Remember LOP

Half a century has passed since the birth of Leeds Other Paper, an alternative local newspaper that uncovered many of the city’s less told stories. LOP lasted from 1974 to 1994, during which time it reported on social, political, economic and cultural life in Leeds from an alternative perspective.

This weekend sees a day of action at Menwith Hill - to mark the occasion, here's just a tiny taste of Leeds Other Paper's coverage of our local US spy base over the years. (@yorkshirecnd.bsky.social, @cnduk.bsky.social, @cndpeaceed.bsky.social)

Not to be forgotten, LOP’s inimitable rugby league correspondent The Man in the Stand is now posting his personal archive of match reports on social media [Louis Kasatkin (@louiskasatkin.bsky.social) — Bluesky]. #TheManInTheStand #LeedsOtherPaper #RugbyLeague

#LeedsHistory #LocalHistory #NewspaperArchives

This weekend sees a day of action at Menwith Hill - to mark the occasion, here's just a tiny taste of Leeds Other Paper's coverage of our local US spy base over the years. (@yorkshirecnd.bsky.social, @cnduk.bsky.social, @cndpeaceed.bsky.social)

Local history from the bottom up. A handy guide to using Leeds Other Paper for researching all sorts of things has just been produced by @leedslibraries.bsky.social and you can read all about it here ⬇️

#LeedsHistory #LocalHistory #NewspaperArchives

Local history from the bottom up. A handy guide to using Leeds Other Paper for researching all sorts of things has just been produced by @leedslibraries.bsky.social and you can read all about it here ⬇️

The alternative folk of Leeds make an appearance in the Yorkshire Evening Post, courtesy of @silverdraws.bsky.social #LeedsHistory

Ooh, look at this archive 👀

ON THIS VERY DAY 15 OCTOBER 1983... The original,first ever #TheManInTheStand report published in #LeedsOtherPaper. Unforeseen by anyone that coverage of 11 #RugbyLeague Seasons (including 245 match reports) would ensue. @rememberlop.bsky.social #Castleford

The alternative folk of Leeds make an appearance in the Yorkshire Evening Post, courtesy of @silverdraws.bsky.social #LeedsHistory

Ooh, look at this archive 👀

A fascinating look at alternative publishing (including Leeds Other Paper) is now online as part of the excellent People's History of Leeds project. Take a look yourself here 👀

A fascinating look at alternative publishing (including Leeds Other Paper) is now online as part of the excellent People's History of Leeds project. Take a look yourself here 👀

Tuesday October the 6th, 6pm at Leeds central library. Listen to me banging on about fanzines again (and some other print stuff) IT'S FREE!! leedsinspired.co.uk/events/play-...

#Leeds400

#Leeds400

There's a great little exhibition about 400 years of #LeedsHistory on at @leedslibraries.bsky.social at the moment - and it's really good to see the role of the local alternative press properly acknowledged. #Leeds400 #LeedsOtherPaper #ChapeltownNews

There's a great little exhibition about 400 years of #LeedsHistory on at @leedslibraries.bsky.social at the moment - and it's really good to see the role of the local alternative press properly acknowledged. #Leeds400 #LeedsOtherPaper #ChapeltownNews

Interesting read from @braddeasjourno.bsky.social here ⬇️

Interesting read from @braddeasjourno.bsky.social here ⬇️

The wall of sound - it's good to see former Leeds Other Paper photographer #TonyWoolgar being remembered with a whole wall of his Leeds music scene pics, on now at #NorthernGuitars on Call Lane in the city (just around the corner from LOP's last premises). #LeedsHistory

The wall of sound - it's good to see former Leeds Other Paper photographer #TonyWoolgar being remembered with a whole wall of his Leeds music scene pics, on now at #NorthernGuitars on Call Lane in the city (just around the corner from LOP's last premises). #LeedsHistory

It's #ChapeltownCarnival day today - #LeedsHistory

It's #ChapeltownCarnival day today - #LeedsHistory

Fifty years ago... Here's the 1976 #ChapeltownCarnival as covered at the time by Leeds Other Paper.

Fifty years ago... Here's the 1976 #ChapeltownCarnival as covered at the time by Leeds Other Paper.

Ooh, this looks interesting 👀

Ooh, this looks interesting 👀

PLUS...even better news for northerners..If you missed the Voice of the Fans exhibition last year, here's another chance to see some of the panels. They are on the 3rd floor at Leeds Central Library, on display until the autumn. bsky.app/profile/vfta...

#LeedsHistory

#LeedsHistory

Copes of the book are now being distributed free across Leeds - see here ⬇️

Copes of the book are now being distributed free across Leeds - see here ⬇️

If you stood on Briggate at 8am on a weekday in 1957, and stood there again in 2026, in which year could you reach more of the city in half an hour? Samuel Bancroft has crunched the numbers. Since the 1950s, Leeds has got bigger - but the city has effectively shrunk.

#LeedsHistory

#LeedsHistory

In other news last night saw the launch of a book including my latest attempt to properly record the rich history of self publishing in the People’s History of Leeds volume 2. Brilliant evening, event and people. You can read about this wonderful project here www.peopleshistoryofleeds.com

It's great to see Leeds Other Paper remembered in the People's History of Leeds, volume 2 of which was launched last night (@peopleshistorylds.bsky.social, @leedsopf.bsky.social, @leedsmuseums.bsky.social).

It's great to see Leeds Other Paper remembered in the People's History of Leeds, volume 2 of which was launched last night (@peopleshistorylds.bsky.social, @leedsopf.bsky.social, @leedsmuseums.bsky.social).

The people's history of Leeds - that sounds good.

The people's history of Leeds - that sounds good.

This is the Old Red Lion, one of the Smith's pubs in Leeds, closed since Covid. @miajankowicz.bsky.social gives a beautiful description of the "eerie sense of the uncanny" generated when looking through its window.