‘15:05 — Jamie messages me to say Magic Rock is finished’ That was the message a brewer at Magic Rock sent to his partner when administrators were called in, in 2025, before it was taken over. 1/3

This is part of an ongoing and shameful wider trend across various sporting bodies, and it’s never ‘just sport’. I wrote about this for @theipaper.com back in April: inews.co.uk/news/world/r...

Russian athletes are being allowed back into sports — a crucial boost for Putin

'I cannot compete with someone who wants to kill us,' one Ukrainian Paralympian said

inews.co.uk

Randahl Fink@randahl.bsky.social · last wk.

The International Olympic Committee is lifting the suspension of Russian boxers while Russia is bombing the old boxing center in Kherson. The IOC is on the wrong side of history.

The degree to which my colleagues at @manchestermill.bsky.social are relishing the present moment is off the charts

Your @theexchangeleeds.bsky.social briefing today: 🏗️ Sky Gardens construction partner on brink of 'collapse' 🚋 Angela Rayner raises West Yorkshire tram hopes, nonspecifically 🐑 PETA want sheep plaque in Legrams Mill 📉 Council tax cuts not possible: Bradford Reform theexchange.news/sky-gardens-...

Sky Gardens: Luxury apartment tower in jeopardy as construction firm on brink of ‘collapse’

Dear Exchangers — we welcome you to today’s newsletter on the back of a busy old week. Mia was solely steering the ship last week, while Brad was on a well-deserved holiday. But now we’re back to ful...

theexchange.news

If you stood on Briggate at 8am on a weekday in 1957, and stood there again in 2026, in which year could you reach more of the city in half an hour? Samuel Bancroft has crunched the numbers. Since the 1950s, Leeds has got bigger - but the city has effectively shrunk.

After an eight-week standoff, Kirklees Council finally has a leader — Reform's Sarah Wood, who got over the line with the help of a handful of Tory votes. We got behind the scenes of the decision that broke the stalemate: theexchange.news/kirklees-tor...

Kirklees Tories handed Reform power. They’re already regretting it

'I’ll be doing my damnedest to remove them next year'

theexchange.news

My friend’s in Spain watching the match on an outdoor screen with locals, who revolted during the half time show and two kiddos got up and did a dance show for whole crowd instead. Cutest thing I’ve ever seen

Unless Burnham follows through on new North Sea oil and gas. This post well worth a read: www.linkedin.com/posts/michel...

David Roberts@volts.wtf · 3w ago

Virtually every country in the world *except* for the US is responding to the Iran War in a rational way -- ie, trying to reduce their reliance in imported fossil fuels.

Absolutely riveting stuff from my colleagues @braddeasjourno.bsky.social and Moya Lothian-Mclean for @theexchangeleeds.bsky.social: What really drives Get Baked’s Rich Myers? And who is really baiting him? theexchange.news/getfaked-how...

GetFaked: how a star baker confected his enemies

Rich Myers went viral for airing his haters online. Turns out they weren’t real

theexchange.news

It’s hard to overstate the journey Cllr Wood has had from (infamously) declaring that she does not understand the Kirklees Council constitution, to winning its leadership today Reminder of the chaos in May: theexchange.news/panic-at-the...

Panic! At the council

The Exchange is live! Plus: is Leeds neglecting its independent beer scene?

theexchange.news

I'm at Huddersfield Town Hall to cover Kirklees Council's third attempt to vote in a leader. An almost full house

Great read from my colleague @miajankowicz.bsky.social! Some proper top class insights in there about a man who was notoriously private. Give it a go and let us know what you think! #SamuelSmith

The Exchange@theexchangeleeds.bsky.social · 3w ago

"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?

"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?

Want to join the @millmedia.bsky.social team? We're hiring two Staff Writer roles, one in Liverpool and one in Birmingham. The Liverpool one closes today! Please share with talented friends. millmediaco.uk/jobs/

Jobs

“If I was a young writer right now, I would want to work for Mill Media” Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker Current opportunities:

millmediaco.uk

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...

