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Published On 30 Jan 202630 Jan 2026
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A HUGE new food, drink and music venue is coming to Leeds – after success in another major city.
Freight Island has announced it’s opening a new site in the Trinity Leeds shopping centre and will welcome new food stalls and lots of entertainment.
The new venue is part of a £15million expansion at the Trinity Kitchen food court in the Trinity Leeds shopping centre.
It will be huge too as the space will more than double in size from 30,000 square feet to 63,000.
Inside will be street-style food stalls, independent bars, and live entertainment.
The plans also include a new outdoor terrace which will look over City Square.
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Construction is set to start in late spring 2026 – and Trinity Kitchen will remain open throughout the entire time.
Dan Morris, Managing Director of Freight Island, said: “Trinity Kitchen is an iconic Leeds destination with a decade-long reputation for championing independent food traders and creating a genuinely social dining experience.”
He added: “Food will remain at the heart of the venue, with menus driven by independent chefs and operators, alongside a programme of DJs, sports, performances, cultural and family events, all with a strong focus on showcasing and supporting local Leeds talent.”
There are three other cities with Freight Islands already in the UK.
The first to open its doors was in Manchester – it opened in July 2020 as part of the Depot Mayfield development.
There are bars, restaurants, food trucks, shops and even a bike park.
There’s also a New York inspired-roller disco, and a karaoke spot called Queen Samantha’s where visitors can sing their hearts out.
Throughout the year it holds free entertainment too like screenings of the Six Nations Bingo and Drink, Dance, Dine sessions.
Freight Brixton has a tequila-led bar called Casa Amigos and another called Hotel Milano which is inspired by Northern Italy.
Freight Island Newcastle will open in Eldon Square in late 2026.
The 60,000 square foot venue is being developed in the former Debenhams shop.
This site is said to have taken inspiration from Coney Island in New York and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.
Along with having street food it will have high energy DJs and live music performances in the evenings.
For more on entertainment, check out this huge new riverfront music and food attraction to open in UK capital, as part of £4billion redevelopment.
Plus, this popular London borough to get huge £10billion makeover with parks, restaurants and ‘flower amphitheatre’.
THE Cotswolds is known for their beauty with quaint cottages and winding streets and there’s one very similar town over 100 miles away.
Saffron Walden is nestled in the Essex countryside.
In 2025, the Essex town was named the “best place to live in the UK” by The Times, and it does have a likeness to the popular Cotswolds.
The town is filled with wonky Tudor houses, winding streets and a plethora of independent shops.
There’s The Toy Box which sells old-school toys and has been in the town for 40-years, The Corner Cupboard where you can find antique jewellery, and Hart’s Books.
Saffron Walden is well-known for its big outdoor market which it’s held since 1141 – and you can see it for yourself on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Stalls sell food from fresh fruit and vegetables, to olives, bread, fish, flowers, antiques and jewellery.
If you’re lucky you may even spot a celeb like Jamie Oliver, who lives nearby and is often seen picking up fresh ingredients at the stalls.
There are lots of cafes around the town too from The Goat and Grass to Waffle and Coffee to Chater’s.
When it comes to pubs, you’re spoiled for choice – and lots of them have scooped up awards in recent years too.
In 2022, the Railway Arms was awarded CAMRA County Pub of the Year and North West Essex Pub of the Year in May.
The pub serves all sorts and drinks and snacks, although you won’t find pub grub here – but there are food trucks every Thursday.
The Railway Arms closed in 2017 but reopened in 2020 as Saffron Walden’s first community-run free house pub – and it holds a quiz every Sunday.
The Eight Bells on Bridge Street is also a popular spot and has a beautiful interior with beams and antler light fixings.
With a set menu you can get two courses for £19.50 or three for £24.50.
You can dine on the likes of prawn cocktail, chicken kiev, smoked haddock kedgeree and to finish, sticky toffee pudding or vanilla cheesecake.
While it’s not actually in Saffron Walden, The Cricketers Arms is a short drive away in Rickling Green and won Best Destination Pub 2025 Muddy Awards.
It was also awarded 1 AA Rosette for culinary excellence.
