Friday 22nd April - Earth Day

Earth Day - Celebrate and protect our natural environment, have you ever thought about starting or joining a group that helps looks after our environment?  Garforth in Bloom perhaps or The Garforth Flood Group and listening out on social media when Jackie Simpson kindly organises a Tidy up day, which happens about three times a year?  Leeds City Council Waste advisors are always giving out information about how we can recycle and reuse, including leftovers this week.  It's a great page to follow and find out information about how to keep our environment clean and tidy and less wasteful – give them a follow.

https://www.facebook.com/leedswastedocs/?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/LeedsWasteDocsional scales, and work towards making a difference to

A random week for me this week – I like random, it shakes it up a little

Garforth Arts Festival, meeting - Main Street Festival  #watchthisspace

Meeting new businesses, Station House Cafe, Vogue Bar and Opium Beauty

Meeting new members too, Sophie from Spray Tan Sophie, Mobile - she can come to your house, set up, sprays and can be gone within half an hour.  She has a good following of people and uses great products to make sure you get a good even, all over tan.  If you want a great colour but you don’t have a lot of time, then Sophie is your lady.  Get in touch for details 

https://twitter.com/spraytansoph
https://www.facebook.com/SprayTanningSophie
07881 022 309

 
 
Meeting a local business owner to see if they will take over my position as Chair of the Traders Association from next week.   This has been something I have worked on, separately from The Main Deal, but organically TMD has had its influences for promoting things we’ve decided to do.  The trader’s team have been brilliant to work with and I hope now it’s fully established, whoever takes it on, will continue to grow and sustain the teamwork, keep it going

Christmas Committee Meeting chatting with bigger commercial businesses about sponsorship and talking to the committee about where we are at, Debbie from Angels and Butterflies is really onboard with organising the Christmas stalls for the Saturday and the Sunday, some exciting things to come this year.  You can now follow the new Twitter account that has been created to keep up to date with all what’s going on

https://twitter.com/garforthxmas
 

#WOTS (word on the Street)
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So, the new Bar Vogue has been the topic of conversation this week, since the owner put up there first post.  For your information, and I can only tell  you a little as they want to and understandably, leave some elements of surprise.  So  after our meeting, this is what I know;

• The bar will be above Paula’s Cafe / Blacks Hairdressers, the stairs that used to go to the old Indian Restaurant
• They are just a bar, not a club, not a sophisticated wine bar, just a bar.
• They will be serving bottled beers/lagers and general alcoholic drinks, but not a pump to glass type of beer
• They have pulled out all of the old structure and decor and I believe we won’t recognise it
• They have had Health & Safety and Structural Engineers in and  have had all the necessary  works completed and installed to open a bar
• They have introduced themselves to the local businesses below and around the bar to keep as much communication as possible between businesses why they have been making the changes.
• It won’t be too long before it’s open
• Yes the owners are young, enthusiastic and may be known to a fair few of our younger generation already

Opium Beauty
I met with  three of the lovely ladies who will be running the new Beauty Salon, what I know, and what I’m allowed to tell you are 2 different things
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Open day will be Saturday 7th May – some great raffle prizes and cool surprises on the day of opening
You may already know these ladies
They’re not new to the street
They won’t be doing massages and facials
The will be doing Contour tanning though!
Their sign will stand out as will their shop #brightlights
 
Station House Cafe
Met with the lovely owners last Saturday, Joanne and....... Luigi; the Italian influence to what will be a great concept of foods from their Breakfast menu through to their cafe menu; coming in the not too distant future.  The Station House will be lovely when they have finished; it’s a lot bigger than you envisage and they have a real task on their hands to get it to how they want it.  They are extremely passionate and enthusiastic to get it up and running as it’s taken a long time just getting the keys!  
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If you drive to the station and park, you may have noticed should some of the changes, the exterior of the building is much cleaner, fresher and brighter. Luigi has spent a considerable amount of time tidying it all up, making it look so much better. I will be meeting with Joanne again in the next couple of weeks helping get their social media off the ground.  I may have some more news for you then.  Be excited, there are lots of great things to follow.
 
 
Taste of China have moved to Barley Hill Road and their old property was left vacant for only a few weeks,.  The Owner is now transforming it into a Southern Fried Chicken shop, (not KFC) I just hope with our good reputation for keeping Main Street as clean as possible that they keep this up, otherwise I might have to ask the the new chair of the traders to pay a visit!    Not sure how it will be perceived by many, but it’s clear, the young folk of Garforth will be happy!
 
 
Planning
There is still time to put in your objections/opinions for Miami should you wish for them to be heard, as I have mentioned in past blogs, I think Lidl may be a good thing to come next to Tesco, but it’s ultimately the two retail units they’re proposing and the family pub I have reservations about! 

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TOMORROW from 2pm
Augustus Court, Meridian Care Home will be having an open Day, come along and see this wonderful home, meet the staff and listen to the Garforth Community Choir as well as one of the local dance and theatre schools perform, if you’re there come and say hello, I will be there with my Mum; I think she may want to put her name down!
 
 
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Until next week.......