BREAKING: Three people arrested on suspicion of money laundering, fraud and bribery at University of Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester Police are investigating the alleged misuse of as much as £1.7 million

manchestermill.co.uk

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...

What’s next for Samuel Smith pubs in Leeds and West Yorkshire?

We seek your thoughts on the venues he left behind.

theexchange.news

📆 Our Senior Editor role closes THIS WEEKEND! We’re open to applicants in any of the cities we cover. Join one of the most talented editing teams in journalism. Applications close tomorrow night. Please share. millmediaco.uk/2026/06/15/w...

For @theexchangeleeds.bsky.social I talked to Network Raik about how they look after what are locally known as the Dark Arches, the fabulously dank and atmospheric caverns under Leeds Station. theexchange.news/the-keeper-o...

The Keeper of the Dark Arches

Meet the engineering army maintaining the underbelly of Leeds Station

theexchange.news

Some of you are still posting about politics and I need you to understand that Bluesky is now a Cabo Verde stan platform thank you for your attention

New local news 🤝 new art mag — headed to the issue 1 launch of pickled. magazine for artists and writers

An important test case for journalists everywhere here — and a great write-up about how it unfolded.

Joshi Herrmann@joshih.bsky.social · last mo.

TV historian Laurence Westgaph sued us to expose our sources and posted sinister threats about me and the 'cutthroats and sell outs'. We spent £75,000 fighting him in court - a crucial first test of the 'journalism exemption' in GDPR. And we won!! ✌️ www.livpost.co.uk/a-dish-best-...

Mill Media is hiring! Liverpool journalists, or those willing to relocate, should jump at the chance to apply.

The Post@liverpoolpost.bsky.social · last mo.

🚨 We are looking for a Staff Writer to join our team in Liverpool 🚨 We’re looking for a fantastic writer who can capture what’s going on in the city and its wider region, and who can deliver really solid reporting that sets the agenda.

Some good news about local news (FYI @theexchangeleeds.bsky.social, @abi-whist.bsky.social, @djstimms.bsky.social, @miajankowicz.bsky.social, @nujleeds.bsky.social, @nujofficial.bsky.social, @millmedia.bsky.social...)

Some good news about local news - NUJ Leeds and West Yorkshire

A 'new kind of local news' has arrived in Leeds and West Yorkshire thanks to the team behind The Manchester Mill.

nujleeds.org.uk

Final freezer clearout for the move to Leeds, which means in the next 2 days I have to eat 12 ice lollies, 8 Yorkshire puddings, four blocks of homemade chicken stock, and some unidentifiable meats. Strikes me as reasonable

Fantastic reporting from my colleague @braddeasjourno.bsky.social who has handled a difficult topic and a complex source really well.

The Exchange@theexchangeleeds.bsky.social · last mo.

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

Your update on some of the biggest stories from Leeds and West Yorkshire — and my first go at helping write it. Read! Enjoy! Sign up! And ping me here or mia@theexchange.news with any story tips.

The Exchange@theexchangeleeds.bsky.social · last mo.

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...

#breaking a cat lives opposite our office

Calling #Leeds and #WestYorkshire #photographers! The Exchange are looking for great photos of the region to feature (credited & linked) in our weekly 'big picture' section of the Monday newsletter. Whose IG should I be following?

Are you in Sheffield? Or have a bit of a connection to it? Or actually none? Whatever your answer, you SHOULD be signing up to @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social's membership drive.

Sheffield Tribune@sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Wow. 3 weeks. 750 new members. Which is exciting. And, if we’re completely honest, slightly nerve wracking. It means we’re close. But not quite there yet.

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-...

Leeds is in the ‘finding out’ phase of its luxury student tower boom

'One of Leeds' most important music/cultural venues should not be replaced with another soulless student tower'

theexchange.news