People of Leeds, get ready because this August bank holiday Merrion street will be hosting the street party to end all street parties. Eight operators on the street have joined forces, along with neighbour, the Grand Arcade, to host the first bank holiday celebration since lockdown restrictions were lifted. On Sunday 29th August, visitors to the street can expect eclectic music from local DJs, top class entertainment and incredible food and drinks in one of the city’s largest outdoor drinking areas.
Street party visitors will be able to wander in and out of the bars along the street, sampling incredible cocktails from Manahatta and Liv bar; getting their chicken fix from Yard&Coop; dancing to incredible music at award-winning MOJO; spicing things up with authentic street food from Zaap Thai; slinging some bourbon and beer at Mean Eyed Cat; slamming tequilas at Verve and competing with mates in ball games at Roxy Ball Room.
The outdoor seating area will be opened up to provide the biggest street party vibe in the city, bringing Leeds to life and its people together for the first time in two years to a soundtrack provided the best in local dj talent. As the party spills over into the Grand Arcade, visitors can hang out and listen to open mic at Santiago rock bar; sip on a wide selection of gins at the illustrious Tailors Speakeasy; watch traditional Latino dancing at Casa Columbiana; listen to live jazz at the hidden gem that is the Domino Club; and grab a bite to eat, washed down with a tasty tipple at Leeds’ first wellbeing bar, Better Days.
Staff and customers came together in summer 2020 for a weekend of live music, food and drink, after a long hospitality hiatus. It was such a success that the operators wanted to get more people involved and make this August bank holiday the biggest party the street has ever seen. There will be something for everyone – with live DJs playing an eclectic mix of music and various entertainment throughout the day.
Speaking about this incredible event, CEO of Roxy Leisure, Matthew Jones, says: “This is the first time in two years that the bars on Merrion Street have been able to open over the August bank holiday so we all decided to come together to make this one really stand out. Each bar is running their own promos and activities throughout the day and we’ve opened up the barriers so visitors can flow freely from bar to bar, experiencing everything they have to offer, whilst still remaining safe.
It’s going to be a real celebration of the staff who have worked hard to bring the street festival to life, as well as a “thank you” to loyal guests who have stood by us and are helping us get back to where we were pre-pandemic. Leeds truly is one of the best cities in England and, whilst we can’t control the weather, we can guarantee everyone will have a great time this bank holiday.”
The bars on Merrion Street will open to the public from midday on 29th August and the festivities will run until late.
Martin Greenhow MD of MOJO added: "We’re all looking forward to this event and have each put our hearts and souls into making it truly special for our much-loved guests. It’s about time everyone had a bit of summer fun and this will be the ideal way to celebrate the incredible social scene our great city has to offer. The pandemic has really taught us that we’re better together so we want to show the people of Leeds the best time so they can forget about the last year and look to the future. It’s going to be incredible!”
