'Cross Gates is booming': Meet the independent bar owners driving the Leeds suburb's transformation
Cross Gates is fast emerging as one of east Leeds’ most vibrant neighbourhoods 🍷
With thousands of new homes springing up, a new railway station on the way and growing demand, east Leeds is undergoing a transformation.
Like many other young professionals and families, I’ve just made the move from the north of the city, pulled in by getting more for my money.
I’ve found friendly locals, plenty of green spaces and a neighbourhood where people still look out for each other - whether that’s popping into the local butchers or getting involved in community events.
And at the heart of it all is a thriving high street packed with independent businesses, and a surprisingly lively night out.
Over the last decade, Cross Gates has been transformed from having a handful of reliable favourites to heaps of choice, with many locals swapping the trip to town for Austhorpe Road on a Friday night.
I spoke to some of the bar and restaurant owners driving that change, and heard that the suburb isn’t just growing - it’s “booming.”
‘Cross Gates keeps getting better’
When Naki Akarsu opened his Mediterranean restaurant La Cantina 44 in 2001, Cross Gates looked very different.
“It was dead 25 years ago compared to how it is now”, the 50-year-old told us.
“At night time, it was dark, it was quiet. But now there are nice bars, restaurants, and it’s more lively.
“Once Chapel Allerton was the place to be, now Cross Gates is going that way. More restaurants and bars in the area are making it more upmarket, and more people go out at night.
“Cross Gates is booming. East Leeds is booming. It’s amazing and keeps getting better and better.”
With thousands of young professionals and families moving into new build estates, Naki said there has been growing demand for more up-market bars and restaurants.
He opened Pintxos 44, a two-floor tapas restaurant and wine bar with an attractive outdoor terrace, in 2024 - something “totally different for the area”.
Naki has been blown away by the response. With inflation squeezing purses and prices “rising every day”, he warns that independent businesses need support if Cross Gates is to continue to thrive.
But he knows the regulars are up for the task.
“When I really realised the support of the people was during the pandemic,” he said.
“We were worrying about the business, we don’t have a lot of money to back it up. But every one of the customers supported us. They kept us going and they still do.
“I cannot believe how lucky I am.”
‘It’s not just our bar - it’s everyone’s bar’
Matt and Steph Cliffe opened The Assembly in 2018 to provide the area with a bar they would want to drink in.
They spotted a gap in the market, catering for people willing to spend a little more on quality ales, artisan gin and cocktails.
It was a risk at the time, but they’ve since seen a new demographic pour into the area and demand for independent businesses grow with it.
“It’s up and coming,” Matt, 48, said.
“There’s a lot of investment, there’s loads of new houses getting built. A lot of the new people coming into the bar are young professionals - people move to this area because it’s that little bit cheaper, everything’s accessible, and there’s bars that they like to go to. There’s more choice than there was five years ago.”
“It’s only going to diversify more,” Steph, 41, added. “There’s going to be more opportunities, more businesses are going to clock on.
“We’re proud of the area.”
Steph was pregnant with their son, Cassius, when they opened the Assembly in 2018, and he’s grown up in the bar.
Regular customers were invited to his christening, they’ve been invited to weddings, and it’s the community spirit that they think sets the locals of Cross Gates apart.
“That’s a big reason we wanted a bar like this,” Matt said.
“A few people have said the only reason they’re staying in Cross Gates is because of our bar, and that’s the biggest compliment we could have.”
Steph added: “You’ve got to be authentic. People come in on their own and know they’ll see their mates. People chill and talk to each other, there’s no airs and graces. We don’t pretend to be something we’re not.
“It’s not just our bar, it’s everyone’s bar.”
‘Everything we do is for the customers’
Gerti Masllavica, 43, has run businesses in Cross Gates for years - and opened Locus Bar on Austhorpe Road in 2018, one of the first independent bars in the area.
With a DJ every Friday, premium cocktails and a friendly atmosphere, it’s now a cornerstone of the local nightlife scene.
But like Steph, Matt and Naki, Gerti has found that the more independent businesses that open, the busier he gets.
“We get on really well,” Gerti told us. “Whatever we need, we help each other out - big time.
“We also don’t mix too much of what everyone else does.”
He stressed the importance of backing independent venues, particularly as costs rise.
“Ask yourself how many times you’ve been out in the last month and supported that little business”, he said.
“They’re the ones that will bring diversity to your area, they’re the ones that are going to help the property market and bring more people into the area.
“Everything we do is for the customers - we want them to feel proud of Cross Gates.
“They’re going to make it the number one area in Leeds.”
In our weekly In Your Corner series, we’re visiting suburbs across the city to explore the issues that matter to you. From joining a litter picking army in Pudsey to meeting the locals redefining Armley’s reputation, we’re shining a spotlight on the people of Leeds who bring every corner of our city together.