Amazing Style, Vibes and Substance Await at The Light, Leeds.

Looking for a place to stay when attending a gig at First Direct Arena? Look no further than The Light, Leeds and the Radisson Blu Hotel – the perfect mix of style, vibes and the perfect base for gig-goers and culture vultures.

When attending Sam Fender’s hotly anticipated gig at First Direct Arena, our writer Victoria Reddington visited The Light, Leeds for an overnight stay followed by a stylish brunch at Fleur Café.


Sam Fender’s gig at First Direct Arena in Leeds was not only one of the biggest headline shows of his career to date, it was also my first indoor gig since the pandemic. I wanted to make the most of the experience and The Light, Leeds provided the perfect way to do so.

Upon arrival, parking at The Light was easy as there is a car park attached with direct access into The Light via a lift. We were staying at Radisson Blu Hotel, which is situated within The Light, and has everything you could possibly need from a hotel. A great impression upon arrival, with stylish décor, a large lobby and an adjoining bar. Check-in was quick and efficient, with very courteous staff and we were lucky to be upgraded to a Junior Suite.

The suite was spacious and luxurious, with a large bed, well-appointed bathroom with thoughtful toiletries provided and a chill out area with sofa and TV. There was also a large and well-equipped desk set up for any last-minute work you might need to finish up before heading out.

Once we had checked-in and after a short relax in the room, we went straight to Leeds Direct Arena to see Sam Fender perform. Excitement levels were high and it did not disappoint!

We were lucky to be invited to watch the gig from one of First Direct Arena’s box seats and the service was impeccable. The drinks and food were tasty and timely and it provided the perfect backdrop to the already fizzing atmosphere.

Aussie support band Gang of Youths were excellent and everyone was already on a high when headliner Sam Fender joined the stage with a confidence and swagger that brought the audience along for the ride, right from the start.  

‘Will We Talk?’ was the opening number; and when the crowd starts a singalong from song one, you know it’s going to be something special. ‘Getting Started’ came next, followed by slower paced ‘Dead Boys’ before newer tracks ‘Mantra and one of my favourites, ‘The Borders’, with Sam Fender effortlessly keeping the audience rapt throughout.

As expected ‘Seventeen Going Under’ had everyone joining in at full volume and ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ rose the roof, with everyone joining together backed by trumpet and sax galore, for what felt like a real ‘we’ve been waiting for this’ celebration of a finale…

It was a fantastic performance that shows why tickets for Sam Fender’s gigs are so sought after.


Once the performance had finished, we felt the real advantage of being able to return to Radisson Blu, instead of returning home. It took us around 10 minutes on foot door-to-door from First Direct Arena to our hotel room, so it was one of the quickest and easiest exits from an Arena I’ve been able to make. It also afforded a real sense of comfort and the opportunity to make a great night into an all-round experience.

That evening’s stay in Radisson Blu was made even better by sleeping in what was one of the comfiest beds I’ve ever stayed in. Check-out the next morning was seamless, quick with lots of helpful instructions from staff, such as how to redeem money off our car parking via a conveniently placed machine within the hotel foyer.

Once we checked out, we headed across to Fleur Café for a day-after de-brief. Fleur is a well know eatery within The Light, mere yards from the hotel, and is known as being a favourite of Influencers and Celebs alike, due to the stylish and abundant floral décor.

First Direct Arena

However, it was certainly not style over substance as the food was delicious, and beautifully presented.

The Halloumi with Avocado Hummus and Curry Sauce was my choice to start. The halloumi was grilled to perfection and the curry sauce had just the right level of bite to it.

I followed this with a very tasty Cauliflower Chickpea Curry for my main dish, accompanied with Turmeric Basmati Rice and Grilled Pitta, while the other half went for Kebab on Skewer with Chicken Tikka and Chickpeas.

The portions were generous, so we decided to share a dessert of Strawberry Cheesecake and Cream, which the staff at Fleur had no problem with and kindly provided an extra dish too! Sweet and very satisfying.

We also tried the Virgin Strawberry Mojitos which were perfectly refreshing and a great accompaniment to the meal. With great service throughout, it was the ideal way to continue the experience and finish our visit in style. There’s no doubt the décor lives up to its stylish, Instagrammable status; however, the substance was also certainly there and the quality of the food and the service really delivered.


Thank you to everyone at The Light, to the staff at Radisson Blu and at Fleur Café for making us feel so welcome. We had a wonderful stay and will be returning!

Visit Radisson Blu Hotel to book a stay and Fleur Café to view the menu and reserve a table.

Press Trip and Review Feature written by Victoria Reddington @vic_reddington

For more Features

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Most Popular

5 of the best wines to enjoy on Christmas Day

5 of the best wines to enjoy on Christmas Day

5 of the best wines to enjoy on Christmas Day – There is no doubt that the table that will house the inevitable abundance of food this year, will be more celebrated than any other before. I know that in my household, the table shall be decorated with more vigour and care free pizazz, the house shall be permeated with the scents of roasting spuds, bubbling gravy and my famous honey and star anise carrots.