"I’ve been perplexed by Samuel Smith’s for the best part of 20 years" 🍻 Where to start after the death of the mercurial Humphrey Smith?

TODAY'S READ: Working class bookworms vs the middle class literati. 📚 That's how author David Barnett encapsulates the two book festivals vying for readers' attention in Bradford this week.

BREAKING: Three people have been arrested on suspicion of money laundering, fraud and bribery at University of Greater Manchester, @molliesimpson.bsky.social reports. Greater Manchester Police are investigating the alleged misuse of as much as £1.7 million. manchestermill.co.uk/breaking-thr...

Here's your news from us today: 🍺 We consider what's next for Samuel Smith pubs in Leeds and West Yorkshire following Humphrey Smith's death 📺 Christa Ackroyd spoke to us and paid tribute to former Calendar presenter John Shires after his sad death last week theexchange.news/whats-next-f...

An absolutely fascinating read for you today, courtesy of our guest writer Thomas Barrett, who has already treated you to an insight into the history of the Lee Gap Fair and whether the end is nigh after 900 years.

🚨 We’re hiring a Senior Editor 🚨 We need an exceptional editorial leader - someone who can edit ambitious journalism, develop writers, and help shape the direction of one of the most exciting teams in British journalism.

When a large encampment appeared outside Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court a few months ago, the "content creators" quickly piled in. A prime example of everything wrong in Bradford, they said. But what was actually happening at the site? 1/3

Now then, Brad Deas here - journalist at @theexchangeleeds.bsky.social. If you know me, please give me a follow. If you don't, but enjoy my writing, please follow. Everyone else? Also, please follow. Got something for us to look into? Get in touch at: [email protected]

Our editor @djstimms.bsky.social in conversation with Media North mag:

Today's briefing is out! Including 👛 Kirkgate shopping centre in Bradford finally closes its doors 🍽 Dishoom announces Leeds move 📝 Update on Kirklees council chaos as Mayor Tracy Brabin enters the fray ☀️ Scorching temps 📖 Dystopian graphic novels And so much more! theexchange.news/the-slow-dea...

My 1st story for @theexchangeleeds.bsky.social is up! It started with a build proposal that sent chills down the spine of anyone who loves Belgrave Music Hall. But it took a turn, and ended up ... oddly reassuring — at least, for students tired of peak-market rents. theexchange.news/leeds-is-in-...

Our Monday briefing is out! Featuring: 🖼️Tributes pour in for Bradford born legend David Hockney 👮Heavy police presence at Dortmund Square immigration protest 📹 Good news for local creative students 🐦A nice spot of urban birdwatching And more! theexchange.news/death-of-a-l...

Microsoft is going to start building three "hyperscale" data centres in south east Leeds next year. Is that a good thing? Our mid-week read: theexchange.news/the-hypersca...

"One side is saying: ‘Why can’t we just go ahead?’ and the other is saying: ‘Why can’t you just follow this procedure?’” We dug into why the tram has been put back - and whether it will eventually happen... theexchange.news/yes-we-tram/

We can't think of a better way to spend a rainy morning... though we can't promise this article will "lift your spirits"...

🗣 “My mum met my dad at the fair.” After nearly 900 years, one of West Yorkshire’s oldest traditions is under threat.

Our first official edition is here - and it’s a big one. A council deadlock that’s left Kirklees without a leader, a £100m bus order reshaping transport across West Yorkshire, and a look at whether Leeds is losing its independent beer edge. Plus peregrine falcons picking Bradford over Leeds.

A top team with 16 years of experience between them. Can't wait to get going very soon!

Well, have we got some news for you 🚨 With two weeks to go until launch, we wanted to introduce two of the people helping shape The Exchange. Introducing: Brad Deas and Mia Jankowicz.

So, we’ve got a name. Introducing: The Exchange. A new newsroom for West Yorkshire - built on the idea that places matter, stories matter, and that information shouldn’t just sit there.

Amid Hong Kong's gleaming skyscrapers, Andrew Carter began to long to eat a chicken balti pie at Elland Road at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. Our weekend read is a moving personal essay on a life lived in and outside of Leeds - but always shaped by the city. You can read the full article below

"It was horrid, absolutely horrid. We felt a lot of pressure, which I think is his tactic." London lawyer Andrew Milne bought a strip of land. Then the threatening letters began. Featuring bee keepers, bikers and legal threats, it's a strange and disturbing tale... Check our latest piece below 👇

Buildings collapsed on one of Leeds’ oldest streets. Two years later, almost nothing has happened. Why? Victoria Munro dives into a story of delay, decay and unanswered questions. Read the full story below 👇

WE ARE HIRING 🚨 We’re looking for two great writers to help us get our new newsroom off the ground.

