, I often find myself deeply immersed in a meditative dreamlike state of mind, dancing through my thoughts, yet ever present in that moment, and always feel better for the experience. Participants on my courses often comment on how much happier and healthier they feel after a half day wandering and eating the wilds.

Foraging can open ours hearts, eyes and minds to more natural and sensible ways of thinking, acting and being. Foraging isn't so much about the end result (though a basket of tasty mushrooms is excellent!), it's more about the journey and discovery. www.edible-leeds.blogspot.co.uk

Many believe that a trip to the local countryside is required to find suitable foraging grounds. Whilst this holds an element of truth, it is also far from the reality. Urban foraging opportunities abound right here in Leeds; public parks, urban green spaces and gardens all prove to be very fruitful foraging grounds. Couple these with Leeds' close proximity to the countryside and the opportunities for foraging increase exponentially. Woodlands, fields, hedgerows, rivers, streams and swamps are all viable harvesting grounds, and for the more intrepid there is easy access to the coast too!

The four seasons play host to a plethora of exciting, tasty, nutritious and versatile ingredients; fresh, vibrant green herbs, vegetables, shoots and leaves such as wild garlic, common hogweed and lime, heavenly scented flowers like elderflower and honeysuckle, aromatic, flavoursome seeds and roots of alexander, thistle and burdock, plump juicy berries, fruits and nuts including cherries, damsons, apples and hazel, interesting lichens and, of course, the enigmatic and wide ranging species of edible fungi such as boletes and chanterelles. Head to the coast and you can add seaweeds, fish and shellfish to the mix.

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Words: David Birkinshaw Photography: Kirsty Garland  @photogarland

Digger's Island Discs

INDIAN STREET FOOD • CRAFT BEER “These guys know their stuff, and it shows.”

“ You don’t miss the meat.”

The Independent

Bloomberg

“First rate Indian food at a bargain price.”

“Great for a first date or even a 100th date, this bar has cocktails, craft beers & delicious dishes.”

Metro

“The dream pairing of craft beer & food.”

Shortlist

“Some of best street food in Britain.”

Asos Magazine

“I wish that more places served spicy okra fries as bar snacks.”

New York Times

Grazia

25 Best Vegetarian Restaurants Sunday Times

“The food is excellent, the beer on point, & the staff are enthusiastic ambassadors for both.”

Best Cheap Eats Runner Up Observer Food Monthly

Olive Magazine

“A no-two-mouthfuls-the-same delight.”

The Guardian

“A game changer. Everything it does, it does right.”

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Digger's Island Discs explores the collections of Leeds' most prolific vinyl slingers and groove bringers to present us with the records they could not live without.

This time David Birkinshaw, DJ at Parkside Tavern, The Wardrobe and more, chooses 5 songs that he always gets drawn to again and again...

The Clash – Train In Vain It's a popular record and one that I cannot ever get bored of hearing. It's upbeat, has all the funky riffs and vocals, and it's just an uplifting number that never ever fails to put a smile on people's faces in the room. The song was also written apparently to mimic the sound of a train. Interesting.

The Strokes – You Only Live Twice Whilst they have many great songs, this one for me is a firm favourite, and seems to be for many others too. From the opening beat and guitar hook, it just clicks, and is often a staple song in my sets.

Pulp – Babies Perhaps their finest song, or certainly one of their finest amongst many. Featuring fascinating lyrics about young love and sex. It's certainly a song that people like to get a groove on to.

Foals – Olympic Airways This is a band I've seen get bigger and bigger in the past 10 years and I seem to always return to their first album 'Antidotes' periodically. The melodies still sound as fresh now as they did then, and this song just always seems to get feet tapping and heads nodding. In a low key fashion, it always goes down well.

The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter One of my favourite ever songs and one of the coolest rock and roll records. The story behind the female soul vocalist Merry Clayton's parts on the track is compelling too, about how she was awoken during the night as the band needed a soul singer to record.

Then later on in the track you can audibly hear Mick Jagger hollering in amazement as her voice cracks in the background of the track, and the producer then chose to leave it in the final master. It's a song that just gets better with age.

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Photography: Tony Jacobs  @thewrongspeed Illustration: Phil Dean  @phildean1963

Leeds Eye View

Photographer Tony Jacobs took a trip along Briggate to visit its row of traditional pubs and famous alleyways and document a snapshot of the lives he found there.

Whitelocks  @whitelocksalehouse Turks Head  @turksheadleeds The Packhorse  @the_packhorse The Angel Inn  @angelinnleeds The Ship

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Words: Lewis Barn

Tim Green ne, Leeds Mural, Call La

Northern Guitars has been on Call Lane for 26 years and seen the street evolve around them from a quiet walkthrough to the buzzing hotspot it now represents.

Lewis Barn talked to Northern Guitars' Dave Baguely about the changes they've seen throughout the years.

If you’re familiar with Leeds, you’ll undoubtedly know about the cobbled street filled with bars and independent retailers, in the heart of the city centre, known as Call Lane. During the day, you can grab yourself some retro attire from the vintage shop Blue Rinse, before sitting down for a coffee in one of the many charming cafes. Whilst on a night, the street hosts some of the best local gigs in its various venues, as well as being the go-to choice for bar-hopping in the city. Now, regardless of what time you take a stroll down the street, the first of its current occupants will likely have its doors open, as Northern Guitars have recently added a bar and cafe to its renowned music store.

Dave Baguely has been there from the very beginning.

Having resided on the street for over twenty-five years, selling over ten-thousand guitars, they have built up a strong reputation in their specialised field. Northern Guitars first opened back in 1989, beginning their journey in Hyde Park before settling on Call Lane in 1991. When they first moved in, the street was relatively quiet, which was something that appealed to Dave. “We thought it would be ideal.

It was boarded up when we got it. We just took the boards off, gave it a lick of paint and we were ready to go”.

The street was very different back then to what it is now. Revolution, one of the biggest bars there presently, used to be a furniture store; Arts Cafe was previously a mystic shop which sold crystal balls; while Call Lane Social was an office supplies store. As well as the movement inside the buildings, there are some people on the street who haven't stuck around too, most notably the ladies of the night that took residence in the pub and around the Chandlers, now city centre flats. “This was the red light area of Leeds," Dave laughs. "So that’s definitely changed!"

More fondly, Dave loves to reminisce on the days in which the street had a record store and three guitar shops. “This was great for us. Music Ground was a big company, so they would draw a lot of people in, you’d see Oasis go in there, then they’d stick their head in here. We used to call it Tinpan Alley and used to advertise together on a huge board hanging in the street”. From the relationship that he described, it was

clear that there was never competition on the street, only collaboration. That collective of music stores gradually dissolved, with an ultimately dramatic finale, when Music Ground across the road was traced as receiving some of the million pounds of collectable guitars stolen from an Italian museum. But standing alone, Northern Guitars remained strong.

