Chow Down Leeds: Temple Arches outdoor venue announces closure due to impact of cost of living crisis

The outdoor venue in Temple Arches started out as a pop-up during the Covid restrictions of summer 2020, and went on to enjoy a three-year residency. From hosting hundreds of street food traders and the British Street Food Awards in 2021, to DJ sets, drag brunches and Christmas villages, the venue became a key event destination in Leeds.

Today, the Chow Down team announced that the venue will close on Sunday August 6, as rising costs make the business unsustainable.

A statement read: “Unfortunately, after being impacted by the cost of living crisis, changing consumer behaviour for food and drink offerings and increases in all costs involved with running a temporary site, the business is sadly not sustainable to continue in its current format.

"We have achieved so many things at the current site, including helping to support the regeneration of the Temple district alongside our partners and site developer CEG, who we are hugely grateful to for giving us the opportunity to launch Chow Down and hope to work together again on fresh concepts for Temple Arches in the future.”

Chow Down has hosted more than 150 street food traders, including Sarto, MorMor, Torito Taco, Jimmy Macs and Braizin Squad, as well as Camp Drag brunches and DJ sets from Fat Tony, Mr Scruff, Crazy P and Mr Wilsons Second Liners.

The Chow Down team added: “We’re also very proud of our two beer collabs with North Brewing and our mural art projects with local heroes Nicholas Dixon and Melody Mural.

“While this is the end of Chow Down in its current guise, we are exploring new city centre opportunities and aim to relaunch a new concept in Leeds in the near future.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to our team, traders, DJs, performers, contractors, and most importantly our lovely loyal customers for supporting us. It would mean the world to us if you could join us for the last ever two weekends at Temple Arches for a final cocktail, beer, dance and some top notch scran.”