<!-- wp:media-text {"mediaPosition":"right","mediaId":7515,"mediaLink":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/?attachment_id=7515","mediaType":"image","mediaWidth":35} -->
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:auto 35%"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img src="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/First-Direct-LeedsOct22.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7515 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…"} -->
<p>Many months ago I arranged for Dave &amp; Lucie, Helene and myself to see James Taylor at First Direct Arena Leeds. We stayed at the Novotel Hotel because it was on the edge of the city centre and a short walk from the venue. Due to roadworks and closed roads getting into the hotel was challenging. I'm glad Dave was driving.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
<!-- /wp:media-text -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I haven't been to Leeds for over 30 years and all I could remember was that it had some lovely Victorian arcades. The city is a delightful blend of old and new. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Prior to the concert we booked a table at <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.mowglistreetfood.com/" target="_blank">Mowgli</a>. H and I had tried to go when we recently stayed in Nottingham but due to a kitchen flood they cancelled us. As a consequence of the cancellation we were given 50% off our food. The food was very good and we will definitely go again if we're in a city which has a Mowgli.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:jetpack/tiled-gallery {"columnWidths":[["25.00000","25.00000","25.00000","25.00000"]],"ids":[7519,7520,7521,7522]} -->
<div class="wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular"><div class="tiled-gallery__gallery"><div class="tiled-gallery__row"><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:25.00000%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="1280" data-id="7519" data-link="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/leeds-arcade2oct22" data-url="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-arcade2Oct22-768x1024.jpg" data-width="960" src="https://i1.wp.com/pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-arcade2Oct22-768x1024.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:25.00000%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="1280" data-id="7520" data-link="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/leeds-arcade1oct22" data-url="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-arcade1Oct22-768x1024.jpg" data-width="960" src="https://i2.wp.com/pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-arcade1Oct22-768x1024.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:25.00000%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="1280" data-id="7521" data-link="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/leeds-old-architecture1oct22" data-url="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-old-architecture1Oct22-768x1024.jpg" data-width="960" src="https://i1.wp.com/pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-old-architecture1Oct22-768x1024.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:25.00000%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img alt="" data-height="1280" data-id="7522" data-link="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/leeds-new-architecture1" data-url="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-New-Architecture1-768x1024.jpg" data-width="960" src="https://i2.wp.com/pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-New-Architecture1-768x1024.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive"/></figure></div></div></div></div>
<!-- /wp:jetpack/tiled-gallery -->

<!-- wp:media-text {"mediaId":7518,"mediaLink":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/leeds-corn-exchangeoct22","mediaType":"image","mediaWidth":40} -->
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:40% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img src="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Leeds-corn-exchangeOct22-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7518 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…"} -->
<p>The <a href="https://www.leedscornexchange.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corn exchange</a> was a particularly beautiful building. The old corn merchants' offices had been converted into small shops. There were market stalls and on the lower floor was a café.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>We wandered around soaking up the friendly atmosphere and browsing the stalls to see if there was anything worth buying - cards, jewellery, etc.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
<!-- /wp:media-text -->

<!-- wp:media-text {"mediaPosition":"right","mediaId":7517,"mediaLink":"https://pigyard.com/wordpress/james-taylor-leedsoct22","mediaType":"image","mediaWidth":28} -->
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:auto 28%"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img src="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/James-Taylor-LeedsOct22-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7517 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…"} -->
<p>The highlight of the weekend was seeing James Taylor alongside 10,000 other fans. At 74 his voice isn't as smooth or strong as it was when he started 55  years ago. Despite that he soon warmed up and delivered several hours of his classic songs.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>It was an event that will live long in my memory.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
<!-- /wp:media-text -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>We finished the weekend visit with a superb breakfast at <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.oliveandrye.co.uk/" target="_blank">Olive &amp; Rye</a>. The café is in the Queen's Arcade and we could sit outside and under the canopy of the arcade. The food was very good and the service was excellent.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->