The historic street now mainly consists of bars, which has shifted the majority of the footfall to the later hours of the day. Northern Guitars made the decision to become a cafe and bar in order to survive on the ever-changing street, hoping to appeal to the masses of people that come to visit in the evening. In the recent past, this has created huge benefit to the area, as a hub attracting diverse crowds coming together for fun times, subsequently helping businesses thrive and expand, such as Jake's Bar's ventures re into London gin and Red's True Barbecue's expansion across the country and into supermarkets. Yet popularity and merriment can bring its own issues, as the street was named most pick-pocketed in the country in 2014.

This is something that has been consciously eradicated by working together, and as they step into the night, Northern Guitars have looked to their neighbours to help them find their feet, as Dave confirms; "There’s definitely a sense of community. Everyone is happy to help out and give advice.”

Whilst the clientele has changed from one type of regular to another, there are some characters who have remained loyal over the 26 years. Some of Dave’s favourite passers-by on the street include the local buskers; "There’s one guy who walks around Leeds with a guitar on his back, just stopping and singing to people in the night. He usually comes in needing to borrow a set of strings but I’ll always help him out!" From buskers to bands and DJs, Call Lane is a big player in the local music scene, with venues like Oporto and Milo’s opening up their stages to upcoming musicians throughout the week. Dave hopes to contribute to that with the stage they have fitted, and talks positively about how local music has changed over the years; "The music scene in Leeds is exploding, on this street and especially at places like the Brudenell Social Club. I think Leeds could become the music capital of England. You might only hear about the big bands like Kaiser Chiefs, but if you look for them, there are loads coming out of the city.”

Despite, or perhaps because of, the whole street having changed around them to leave them the last ones standing, when asked if Northern Guitars could picture themselves anywhere other than Call Lane, Dave is defiant; “I’ve got a thing for Call Lane. We’d never find another building quite like this. After twenty-five years, Call Lane is a part of us.” Just like many of the other residents on Leeds’ thriving street, Northern Guitars couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

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Words: John Barran Illustrations: Gordon Armstrong ď…­ @themrgordo

In the past decade, tattoos have developed from a dubious regret to a desirable art.

Its reputation of outlaws and outcasts has been surpassed by artists and aesthetics, as tattoos have spread increasingly into mainstream popularity.

In Leeds alone, there are dozens of tattoo studios housing hundreds of tattoo artists, and rather than saturate the market and diminish the quality, the numbers have galvanised each to be the best they can.

Indeed, the industry has risen to a peak professionalism, removing old hygiene concerns of back street needles and replacing them with safe environments and creative design.

The tattooist's skill and artistry is showcased annually at Leeds International Tattoo Expo, an event which has grown in each of its 4 years, culminating in the July 2017 LITE being held at Leeds Arena. This celebration hosts hundreds of artists and welcomes thousands of visitors, and highlights the positive changing attitudes towards tattoos, from both the un-inked and the covered.

Gordon Armstrong has an impressive array of body art and a background in the tattoo scene. He is now an illustrator based in Leeds, and here displays his vision of some of Leeds tattoo life.

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Words: Sam Hudson-Miles Photography:  @onlyopticempire

Mind the Fashion Gap

Some encouraging developments on the Leeds fashion scene have emerged in the past year.

The Fashion in Leeds platform was recently set up to promote, connect and showcase the city’s fashion industry. This network is gaining momentum; in April, Leeds Bid, Hebe Works, SLB PR and Cabba joined forces to host the first fashion fringe event as part of The Leeds International Festival. Fashion shows were held, and high profile speakers from the industry attended, such as Lulu Guinness and Christopher Raeburn, during a weeklong schedule in a shipping container situated in the middle of Briggate. As well as high street brands showing their collections, Leeds fashion students were also invited to show and assist backstage.

Founder of Cabba, a UK womenswear label which sources its fabrics and all production in Britain, Cathy Poole is passionate about working collectively to “retain the talents and graduates within the region whilst providing a platform for collaboration."

Cathy was one of the first five businesses supported through the Centre for Fashion Enterprise’s ‘Pioneer Programme’, along with Andrew Bannister-Bailey, a Leeds College of Art fashion graduate. In partnership

with Leeds City Council and Lambert's Yard, the Centre for Fashion Enterprise delivered their first ever New Fashion Pioneer Programme outside of London in 2014. This six month programme was developed to support emerging fashion labels in Leeds and the surrounding area, and was a reassuring commitment by the London-based CFE to choose Leeds as its partner.

We have some great design talent coming through in Leeds; our students at Leeds College of Art are trained to cut patterns and make garments to industry sample standard. They also understand their positioning as a designer, and most are keen to align their practice with ‘slow’, artisanal approaches. Those who want to take their work further into setting up an independent label want stay in Leeds. They are active in promoting their work via social media, but are struggling to find production facilities that will accommodate sample and small run production. So, we have the talent, we have the showcase opportunities and the promotional platforms, but vital links in the supply chain remain un-plugged; an infrastructure of suppliers and smallproduction CMT facilities is where the investment is needed to fill the middle and make it whole.

‘80s, production moved first to Eastern Europe, then to the Far East, where it has predominantly remained.

However, the fashion business website ‘Business of Fashion’ is talking about near-shoring being the new off-shoring, with garment production returning to Eastern Europe from its almost 2 decade hiatus.

This is helpful for smaller production runs and mid-sized companies, as Bulgarian and Romanian manufacturers tend to allow much lower production quantities compared to bigger producers such as China and Bangladesh. It’s a promising return to what was a viable logistical and financial option before the Far East became the only option, and could be a catalyst for the return ‘on-shoring’.

The excitement about commitment from Burberry to set up a production facility in Leeds in 2019 was shortlived, as this has been put on the back-burner with no new start date. Clearly the Brexit decision creates some uncertainties for all producers in the UK, although once the dust has settled, and if Burberry do follow through, this might kick-start other CMT producers to re-create Leeds’ clothing quarter. The London based Fashion Enter initiative could be a way forward. Fashion Enter is a not for profit, social enterprise, which strives to be a centre of excellence for learning and development of skills within the fashion and textiles industry. The bulk of its operation comprises a factory for large scale production and a fashion studio for grading, sampling and small productions runs. Both units are Sedex approved and produce for leading retailers, e-tailers, designers and new business start- ups. Mirroring this model in Leeds would ensure the sampling and production points in the supply chain are available to designers wanting to remain in Leeds.

