Prepare to party as iconic Leeds shopping centre celebrates five years

The retail and leisure destination has become a hugely popular part of life in Yorkshire’s biggest city since it opened on March 21 in 2013.

And, to mark Wednesday’s anniversary of the opening, a three-metre-high cake is being created that pays tribute to some other key players in Leeds’s cultural and economic success story. It will include edible miniature versions of indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs and Olympic golden girl Nicola Adams’ boxing gloves.

The Leeds United and Leeds Rhinos badges also feature on the red velvet and vanilla buttercream flavoured cake, which has been made by a London-based food art outfit called the Tattooed Bakers. Two thousand free slices of the cake are set to be served up at the centre on Wednesday, each one coming with a £5 Trinity Leeds gift card.

Trinity Leeds general manager David Maddison said: “Five years seems to have flown by – it seems like only yesterday we welcomed a crowd of thousands as people packed into the shopping centre to watch the launch ceremony.

“What we have achieved for Leeds’s retail and leisure scene since then – and in such a short space of time – is truly remarkable.

“It was always our hope to become part of the fabric of Leeds and we have been welcomed with open arms.

“With the support of the city’s shoppers, we’ve helped bring countless big-name brands to Leeds for the first time, boosting Leeds’s rightful place in the UK retail rankings and attracting visitors from across the globe.

“We hope to share this five-year milestone for Trinity Leeds and for the city with as many people as possible.”

According to research carried out by Trinity Leeds owner LandSec, the centre is worth nearly £150m to the city’s economy every year. It has welcomed 120 million visitors through its doors since 2013 and is home to 120 stores and restaurants.

Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn today added his voice to the birthday congratulations, saying: “Trinity Leeds has been a great addition to Leeds city centre.

“It set a new standard for design and is very popular with shoppers.”

For information on other birthday treats and offers being made available next week, visit the www.trinityleeds.com website.