Freight Island appointed at Landsec’s Trinity Kitchen in Leeds
Landsec has appointed Freight Island as the new operator of Trinity Kitchen at Trinity Leeds shopping centre, ahead of a £15m expansion.
The Trinity Leeds location will be a fourth venue for Freight Island, which operates food hall and entertainment venues.
The expansion represents Landsec’s most significant single investment in Trinity Leeds since it opened, and will add 15,000 sq ft to Trinity Kitchen, creating a 63,000 sq ft food and leisure destination.
Construction will begin in late spring, with the new space with Freight Island set to open in the summer. Trinity Kitchen will continue to trade throughout works.
Since launching in 2013, Trinity Kitchen has offered an indoor street-food concept, combining permanent eateries with a rotating line-up of street-food van and supporting almost 300 independent traders over the last decade.
Mark Warne, director of hospitality and leisure at Landsec, said: “Trinity Kitchen was a pioneer in bringing fresh, innovative food concepts into a retail environment, and this significant investment marks the next chapter in its evolution. We’re building on Trinity Kitchen’s success and reimagining it for a new generation with a greater emphasis on evening trade and entertainment, creating a landmark destination in Leeds which our guests will return to time and time again.
“Our investment reflects the growing importance of food, drink and leisure in creating destinations where people want to spend time, not just shop, and reflects our Landsec portfolio-wide ambition to deliver social dining environments across our major retail schemes. By partnering with Freight Island, we’re able to elevate the experience even further – introducing bigger, more dynamic spaces, new opportunities for traders and new reasons for people to visit and stay longer.”
Dan Morris, managing director of Freight Island, added: “Trinity Kitchen is an iconic Leeds destination with a decade-long reputation for championing independent food traders and creating a genuinely social dining experience. We’re incredibly excited to be bringing Freight Island to Trinity Leeds as part of this landmark expansion.
“This project allows us to build on what Trinity Kitchen already does so well, while introducing new energy, scale and creativity through an expanded food and leisure offer, a brand-new entertainment space and a standout rooftop terrace overlooking the city. Food will remain at the heart of the venue, with menus driven by independent chefs and operators, alongside a programme of DJs, sports, performances, cultural and family events, all with a strong focus on showcasing and supporting local Leeds talent.
“Leeds is a city with a powerful cultural identity and a thriving creative and food scene. We look forward to working closely with Landsec and Trinity Leeds to create a destination that supports local operators, creates jobs, nurtures homegrown talent and delivers something truly special for the city.”