At the end point of the supply chain, an increase in independent retailers who have the confidence to support less established labels is also essential. A key factor in the absence of independent fashion retailers is a result of the prohibitive business rates and rents in the city centre. Those stores that have survived stopped taking risks with new talent fifteen years ago, at the time when the regeneration plans for the heart of the city were in fast motion. Great for multinationals, not so great for the independents. During the mid ‘80s, when Leeds was grimy (but grime is cool, right?), Boar Lane, Cross Arcade and the Victoria Arcade (as it was known then) were thriving with independent fashion shops. Hip and Accent are pretty much household names on the Leeds fashion scene, having been established for three decades; but at that time, ‘X’ Clothes, Sprite 58, Strand, Oliver’s, Polo Uomo, Oki and Miss Oki all played their part in creating a vibrant fashion and music scene. Downbeat, Ricky’s and The Warehouse, were all destinations where music and fashion came together. Of course, Leeds is a well-established fashion retail destination, and is also well-known for its music scene, but in many ways, the relationship between the two has become disparate and somewhat homogenised by a now generic High Street model.

Leeds is a beautiful city, but is fast losing its clothing heritage and identity. If we are to keep the great fashion talent that is coming out of Leeds in Leeds, the city needs to commit to and invest in the re-building of what once was a solid clothing manufacture infrastructure, effective business support and mentoring, and commitment from retailers that would sustain fledgling labels.

Leeds’ heritage is steeped in the clothing manufacture industry. Rewind some 70 years, Leeds was the centre for garment production and tailoring by big names such as Burton’s and Hepworth’s, who made millions of suits for British men and were significant players in the production and retailing of men’s high street fashion after the Second World War. Since the late 29

art is l arg er than life Exclusively shot from the shadows by Craig Fletcher  @flash_focal_fade. He catches the whole remarkable unfolding of the UK’s tallest mural ‘Athena Rising’ by street artists extraordinaire  @nomad.clan.

÷÷

Look out on our new website for the full tour de force.

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Words and Title Photo: Everton Campbell Photography: Wish You Were Here - Andy Pye and Ewan Metcalf and  @leedscivictrust

Subcultural City

My second big awakening was hip hop. I can remember hearing Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang for the first time and thinking, yes, this is the one for me. I managed to get tickets to the first Def Jam UK tour featuring Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Erik B & Rakim. Hip hop clubs were scarce in Leeds until the mid 80s, I remember fondly the Down Beat club, my good friends Kevin and George of Nightmares on Wax were the DJs building a reputation for themselves in Leeds’ underground hip hop scene, where we were all wearing Puma Clydes and Run DMC Adidas Superstar sneakers and thick laces.

As I became gripped by hip hop, the terraces of Elland Road showed me another subculture gaining popularity. I was a big football player back then, and followed Leeds United regularly, standing side-by-side with the new breed of football casuals. Rocking up at games in their latest designer garms, the Leeds faithful would clash with rival fans, defending both the club they loved and their sartorial credentials.

Fans would travel to Europe to pick up the rarest Fila and Sergio Tacchini, ready to be paired with Adidas Originals, claiming each brand as their own and battling any rival that said otherwise. I remember the Tears for Fears hit Everybody Wants to Rule the World seeming especially poignant at the time.

Everton Campbell and Marlon Williams are old school friends and proud Leeds boys, growing up together, working together, and throwing some of Leeds’ greatest parties.

Over the next three pages, Everton talks us through the evolving city subcultures, and Marlon walks us through the changing city sites.

Someone once said that music doesn’t make change, it only reflects it. The Sex Pistols John Lydon explained that in a track to define a subculture, you should 'say what you mean, mean what you say, then put a beat behind it'.

Music and the subcultures walk hand in hand, and I’ll never underestimate the role it’s played on my life in Leeds. Some of my earliest memories revolve around the music I heard growing up with my brothers and sister: funk, soul and disco for the former, Bob Marley and roots reggae for the latter. Their taste in music, combined with my father’s Jamaican Patois and Rude Boy style and swagger, inspired me to explore and experiment over the years.

One of my brothers attended Batley Art College, and always listened to the John Peel show. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; the hard, Punk, DIY sounds of The Clash, The Damned and The Buzzcocks were like nothing I’d ever heard before. Watching TV shows like the Old Grey Whistle Test and Something Else showed me you could look and sound different, and that was ok. You could reject the mainstream and find your own way.

I worked in Leeds’ only Punk shop called X Clothes on Boar Lane, selling Mod, Punk and Teddy Boy clothing. Through this work I became friends with Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s son, Joe. Our shared interests and experiences gained through music and fashion brought us together.

I remember some punk bands broke through to the mainstream with crossover reggae tracks; The Clash with Bank Robber and Roxanne by The Police. This merged into a new subculture with the soundtrack of the best of reggae, new wave, punk and rocksteady.

The Two Tone ska revival led by Jerry Dammers and The Specials galvanised a broken British society of the late 70s and early 80s. We dressed sharply in a style that evolved from the Jamaican Rude boys, Gabbicis, Levis 501's, Bass Weejuns loafers, Baracuta harringtons, Fred Perry polos; a look and style still visible today.

The second summer of love brought with it acid house, the biggest youth revolution for decades. I threw my own parties at posh club called Digbys on York Place with Nightmares on Wax as my resident DJs. Paul Oakenfold, Jeremy Healy, Danny Rampling and other superstar DJs regularly appeared at my parties.

As acid house transformed into rave, the smart shirts and shoes of previous years were replaced by tees emblazoned with smileys and trainers. Marshall Jefferson’s Move Your Body became both mine and a whole generation’s anthem. We’d bounce between Manchester’s Hacienda and our very own Warehouse, sporting the Duffer of St. George and Evisu jeans. I moved on to DJ the Chill Out rooms at the biggest rave nights in Leeds; Vague, Back to Basics, Hard Times, all nights that hold a special place in our hearts.

Leeds then became the second home of the R&B and UK garage scenes at the turn of the Millennium. Gucci and Prada were now the brands du jour. I DJ’d and promoted at the now legendary R&B club Fruit Cupboard on Call Lane, as the capacity crowds swigged champagne while dancing to everything from Biggie Smalls to Tupac to Artful Dodger and everything in between.

Norman Jay and Soul2Soul regularly visited us and the stories from those nights will live long in the memory. We twice sold out 4000-capacity parties at the Majestyk in City Square with Trevor Nelson and MTV bringing the party and cameras.

For me, Leeds has been at the centre of many of the most important subcultural movements in modern Britain. We move with the times and reimagine popular culture in our own unique, inimitable way. I can’t wait to see where we go next.