The pub is known for its hearty Sunday meals like the ‘Tear & Share’ lamb shoulder and three meats ‘Pig n Mix’ roast.
On the outskirts of Saffron Walden is Audley End an English Heritage House – but there’s lots to do on the grounds.
Here, you’ll even find a miniature railway which will reopen for Mother’s Day weekend.
There are events held throughout the year too like Woodland Adventure Days where kids can explore the playground, discover the fairy walk – and ride one of the trains.
Saffron Walden even has its own vineyard called Saffron Grange.
The family-run vineyard makes English sparkling wine including white and rosé.
If you fancy a tour, and a tasting – you can book one from £25 per person.
It’s easy to explore Saffron Walden in a day too as it’s a 30-minute drive from the city of Cambridge.
If you’re going by train, from London it can take as little as 55-minute which gets you into the nearest station at Audley End.
From there, it’s just a 7-minute drive into the Essex town.
For more on Essex, check out England’s smallest town has riverfront pubs, man-made beach and its own train station.
And make sure to discover the ‘other side’ to the county with sandy beaches and the biggest pleasure pier in the UK.
Senior Consumer Reporter Adele Cooke headed to Saffron Walden for a weekend getaway, and here’s what she thought…
“Before I boarded the train for my weekend break, Essex conjured up images of Gemma Collins rather than a refined getaway.
So it was a pleasant surprise to arrive at our cottage set in the splendour of Audley End House and Gardens, just outside Saffron Walden. If you are looking for a place to get away from it all, it’s perfect.
“The 17th-century manor has been visited by everyone from Elizabeth I to screen royalty Olivia Colman, who filmed scenes for Netflix series The Crown.
“In nearby Saffron Walden there were more surprises. Coffee in hand, we took a stroll to St Mary’s Church, which dates to Norman times and is still the tallest building in Essex with its spire topping out at 193ft.
“Then it was on to Bridge End Gardens and its maze – before a pint at the Cross Keys Hotel, also known for its great food. The fun continued with a visit to one of Essex’s Tiptree tea rooms. I knew Tiptree as the makers of tasty jams, often served in little jars at posh hotels.
“But I was surprised to learn the Essex-born company also has eight tea rooms and even a museum.
“We got the day off to the best of starts at Tiptree’s Courtyard tea room in Saffron Walden with their traditional breakfast, a Full English complete with tasty local sausages, bacon, egg and even some traditional Tiptree brown sauce.”
A year ago, Colorado firefighters Rick Balentine and Tim Cottrell were driving trucks carrying donations from Aspen to Los Angeles for victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires.
As they headed west, they planned to stop in Las Vegas and, while there, made a spontaneous decision to see the Eagles’ residency at the Sphere. Balentine and Cottrell bought resale tickets on StubHub for around $400 each. Cottrell used his credit card and received a confirmation email. But once they arrived to the venue, they weren’t allowed in. The seller failed to send the tickets.
All Cottrell could find was an email that said his tickets had been canceled, moments before the concert was to start. Other than getting their money back, there was no further explanation.
“We knew they were aftermarket tickets,” Balentine said, “but never in a million years did I think that tickets could get canceled.”
“I was very disappointed. There needs to be more protection out there, both for consumers and for artists, so people aren’t getting ripped off all the time.”
The rising demand for tickets has spurred a growing marketplace for all kinds of high-profile live events, including music tours and sports series like the upcoming World Cup. Whenever fans are unable to secure tickets on the primary market, through sellers like Ticketmaster or AXS, many will turn to the secondary market for resale tickets. Those tickets are typically sold through platforms like StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats. Customers who bought their passes directly from Ticketmaster can also resell them on that platform.
The majority of secondary-market transactions can be easy, leaving both the reseller and the customer satisfied. But with the rise of speculative or fake tickets, like the ones Balentine and Cottrell bought, securing valid tickets from the resale market has become more challenging.