West Yorkshire is to get a new independent news and investigative outlet with @leedsnewlocalpaper.bsky.social - it won't be Leeds Other Paper, but it'll be much better than nowt. To mark this good news, here's a piece about LOP from its final issue in 1994, by which time it was called Northern Star.

🚨 Final call ‼️ We're officially building and we need a name. Have your say now.

500 pledges. It’s official. West Yorkshire has spoken. A new independent local newspaper for the area is moving forward. We’re officially launching. 🚀

20 pledges to go. We’re ready when you are.

⏰ We’re into the final stretch of our campaign to launch a new newspaper for West Yorkshire - and we’re now at 433 pledges. In this week’s newsletter, @djstimms.bsky.social explains where things stand and why this final push matters.

🚨 You have less than week left to support our new publication in Leeds and West Yorkshire 🚨 To recap: we need 500 pledges by next Monday if we are going to launch our seventh UK title. We’re currently on 424, meaning we need another 76 in the next five days. Can you help get us over the line?

One week to go to see if a new independent news outlet for Leeds and West Yorkshire will actually happen - if you'd like to see it and haven't yet pledged support for @leedsnewlocalpaper.bsky.social, please consider doing so. #LocalJournalismMatters

Less than a week left ⏰ A month ago we said: if 500 people backed the idea, we’d launch a new local newspaper for West Yorkshire based in Leeds. Overnight, we’ve just surpassed 400 pledges 💫 That means we’re within touching distance - but nothing is guaranteed yet.

350 pledges. 150 to go. If we reach it, we launch 🚀

New bike lanes. Big investment. Serious questions 🚴 Our latest newsletter explores Leeds’ new cycling infrastructure - who it’s for, what it costs, and whether it will work. We cycled from Bradford to Leeds to work out what’s going on. Click the link below and have a read 👇

It’s been a remarkable few weeks and this morning we’ve just hit 300 pledges 👏🏼 We wanted to share some of the messages we’ve received along the way. They’ve meant a huge amount.

We're well over halfway, with more than 280 pledges already! Leeds deserves high-quality local journalism, and you can help us ensure the city gets it⬇️

Launching a new newsroom is simple in theory: If 500 people back it, we build it ⚒️ We’re working towards bringing independent journalism to West Yorkshire - and support like this from Robyn Vinter really means a lot.

Nearly half way to 500 - wow 🤩 The support so far has been brilliant - and it shows there's real appetite for serious local journalism here 📰

"In the Industrial Revolution, every big city in the north had a local champion newspaper." @tomforth.co.uk thinks cities like Leeds deserves one again. 👑

🎙️ “In journalism, you’re often having to pump things out quite quickly. It would be great to have something fresh where you’re able to invest time into stories” 💫 Aliza Kayan-Ahmed Journalism Student @universityofleeds.bsky.social

Very excited to see that Mill Media are looking to set up in West Yorkshire. See more detail below and how to support the launch.

At last West Yorkshire is getting its own version of The Mill, The Tribue, and The Post from Mill Media. They are the real news newsletters that have taken Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool by storm. If you value real regional news then pledge your support now.

An interesting development as Mill Media announces it hopes to open its next title in Leeds leeds.ghost.io/welcome-to-l...

🚨 It looks like we might be hiring very soon. If you’re a journalist in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield or Halifax - or you grew up there and want to move back - please contact @djstimms.bsky.social with haste. As soon as we hit 500 we can hire.

It's been 24 hours since we launched this - and honestly, we've been blown away 🤯 128 people have already pledged to support a new newspaper for West Yorkshire. Thank you! To launch, we still need 500 ✏️

People have been asking us to come to West Yorkshire 🏭 They've seen our award-winning journalism in other cities and thought: we want that here.

To open in West Yorkshire we need 500 pledged members, we are at 100! You won't be charged till we reach 500. leeds.ghost.io/welcome-to-l...

We’re launching a new independent newspaper for Leeds - funded by readers. If you want better local journalism in Leeds, this is how it starts. 👉 Pledge your support: leeds.ghost.io