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Words: Marlon Williams Illustration: Cliff Stead

Back to where we once belonged Sunglasses from £75

I’ve always believed that your late teens and early 20s are your golden years.

Making the most of your new-found independence, venturing out on your own and exploring the world.

As you get older, the memories from those times get stronger and hold more importance. You try to fight it, but the feeling always remains that things were better back then. This is probably why I see the late 80s as my golden period. Leeds was a great place to be.

My group had a ritual that we’d repeat religiously every Thursday through Sunday, making the most of the great nightlife and independents our city had to offer, and we’d work our way through our favourites each week. Thursdays were always about Harvey’s wine bar on Merrion Street, with its famous spiral staircase, while Friday and Saturday nights were spent in Mr Craig’s just down the road in the Grand Arcade, followed by Sundays in the Chained Bull in Moortown or Foxes where the Three Hulats is now.

But the nights out were only part of it, and they definitely weren’t just about getting pissed. The clothes and the community were the big things for us.

Every Saturday morning at 9am there’d be a queue of about 20 people at Romanos down by the Adelphi, the only guy in town who knew how to cut a West Indian’s hair. There was another guy who worked in there but his chair was always empty. It was Romano or nothing.

From there you worked through your list of shops, looking for your garms. We’d go to Oki menswear, then Paul Uomo, Union Menswear, then Strand on Victoria Street before they put the roof on and it became the Victoria Quarter, then over to Verdi in Thornton’s Arcade, as well as Hip. You’d always end up back in the first shop you went in five minutes before closing, asking the owner who else had been in and what they’d been buying. You didn’t want to be wearing the same as someone else. That was a big no-no.

The style was very smart then, you couldn’t get in anywhere without a collar or shoes. After your look was sorted, it was off to someone’s house. Few rum and cokes, ironing your threads and checking what everyone else was wearing. Then we’d be off to Harvey’s before going to the Gallery where the Pit is now, which was owned by Paul Lamont at the time. Then you’d finish up at Mr Craig’s or La Phonographic, dancing to the soulful Chicago House that was starting to emerge.

There was a DJ around then called Mark Rhodes who was so good his hands were insured for £1 million, it was a crazy time.

After all that we’d head to a blues in Chapeltown Sunny’s, Darky’s or Cliff’s - and people would come from all over the country to party till five or six in the morning, then we’d meet up with them again at the Hacienda in Manchester or MacMillans in Yarm on other weekends. They were great times. We worked for our threads, went out with £8 in our pocket, not looking to get smashed, we just wanted to dance and show off our garms. They were my golden years in Leeds.

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Words: James Oddy Illustration: Dale Crosby Close  @dalebrains

My second book, ‘True Professional’ is a Northern story, Northern dominated. About Clive Sullivan, a trail blazing rugby league winger and an adopted citizen of Yorkshire, I travelled around the region to interview his former teammates, often salt of the earth trawler men, miners, and mill workers. I researched the archives in Leeds and Huddersfield.

And as I spent a glorious few months putting together the years of research in some of Leeds' most scenic cafes (and the odd pub) it only hardened my resolve to stay in the North and tell Northern tales.

I feel part of a burgeoning and tight knit creative scene in Leeds. The city has something for everyone when it comes to the arts; theatre has the innovative Red Ladder and a vibrant amateur dramatic troupe often appearing at the Carriageworks; music venues, such as the Brudenell Social Club, Belgrave Music Hall, and Hyde Park Book Club offer a continuous variety of live acts to sate the best of tastes; in literature, The Big Bookend, of which I am proud part of, does a great deal to publicise writers based in the city and those who come to visit; and Scratching Shed publications are one of the best niche publishing houses in the country.

"Next time I’m in London, we should definitely meet up."

Awkward pause on my end. Then, I blurt out the horrific, earth shattering truth.

The audible gasp from them. Then the inevitable: "Wait…What...you live in LEEDS?” Such is the plight of those doing anything remotely creative in Leeds. Hell, anywhere outside of London, but especially the North.

It shouldn’t be like this. I write about sport. Not only that, I write about Rugby League, which is about as Northern as chips and gravy. I also write about boxing, formerly London dominated but now increasingly drawing huge crowds across Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. The fighters from those cities aren’t half bad, either.

As Leeds based novelist, SJ Bradley once told me, "you could go to a gig, spoken word night, art party or performance every single night of the week if you wanted, and never run out of stuff to do. There's nowhere else like it for a DIY arts scene.” But that isn’t to say the scene is perfect; whilst it is healthy in many areas, it is less so in others, some with significant social issues, and perhaps these are the areas which could benefit most from some imagination and attention.

The money and jobs in creative fields may not be available all the time in Leeds, but it doesn’t mean that either you can’t be a creative person, or that Leeds and Yorkshire doesn’t have some of the most fascinating subject matter to fire your creativity. Plus, if I moved down South, would I still be able to get gravy on my chips?

But, ultimately, it is still a London centric profession.

There is no denying the opportunities are limited in terms of a full time writing career in the North.

There are opportunities to create opportunities, but what is the likelihood of finding a full time job with a regular salary? Ok, local newspapers and magazines occasionally hire, but you are competing against every other self motivated lad or lass who can crack out a solid sentence within a 150-mile radius.

So, moving to London maybe does appeal. I know a few photographers, fiction writers and filmmakers who have caved in and headed down South in search of making a living off something they enjoy doing.

Some have succeeded, others haven’t. But they’ve all stayed. An opportunity always seems to be around the corner.

So why have I stayed in Leeds?

‘Write what you know’ may be a cliché, but it’s true.

Leeds is my home. I feel the need to stay rooted in my community. Not just because it’s comforting for me, but also because someone has to do it. Someone needs to do it.

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Words: Sam Coe  @samwisecoe Photography: Mike Medlock

With These Hands

Matthew Van Elkan & Emily Fitchett In 2015 Emily Fitchett had her first sip of cold brew coffee. So taken was she by this combination of coffee and alcohol that a year later she left her sales job at BrewDog to follow her dream. Adding to her booze knowledge by hooking up with Matthew Van Elkan of Maude Coffee Roasters, Fitch Brew Co. started to take shape under Leeds railway arches. Matt explains how the pair make it happen with these hands...

"Cold brew coffee is coffee brewed with cold water over a long period of time, sometimes up to 24 hours.

In contrast to 'hot brew', cold brew downplays coffee’s natural acidity to produce a smoother, sweeter drink.

Simple enough. But our approach aims to turn this process into an exact science.

