Freshers set to enjoy the Leeds party experience - socially distanced - thanks to party planners Voodoo Events

Voodoo Events has created a calendar of eight weekly freshers events fit for the new the post-lockdown world.

The company has spent months planning its 2020 events calendar and worked closely with local councils and risk assessors to ensure students have a safe space to let their hair down. It comes after police have had to deal with an unprecedented number of illegal raves and parties throughout spring and summer.

For example, Secret Yard Social will take place on Mondays at Temple Arches with the finest local street food vendors, DJs, and live entertainment in a large outdoor space.

Quids In, one of Voodoo's biggest events, has a mini version taking place at Popworld, Revolution and Walkabout. Each venue will represent one of the music policies from its spiritual home, Pryzm.

Skint will reside at Ten Bar and Ten Bar Underground each Thursday, with an eclectic mix of party tunes to usher in the weekend and, in collaboration with Red's True Barbecue and The Shed, there are new bottomless brunch concepts at the weekend.

All events are table only and must be pre-booked via the Voodoo Events website to ensure the safety of guests and team members. Each venue will be enforcing strict Track and Trace measures and orders will be taken electronically via apps such as W8R.

Dave Gardner-Chan, Voodoo Events' co-founder and managing director, said: "Throughout the summer the whole industry has been waiting for news on whether clubs could open, and freshers would happen. We realised it was unlikely so decided to put together an alternative set of events for both students and locals. After lots of positive Zoom meetings with all the relevant agencies and student bodies, we're over the moon to have a brand-new line-up of eight weekly events launching this September.

"We realise we have an enormous responsibility to both our customers and the general public to deliver professionally managed, risk assessed, responsible events. We decided to close our club nights before the Government enforced it because we felt it was the right thing to do. We've spent many late nights planning these new events to ensure that the new and returning students have a safe place to enjoy themselves rather than choosing to go to unregulated house parties or illegal raves."

Voodoo Events has also extended Ten Bar into Space Nightclub and the area, known as Ten Bar Underground, will act as a bar until clubs are permitted to re-open. It has led to a new look with full seating, table service and audio-visual set-up.

Mr Gardner-Chan said Ten Bar Underground could be a template for similar club venues could follow and was a no-brainer for them as both Ten Bar and Space operate under the same license.

He added: "The city's economy will get a huge and welcomed boost from the arrival of thousands of students. Leeds is an amazing city and lots of businesses will find enterprising ways to provide them with the best experiences despite 2020 being such a tricky year. We can’t wait to get back to what we do best."

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Thank you

Laura Collins