Speculative tickets are offered by resellers who list concert passes they don’t yet have in their possession, with the intention that they will ultimately acquire the tickets and deliver them to the buyer. According to 2025 data from Live Nation, one in three Americans has fallen victim to a ticketing scam. But under California’s bill, AB 1349, selling speculative tickets could be banned on all resale platforms in the state. On Monday, the bill passed in an assembly vote and is headed to the state Senate for review.
Thousands of fans enjoy Shakira’s performance at SoFi Stadium in August.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Speculative tickets usually pop up as soon as a major artist announces a tour. Most recently, K-pop boy band BTS announced a world tour that includes four stops at SoFi Stadium. Before the general sale began Jan. 24, some sellers on Vivid Seats had already started listing tickets for over $6,000. Listings like these usually create a greater sense of scarcity, which can drive up ticket prices even more.
If enacted, the proposed legislation in California would require sellers to have event tickets in their possession before offering them for sale. The listing must include the location of the seat and specific refund rights. It prohibits a person from using software that automatically purchases more tickets than the specified limit, and it would raise the maximum civil penalty for each violation from $2,500 to $10,000.
The live music industry is a vital part of the state’s economy, contributing over $51 billion to California’s GDP and supporting over 460,000 jobs, according to the database 50 States of Music.
Ticketing fraud tends to affect more than just the consumer. Whenever an unknowing fan shows up to a venue with a fake ticket, it often falls on the venue and its staff to deal with the situation. Stephen Parker, the executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, said that if speculative tickets are banned in California, venues could save up to $50,000 in staffing expenses.
Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, where many concerts and ticketed live events are held.
(Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“They have to deal with fans who are crying, who are angry, who are upset because they thought they were going to go see their favorite artists that night, and they paid [over the] ticket’s face value only to not get a ticket that works or to not get a ticket at all,” said Parker.
There are currently dozens of legislative bills throughout the U.S. focused on event ticketing issues. Some states like Maryland, Minnesota and Maine have already passed restrictions on speculative tickets.
The action comes after both the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission sued Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, in 2024 and 2025. The DOJ’s lawsuit suggests breaking up the company, which it accuses of engaging in monopolistic practices. The complaint also alleges the company forces venues into exclusive ticketing contracts and influences artists to use only its services.
Founded in 1976, Ticketmaster has been the industry’s largest ticket distributor since 1995, with around 80% of live concerts sold through the site. The company merged with Live Nation in 2010.
Ticketmaster has also acquired a growing share of the resale market, under the platform Ticketmaster Resale. The site allows consumers to list, sell or find tickets to live events. The business functions similarly to other resale sites, but Ticketmaster does not allow speculative ticket sales on its platform.
The Federal Trade Commission is currently suing the company on accusations that it engaged in illegal ticket vendor practices for its resale business, like misleading artists and consumers with so-called “bait-and-switch pricing,” where advertised prices are lower than the actual total. Following the FTC’s complaint, the ticket seller made changes to its policies.
Additionally, Ticketmaster is no longer allowing users to have multiple accounts, which made it easier to purchase more tickets than the specified limit, and it is shutting down Trade Desk, the controversial software that helps resellers track and price tickets across several marketplaces.
Hundreds enjoy a performance by Banda Los Lagos during Jalisco Fest at the 2025 Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“The FTC case against us is very frustrating because we think they’re sort of blaming the victim here. We’re the ones that are dealing with millions and millions of bots attacking us every day,” said Dan Wall, Live Nation’s vice president of corporate and regulatory affairs. “We’re trying to convince the federal government and state governments to get on the same page of recognizing where the problem is, which is overwhelmingly in the resale industry, and trying to do something about it.”
“We’re a much more artist and consumer-focused company, and so we don’t engage in the different kinds of business practices that are sketchy and unfair to the fans. We try to be a much more honest, legitimate outlet for getting resale tickets,” said Wall.
Critics find that the surge of anti-speculative ticketing bills around the country is a way for Ticketmaster to divert attention from its own legal troubles and shift attention onto the resale market. Live Nation is a key supporter of the California bill. Diana Moss, the director of competition policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, called AB 1349 “overkill” when it comes to the provisions and restrictions it places on the secondary market.
Fans cheer Sexyy Red at the Rolling Loud concert at Hollywood Park in March.