To that end, the sourcing of green coffee, the roasting, the grinding, the brewing and even the canning are all done in house, keeping a guiding hand and a watchful eye on each part of the process. A truly hands-on approach is taken at every stage.

The coffee sourced is exclusively from Ethiopia and natural-processed. A 'natural' coffee leaves on the coffee cherry’s flesh during the drying process, allowing sweet fruity flavours to permeate the bean.

This allows for a bold boozy flavour and a summery tropical taste, a challenge to the standard roasted, chocolatey flavours cold brew currently favours.

The coffee is then manually roasted using a profile that accentuates those fruity flavours and increases the solubility of the coffee. This means the coffee readily offers its flavours up to their fullest extent, an important factor when brewing coffee under cold conditions for almost a day. It then needs to rest for at least a week to degas as carbon dioxide is steadily released from the roasted coffee. If this isn’t done, the coffee can taste 'roasty' and be volatile when brewed.

The next step is where it gets really nerdy! The custombuilt FV brew unit is filled with water that is processed to a recipe providing the optimum conditions for coffee extraction while brewing. The water during brewing is all kept at a chilly 3 degrees Celsius for an even extraction and imminent repeatability. The coffee is then ground fresh just before being carefully chucked in the water. Then we play the waiting game.

Twenty hours later, the cold brew is ready and the backbreaking work of canning and packing is undertaken.

That over, the incredibly long and involved process of making cold brew comes to a close, and everyone collapses!"

Feature Photography ď…­ @onlyopticempire Title Photo ď…­ @jwarrenjones

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Feature by Lladel Bryant  @chickenshopshakespeare  @lladel_bryant

Being told that you will never perform Shakespeare professionally is enough to make us rebel in the most Shakespearean way possible.

Chicken Shop Shakespeare is our example of a Shakespearean rebellion at its finest, sticking a middle finger up to ‘tradition’ and the often painted pomp which overshadows classical literature, making it uninteresting and inaccessible, particularly for those from non-theatre and lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Hopefully I’ve got your attention now, snap I’ve always wanted to use that line in an article like this... anyways back to business. When I began to write this article I procrastinated for a short while whilst trying to tussle with how best to package and present everything I have to say in the most perfect way possible. I soon realised that wouldn’t be very Chicken Shop Shakespeare of me to attempt to refine and shape everything in this way. Our style is a bit more rough around the edges, but then at the same time Shakespeare was so refined in his writing. Wasn’t he? Ahh who knows!!! I just need to start writing.

So now I’m here, frustrated at the fact that I don’t have a clue what to write. It’s another scorcher of a day which I wish I was enjoying, I’ve got 20 minutes until the school run, and what’s more I forgot that it’s my turn to cook up some food because the wife is heading to her body balance class at the super middle class gym that we are now members of. Now, with only 5 minutes until school run, the frustration is calmed for a moment by the fact that my love of Shakespeare, my affinity with language, career as an actor and the journey that is Chicken Shop Shakespeare have directly and indirectly enabled me to afford and appreciate many of life’s small luxuries, from the super middle class gym membership which I just mentioned to this present moment's thought, which I can’t quite find an eloquent enough sentence to encapsulate. Ahh now I’m late… I’m really going to have to get somebody to help me out on this one…

Rory!!! Yeahh Rory’s been doing some journalism shizzle recently init. I’ll bell him when I get back!

So I did manage to catch up with Rory, one of my soldiers from Uni, or should I say one of my colleagues from Drama School. Yeah that’s right, Drama School darling… yeahh man dem are classically trained fam.

Both myself and Tyron Maynard, co-founders of CSS, went to one of the most prestigious drama schools in the country, yet we had very different experiences.

Whilst I was being told that a stint at the RSC was only a matter of time, Tyron was being told that he would never professionally perform Shakespeare. The ironic thing is that I am still waiting on the RSC stint which my tutors spoke so convincingly of, and I am fully aware that it may never come. I don't say this to be negative because I am a very much an optimist, however I say it to make my next point clear. TYRON

MAYNARD, LLADEL BRYANT, SHANE WELSH, TANYA VITAL, LEAH FRANCIS, ROB BLAKE and many others who have consistently and briefly been a part of the CSS movement have not only been performing Shakespeare professionally for the last 4-5 years, they have also been producing, directing and making use of Shakespeare as their canvas on which to continually hone their skills as a new generation of professional storyteller. Point being, you have two choices - let what people say you can and can't or will and won't achieve affect your journey and lifestyle for better or for worse, or you can grab a hold of that wheel and be the captain of your own destiny.

Boom!!! There's another one I've always wanted to use in an article like this.

unconscious choice. An unconscious choice, which later surrounded itself with a stream of conscious choices, made in order to be economical and efficient where creating Shakespeare for 21st century audiences are concerned. Our formula, which we have developed over the years through our work in education, our various short-film commissions and quite heavily during the 2014 event 60 Seconds Of Shakespeare, goes much deeper than this. Yet it still remains simple enough for us to be able to explore the complexity of Shakespeare, whilst making it accessible and enjoyable. I guess what I am saying is that, like Shakespeare's writing itself, there are no boundaries to the way we tell the stories, yet there is form and structure which allow us tell the stories.

My conversation with Rory put a lot into perspective about how I should approach this article; we spoke about how Shakespeare doesn’t really belong to anyone, but at the same time it belongs to each and every one of us, hence why CSS works so well.

Every one of the people listed above leads a different lifestyle, dresses differently, eats differently, walks and talks different. Yet those varied lifestyles collide creatively under the watchful eye of some of the greatest literature ever known to man - Shakespeare.

The fact that we have all grown up in busting towns and cities across the north of England has directly influenced the creativity collision I speak of. We are also a generation whose lives are frequented daily by technological advancements, with our fast paced lifestyles and our somewhat throwaway society, the simplicity of 60-90 second Shakespeare monologues performed directly to camera in one take was an

So now that there is form and structure, for me it is critical that we bring our lifestyle choices and circumstances to the work we produce even more, whilst encouraging others to do so. This is something which I have begun to explore by having my 4 year old son feature in my most recent CSS video As You Like It – A1 S2. I hope the premiere of it at this year’s 60 Seconds Of Shakespeare will bring Shakespeare back to basics, enabling audiences, performer and Shakespeare-o-phobes an opportunity to contribute to the Shakespearian rebellion that is Chicken Shop Shakespeare.

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Photography: Natalie Wood ï…­ @wondergirlphoto

N O H Y c R ANA O O R L C e f A N D THE

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Words: John Barran Illustrations: Steve Beaumont  @stevebeaumont.co.uk

These protests are intended to promote awareness of what the Vegan Punk describes as "the appalling way humans treat animals" and they have previously set up in Leeds outside cruel pet shops and slaughterhouses. More recently, their message has crossed further into public consciousness; "I helped organise a march against Theresa May's plans to bring back legalised fox-hunting," he says of a well-received act in retaliation to controversial opinion displayed in the General Election.

