A phenomenal year in Leeds that was

We caught up with PR magic man and Pink Gorilla director Jordan Odu as his finger was poised to activate out of office one last time in 2017 and found him a reflective mood. As well as recalling the many highs the city has seen over the last 12 months, he already has plans to make 2018 even better.

Leeds really upped the ante in 2017 and to sum it up, I’d say it was the year filled with glitzy launches, endless bottomless brunches, amazing cocktails and seriously good music. It was great to see international superstars such as Bruno Mars, Drake, and The Killers sharing the same first direct Arena stage as man of the moment Stormzy at the Mobos, and of course Pete Tong raised the roof with his Ibiza night.

The hedonistic vibe continued outside the city centre too, with Leeds Carnival celebrating its 50th year with a shindig enjoyed by thousands of carnival queens (and kings) who kept the party going for days. Over in West Park, Aperitivo brought a slice of Italy to the suburbs, all done with a big old dose of Yorkshire flair. Definitely a place worth heading out of the city for if you consider yourself a foodie.

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Much of my time was spent in the heart of the city, either organising launches or sorting out The Leeds Cocktail Experience, but all the hard work paid off and we enjoyed some of the most memorable nights the city has ever seen.

In the last six months alone, we’ve seen Be At One absolutely smash Boar Lane, Red Door rock Hirst’s Yard, Dirty Martini take over King Street and Smokin’ set Park Row ablaze.

And, let’s not forget D&D London bringing two fantastic bar/restaurants to the rooftop of Victoria Leeds with Issho and East 59th.

Another highlight was the launch of Platform which really blew everyone’s mind. For one, nobody expected an office space to be transformed into a club for the night, nor did they realise just how innovative and stunning the building would be, both inside and out. The owl mural is a proper work of art in itself and has added another dimension to the city skyline.

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On top of that, we saw two big-players take up residence in the city when Tattu and my go-to Manchester bar, Neighbourhood, rolled into town. We even got a Kitty Café to satisfy all those folk that don’t like feline friends to be left out of the action.

The festive season really kicked off for me this year with the Hidden Christmas at Kirkstall Abbey, which really got everyone in the spirit. As for the rest of the holidays, you’ll mostly find me catching up with family and friends or at The Mustard Pot, which is my local pub and a longtime haunt for me and my motley crew.

I’m not one for new year resolutions as such, however all the bottomless brunches, German sausage and festive feasting has urged me to sign up to Snap Fitness on Wellington Street. Just a stone’s throw from my office, I’ve got no excuse not to drop in for a workout, so look out for me attempting to flex my pecs if you happen to be a member.

That’s more or less a wrap from me. Once that out of office goes on, I’ve got places to go, people to see and drinks to be drunk. I’d like end by saying ‘Merry Christmas’ and thanks to everyone that supported us in 2017. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year, where you can forget about dry January as there’s some exciting things coming up with PG Promotions.