(Michael Owen Baker/For The Times)
“A lot of these bills in the states are a vehicle to disable the resale markets and hinder how they operate. Resale markets are important to consumers,” said Moss. “If you disable the resale market, then fans have no place to go — but back to Ticketmaster. That’s the whole game, disable the resale markets with legislation and regulation, and then everybody has to go back and deal with Ticketmaster and pay their monopoly ticket fees.”
Provisions in AB 1349 deem a ticket a license. The question of whether a ticket is a right or a license is an ongoing controversy in the ticketing world. Opponents of the bill are fearful that this change would give more power to Live Nation, as they could impose restrictions on how the ticket can be used, such as whether you’re allowed to sell your ticket on other platforms or if you can transfer it at all. Meghan Callahan, from the Empower Fans Coalition, a group that opposes the bill, equates this licensing change to taking a lease out on the ticket.
“Ticketmaster’s goal is to create less competition. This bill imposes restrictions on everybody else but themselves,” said Callahan. “They are trying to use consumer-friendly concepts and sneak in these other provisions to embolden their monopoly.”
Wall at Ticketmaster said that nothing on the consumers’ end would change if this bill were to pass, adding that tickets are already licenses “from the venue for you to come on the property during the time of the show and sit in that seat.”
“Honesty doesn’t favor one person or another. That’s what this [bill] is about,” said Wall.
Ray J says his days are numbered — and the number he’s citing is 2027.
“Just almost died!! I’m alive because of your prayers and support!!” the singer wrote in an Instagram caption posted Sunday.
“I wanna thank everyone for praying for me. I was in the hospital,” he said in the accompanying video. “My heart is only beating like 25%, but as long as I stay focused and stay on the right path, then everything will be all right, so thank you for all your prayers.”
It was a different story in another livestream, however, captured in clips on the @Livebitez Instagram page.
“2027 is definitely a wrap for me,” the 45-year-old, real name William Ray Norwood Jr., said in one video posted Tuesday, making a “cut off” motion across his neck.
“No, don’t say that, brother,” a friend says off camera.
“That’s what the doctor says,” Ray J replied meekly, then seemingly grew frustrated as his friend talked loudly over him and insisted he was going to live long enough to see his children’s children.
In the next clip, the singer says, “It don’t matter if my days are counted. But guess what — my baby mama gonna be straight. My kids are gonna be straight. If they want to spend all the money they can spend it, but I did my part here.”
Then he looks up and tells his friend, “I shouldn’t have went this hard, bro. I shouldn’t have went hard. And then, when it’s all done, burn me, don’t bury me.”
In clips assembled on the next Livebitez post, Ray J admits heavy alcohol and drug use and says that messed up his heart “on the right side, here, it’s like, black. It’s like done.” He said he might go to Haiti to “do some voodoo” because he thinks “they got the cure.”
He also said he thought he was “bigger” and “had more weight” to put up against the onslaught of substances. “I thought I could handle all the alcohol, I could handle all the Adderall.”
Cut to the next clip where he says he thought he “could handle all the drugs, but I couldn’t. … And it curbed my time here.”
In a final collection of clips, Ray J mentions the criminal protective order put in place by the court after a run-in with the law in November. .
Ray J was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of making criminal threats, an LAPD spokesman told The Times in late November. The singer allegedly pointed a gun at ex-wife Princess Love during a heated argument that happened during a livestream at Thanksgiving.
Because of the protective order related to that incident, he isn’t allowed to see her or their kids, Melody, 7, and Epik, who turned 6 last month. He said in court documents reviewed by Page Six that he pointed the gun at her to keep her from driving the kids away from his house after a drunken family holiday.
In the final batch of clips, he says his parents were picking him up “tomorrow” for a doctor appointment. He mentions that sister Brandy had paid his bills “for the rest of the year. That’s crazy.”
Despite the singer-actor picking up his tab, Ray J says his kids have “at least $10 million” in their trust fund account.
The R&B singer was hospitalized in early January in Las Vegas, sidelined by heart pain and pneumonia, according to TMZ. Four years ago, he battled pneumonia as well.