The response to rallies such as this and It’s Our NHS were overwhelmingly supportive, but that is not always the case, as the Vegan Punk explains; "With an issue like bloodsports, the reaction is very positive because the majority of the public are against foxhunting. Promoting veganism on the other hand will elicit a variety of reactions. People are so conditioned into thinking what is normal, whilst

In the past three years the average British person appears to spend the majority of their time emoting about voting.

With seemingly endless elections and referendums producing consistently inconsistent results, the trend for sharing strong political opinion is set to continue.

This increasing engagement of a previously indifferent public is an encouraging change, one which can enforce good, but equally one which can create division, as the country, together and apart, logs on and rants off. From social media campaigns to online petitions, in 2017, everybody is a protester.

Yet in the silent noise of retweets and shares, voices are muted. And with the incessant insistence of which way to move, direction is lost. For many, when all join in to have their say, it can become difficult to separate the truth from the fiction, the passion from the fashion. To reinterpret the lyric, there are too many protest singers, and not enough protest songs.

All of which makes genuine activism as relevant and important as ever before. Hannah, a regular activist on various causes, explains; “As more people have engaged in political issues online and through other media, it is vital to carry what you believe through in person, and there are masses coming together willing to do that.”

Hannah’s name-check of groups and organised protests that have taken place in Leeds this year confirms her point: Reclaim The Power, Unite The Union, Stand Up To Racism and Leeds For Europe are some of those who have galvanised thousands in this city and millions nationwide to get their voices heard on life-affecting matters such as healthcare, human rights, immigration and the environment.

shielded from the brutal reality, that the truth can make some very defensive." Despite this occasional aggression towards protesters, Hannah confirms that the public are generally "understanding and appreciative", thanks to the peaceful nature and genuine passion of the activism.

From General Election to Trump to Brexit and back, it is our admirable democracy that has sparked these debates, which on the one hand has reignited a belief in people-power, as folk take to the streets to form a united voice loud enough to be heard, and on the other created a continuous internet squabble in danger of spilling into real lives. “It’s easy to find information that backs up your initial opinion and expresses the same view,” says Hannah. “But that can lead people down a vortex that only reaffirms one perspective.”

Whilst this has caused people to take sides, which when they clash often descends into meaningless mud-slinging, Hannah believes that on the whole the political uprising is positive. “The increase in young voters and people from all backgrounds is a hugely important thing,” she says. “People are starting to take back control of their own lives and also want to help the lives of others.”

It is this passion which drives the Vegan Punk, Hannah, and many more to dedicate a big part of their lives to the cause. When not spending weekends protesting in person, they are spreading their message on websites and social media, or preparing future events. To be part of these collectives can become a person's life, as Hannah describes; “There are a lot of sacrifices to being an activist, it can take over everything. But it is all definitely worth it.” The Vegan Punk agrees that with the effort comes the reward; "I've met lots of great people through activism," he says. "I don't mind the fact that it takes up a lot of time as I feel I'm doing something positive and constructive." Which, whatever your beliefs, if we all aspired to do, would surely make the world a better place.

"Physical street protests are always going to be effective," agrees blogger and activist the Vegan Punk. "But today we are able to maximise their impact via social media. What would previously reach a few hundred people can now reach hundreds of thousands." Having been involved in political activism for some time, the Vegan Punk became increasingly educated on the movement and naturally started participating more regularly. "I've taken part in a variety of animal rights protests in Leeds," he explains. "I am increasingly motivated to try and speak out."

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Words: Tom Brown and Josh Hallett Photography: Reece Leung  @reeceleung

Josh ‘Paul' started out as a small idea. We planned to make a little ten minute promotional video that advertised the shop and its riders, as well as including a few other skateboarders in and around Leeds. However, quickly I realised some of my friends were really invested in the idea of filming a full-length skate video. Their commitment to getting tricks and going out filming meant that I didn’t just want to put out a short online video that may be forgotten about after a few weeks.

When we began the filming, the Welcome team was fairly small. We only had about six or seven riders, but more and more people started racking up footage. It was evident who was going to have full parts in the video, but so many other people were getting tricks and really backing it. Eventually we added some more people to the team and now we have about fifteen riders. Every single one of them made such a big effort to film and be a part of the video.

Josh Hallett set out to make a promotional short for Leeds' skate store Welcome and ended up releasing a film premiere for the skate community.

Welcome's Tom Brown and Josh himself tell the tale...

I work a full-time job, but I spent every spare minute of my time filming with my closest friends. At first we would spend most of our time filming in and around Leeds. However, after skating a lot of the same spots, we started to venture outside, to Sheffield, Barnsley, Manchester, Harrogate, and even as far as Bristol. The scene in Leeds is very tight and everyone gets on really well. Even if people don’t actually ride for the shop team, they are still supporting Welcome and wanted to film a trick just to be in the video. This meant that we had a lot of guest tricks in sections, as well as a couple of friend montages, which I was really hyped on.

Tom The completion of 'Paul' was the high point of Welcome's life so far; the quality of the video, the skateboarders involved, and Josh's hard work.

Making a full length skate video that represents the skaters takes a huge amount of time and dedication.

This is a 40 minute video and certain tricks with a screen time of about 3 seconds may have taken 2, 3, 4 trips to the location and involved 2 hours of attempts during each visit. All the time Josh held on to the organic attitude that he was simply skateboarding with his best friends, and that notion is projected in the end product.

Each week I'd hear rumours of attempted or landed tricks, and I think the whole skate community heard these regular mutterings over the 2 years of filming too, which built an anticipation and excitement for the release. Josh kept any video footage under wraps, so the night of the premiere put all the rumours to bed and revealed some serious surprises.

The film filled the Hyde Park Picture House with skaters who'd travelled from opposite ends of the country. Throughout the screening you could taste the love within the skateboard community in the air!

It was a beautiful climax to years of hard work.

This video wasn’t really about showcasing the talents of any specific rider.

It was more about showing the love and community in the skate scene in Leeds. Even if people didn’t land their tricks, I still wanted to include them in the video somehow. Just because somebody may not have made the trick, they still spent hours trying it and they are still a heavy part of the scene.

I find it strange talking about it all really as when we were filming for ‘Paul' it didn’t really seem like an actual thing. We were just filming some skateboarding for a few hours, we’d go for a beer and some food, then I would come home and log all of the footage and leave it on my hard drives until I was ready to use it. I don’t like the idea of re-watching footage over and over again as I wanted it all to be fresh to me when it came down to the editing process. Plus I didn’t want show the riders their footage until the night of the premiere, because I know that some of them would have wanted to take out certain tricks that they might not be as stoked on as I was.

I was just happy to be out skating and filming with my best mates and favourite skaters everyday. That’s what I was doing before I started filming this video anyway. That’s what I have continued to do after it as well. I really enjoy filming and making videos/edits, although I don’t know if I could make a full-length video again.

The night of the premiere at Hyde Park Picture House was pretty overwhelming and a little bit scary. The feedback on the night and over the following weeks was amazing though. I was blown away to see how many people had travelled from around the UK just to see our little skate video and at how many people wanted a copy of the DVD. I’m proud of my mates for putting in such a huge amount of effort and I’m incredibly thankful to Tom, Sam, everyone at Welcome and all the great people I have met around the UK during the process of filming this video.

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Words: Desmond Morris Illustration: Hana Skarrat ď…­ @hanaskillustration

Tales From A Sharp Suited City

Some tailoring firms would only do one specific thing, such as making coats or trousers, or just cutting, pressing or button holes. You used to be able to walk down North Street and get a garment cut and a hand button hole re-worked by the time you got to the other end. My father used to repair many of the sewing machines at these tailors on a weekend to earn a bit of extra money, and sometimes I used to have to go with him. The tailoring business in Leeds was big business.

Unfortunately, Leeds is presently a shadow of its former tailoring self.

Most, if not all of the old names are dead or retired, and many new names are nothing more than salesmen posing as tailors. As the world of business has moved increasingly offshore, so too has the world of fashion. You may be given tailoring jargon, measured, and provided with a finished suit, but more than likely it'll have been made abroad. There are factories out there making a real quality product, but more so ones dressing up poorly made suits as something they're not. Tailoring today is a funny thing.

But in a diminished trade, there remains a rare breed of bona fide traditionally trained tailors. Who cut and fully make all garments personally. Whose bespoke suits take at least 80 hours to make. And who are trying to preserve the art, craft and heritage of traditional bespoke tailoring and pass the skills on to the next generation.

Desmond Morris followed generations of his family into Leeds' tailoring industry.

Now with over 35 years experience, he is one of the last bastions of this traditional trade. Here, he tells the tale of Leeds' esteemed tailoring past, struggling present and hopeful future.

Have you ever actually stood outside Burtons shop in Leeds city centre and gazed up at the building's façade? If you did, you'd see the Art Deco styling, columns and polished white tiles, harking back to a golden age of tailoring. Tailoring that Leeds was a world player in; Leeds' past tailoring history is unrivalled. My grandmother worked at Burtons on Hudson Road, as did my father and my mother.

My father wasn't a tailor, he was a sewing machine mechanic. I can't really remember why my father used to take me with him to work, but I have many memories of the Hudson Road factory and the Goole factory.

I can't ever forget the sheer size of the Hudson Road factory: thousands of workers; workers singing and laughing. And the sewing machines! Thousands of

sewing machines in rows. Rows of men and women sat crossed legged on table tops hand sewing. Then there was the cutting room; 600 cutters .... 600 cutters! All marking in and hand cutting out made to measure suits for individual clients.

Burtons was the worlds largest merchant tailors.

With 10,000 employees, Burtons was a town within a town. It was sub division on a mass scale, but Burtons made an amazing, traditionally tailored product right up until the arrival of fusing in the late 70's. All their coats were fully canvassed and finished by hand, many in the earlier days also with hand button holes.

If you wanted steel in Germany then you went to the Ruhr Valley, if you wanted tailoring in England, you came to Leeds.

Leeds was once stuffed full to the rafters with tailoring companies like Burtons, Sumrie, Hepworths, Dewhirsts, Jacksons, Berwin and Berwin, the list is never ending, but most are gone. With such a big tailoring presence, it was only natural that many former employees of these companies struck out on their own, forming small bespoke tailors and finding their own book of business. North Street in Leeds, before it was basically chopped in half, was full of small, primarily Jewish tailors. Many tailors would have their workrooms above the shops, actually making the garments on the premises. These were not churned out low end rubbish suits, many of the Jewish tailors were making suits to a very high standard and their fitting skills were unrivalled.

53

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For the love of Leeds

I grew up a stone’s throw from Leeds in the beautiful village of Saltaire, now a hot-bed of eclecticism with Salts Mill displaying the wonderful works of David Hockney, the annual Saltaire Festival, craft ale pubs and breweries and a thriving arts and crafts scene.

It has always been one of Yorkshire's crowning glories and is well deserved of its world heritage status - and all just a train ride away.

I now spend my days designing and developing websites, which has led me to meet and work with some of Leeds’ brilliant and diverse business owners and creatives. Leeds is well known for its digital capabilities, being one of the largest hubs outside of London; the quality of work coming out of this city is exceptional, and I am proud to be contributing to the growing community. For me, the annual Leeds Digital Festival is a highlight in the city’s calendar.

Having a week long exhibition with guest speakers and workshops happening all over the city is a truly brilliant addition to Leeds’ already jam-packed schedule, and has helped shift the digital exhibitions up north.

Outside of my day job, my love and passion for music has always been instrumental (pun completely intended). In early 2015, alongside some other avid music collectors, we set up KMAH Radio. The idea was to provide an online platform for DJs, musicians and anyone who geeks out to music like we do to share their music. We’ve been broadcasting 12 hours a day, 7 days a week ever since. The roster is extremely eclectic and diverse, and we’re always looking to add new people to the ever-growing community.

As a music collector, Leeds has always provided incredible inspiration from the brilliant club nights, the wonderful record stores and people of whom I met along the way. Leeds’ oldest street, Kirkgate, has seen some fresh shops & bars in recent months, beginning with the Art Hostel and Wapentake, and with the resurgence of Tribe Records and the hotly anticipated Doghouse Bar & Record Store, not to mention Outlaws’ Disque 72, we now have a some very knowledgeable buyers stocking some of the best music available right here in Leeds.

For years Leeds has been going from strength to strength and long may this continue.

57

Words: Sue Jennings Photography: Martin Leodis  @martinleodis

Life in the Slow Lane

The Easy Tiger collective are all artists and illustrators, so moving away from the retail environment in the city centre to a new environment surrounded by other creative businesses has enhanced both business and creative development.

"We are only a short walk along the canal from the centre. People were sceptical about us moving out here at first, but it was the best move, we’re busier than ever!"

Hyrograff - Graffiti Artist Hyro has been working along the canal in Leeds for a year, with other artists, photographers and even yarn bombers, to explore ways of deterring anti-social tagging and graffiti on stone walls and bridges, and instead create interesting pieces that complement the environment and spark the imagination of passers-by.

"My aim is to improve the appearance of the canal by giving young people a creative outlet. We find safe spaces they can work in with established artists to develop their skills. In a way, they are overwhelmed by the positive attention they’ve been given by older artists, and they are learning to respect the environment around the canal."

Tales of the unexpected life along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal In places, the Leeds and Liverpool canal is stunning.

For artists, introverts or people who just want to get away for a while, it's like nowhere else. You can choose to be in the thick of it, or to float ambient in parts where mobile phone signal hasn't yet been discovered.

For some, becoming immersed in canal life has opened up business opportunities too, with a growing community of roving traders coming out of the water.

Martyn Wilson - Boat Dweller and Canal Entrepreneur "We’re an eclectic bunch of artists and oddballs, mechanics and maniacs, and I think that is exactly what makes being by the canal so interesting, surrounded by people who’ve abandoned conventional living to float about in a steel can. Once you are here, what you did before becomes irrelevant because of what ties us all together. The reality of life here is a far cry from the floating retirement village I’d envisaged. Don't get me wrong, that is what the canal is to a lot of people, but for those of us who are of working age, it provides some unique challenges and opportunities.

Everyone is living in a house that corrodes, takes constant care and attention, is unreliable often in the extreme, and gives most people cabin fever. Yet, we all love our boats, we all love talking about them, and most of all we all love sailing them up and down the cut, slowly and most gracefully crashing in to everything as we go. It's easier to make friends on the canal, where everyone has at least this one thing in common, and most want to help each other. The pace of life is slower, there's more time to talk.

I've just started White Rose Canal Holidays and invested in a new boat ‘Emily’. The number of people who want to come and sample life afloat is remarkable and it's exciting to be able to offer a chance to do it right here in the centre of Leeds. My aim is to make my living from the place I love to live, socialise and work in."

Ruth Jaimeson - Co-Owner Easy Tiger Tattoo Studio Ruth and business partner Scott Mustapic made the decision to move their tattoo studio out of the city centre and join the growing creative community at Castleton Mill along the Leeds and Liverpool canal 6 months ago.

"We really wanted to get away from the ‘street shop’ style of tattoo studio. Our clients are diverse, all ages and backgrounds, and we were looking for a professional environment that would feel welcoming to everyone."

Hyro is creating a Graffiti Art Gallery at Wellington Road Bridge as part of Leeds Waterfront Festival, showcasing work by established artists and their young recruits.

"Artists are becoming more inspired to work along the canal now it is becoming busier and generating a greater audience for their work."

Dee Wilson - Owner of the Stables Tea Room and Curator of Oddy Locks

"The support and encouragement of the canal community has been essential in giving me the energy and confidence to continue."

Dee has now adopted a stretch of the canal with her neighbours. Together, this community has cleaned up and improved the canal towpath and locks, moorings and gardens. They have also discovered a wider community of lizards, water voles, Kingfishers, Herons, Cormorants, ducks, moor hens, geese and swans!

Huw James - Creative Director, Tom Dick & Harry "My business partner Mark and I first met working at a creative studio in Holbeck during the mid 90s.

Twelve years later we have our own studio a short stroll along the canal from where we first met. We’re fortunate that our space looks directly onto the canal and Oddy Locks. Outside our studio, at any given moment there are houseboats, ducks, fishermen and city workers out running along the towpath. It’s not uncommon to see a Kingfisher or a canoeist. We’ve found that visitors are drawn to our windows and are almost always surprised by what they find. The steady flow of wildlife, people and boats is both a calming presence and a creative inspiration that we can’t imagine being without.

I call South Leeds my home and cycle or walk to work most days. The shortest route is not along the canal but it’s usually the one I choose; I find myself arriving with a clearer mind and happier outlook. It’s rare that a day goes by when I don’t spend some time along the water, either heading to meetings in the city, eating lunch outside, or as part of my commute. As our studio continues to grow I'm looking forward to experiencing and supporting the continued development of this unique and inspiring corner of Leeds."

"The canal community is possibly one of the most accepting I’ve come across anywhere, probably because it is so diverse. So when the opportunity arose to buy and renovate the Lock House and The Stables, it didn't take too much thought before I was committed to the project.

At that time, the area was somewhat run down with endemic crime and anti-social behaviour. My first priority was to secure the property and win the hearts and minds of the miscreants in the process! Not to put too fine a point on this, I failed."

However, she persisted, received huge support from the wider canal community, and was inspired to continue to rejuvenate the area. Teams of volunteers have worked to improve the environment around Oddy Locks.

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Feature by Toni Bee  @incolurfulcompany

It's a Colourful Life

'In Colourful Company' started rather out of the blue.

It became from a need for something that would bring people together, creative people, who like myself, often interact with others online. There are a few options out there: workshops, events, conferences; but as magical as they are, what if you just want to meet like-minded individuals? What if you just want to make some friends? There are apps and websites for dating, but nothing that feels organic and inclusive enough to just meet new people. So, In Colourful Company began.

I set up a Facebook event for our first colour walk in Sheffield and invited anyone and everyone. At that point my only expectation was to have a nice day and to finally meet some of these people I interact with online; I didn’t expect it to go much further then that.

When the day rolled round however, we all quickly realised that this was something more special than a one-off. The majority of people who came to that walk came alone, not having met anyone else there before.

Almost a year on I now watch them all plan meet-ups, swap ideas and encourage one another.

The only goal for In Colourful Company is to bring people together, not to swap business cards and never be heard of again, but to create real life friendships, to be able to surround each other with kindness. It’s easy to get a little lost when you’re working in a creative industry, it’s easy to feel the pressure of competition and having to portray success, but that is not what we are about. To quote part of our manifesto: "We will support and encourage each member, we will not allow jealousy, unkindness or perceived ideas to bitter our views. Your success is not our failure."

Flash forward almost a year on and we now meet monthly in one form or another. We arrange colour walks for various cities, we invite one or a few creative locals to be our host, to show off their city and all it has to offer. We never want to be based in one area, our heart is inclusivity and that includes location as well. Sometimes creative communities can feel like they are in competition with each other, and feel like there is a clique; we want to be the bridge between that, everyone is equal within In Colourful Company, and everyone has the ability to contribute.

I don’t know where In Colourful Company is going; there are no plans beyond what it is, and I rather like the lack of expectation in that; it gives a freedom to our community to continue to grow organically, and to help combat what can sometimes be a busy, lonely world.

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