This March, a new kind of industry event is arriving in the city that is a first-of-its-kind nationally.
The FAVES Leeds Hospitality Conference is a three-day, peer-led gathering built to uplift, connect and empower the people who keep hospitality alive: the floor staff, bar teams, kitchen crews, hosts, delivery runners and more.
Hosted at Howard Assembly Room from 2–4 March, each day is dedicated to a specific peer group – Women, Pride, and Men – to ensure every conversation is led by those it directly relates to. From top to bottom – hosts, panelists and attendees – the emphasis is on shared experience, lived understanding, and cultural progress from the inside out.
Our reason for doing this is to provide an outside support network for owners & venues to help alleviate wider-demands felt by their employees, alongside inspiring and empowering those members of staff to gain knowledge & valuable insight to boost passion, care and a sense of belonging for their sector.
“It’s not about titles – it’s about the people,” say organisers Ben & Ricky, co-founders of FAVES. “We’ve felt the quiet questions that get buried, the pressure that goes unspoken, and the ambition that doesn’t know where to land. This conference is for all of that.”
Each day features:
- Several honest, forward-thinking panels led by experienced voices
- A documentary screening
- Live Q&As after each panel
- A cocktail masterclass preparation talk
- Several expert stands providing mental health, finance, equality, and wellbeing resources
- Entry just £5, with all proceeds donated to a local charity supporting that day’s community
Panel themes include:
- Relationship with Alcohol & Substances – how we navigate blurred lines in work and wellbeing
- Pivoting from the Bar – transferable skills and new pathways in hospo
- Tackling the Manosphere – challenging misogyny and creating safer spaces
- We See You – making venues inclusive and needs-led
- How to Build Your Own Ladder – founders share real stories behind successful brands
- Evolving Hospo – offshoots keeping hospitality relevant and connected to culture
Speakers and panelists include:
- Lou Volva – Burnt Chef
- Vicky Ilankovan – Equal Measures
- Sam Morris – Money Advice
- Luca Alfonso’s…
- Will Habergham – Green Room
- Adam Wilson – Lost Explorer
- Dariush Haghighi – Cool Cats Ice
- Dan Crowther – Hedonist Creative
- Adam Smith – A-Game
- David Roman – o2 Academy
- Laura Wellington – Testbed
- Liz Cottam – Emba
- Suzy – Speed Queen
- James Abbott Donnelly – Testbed / NTIA Leeds / LNEG
- Ben Ray – Slam Dunk
- Michael Upson – Love Muscle
FAVES Leeds Hospitality Conference is created specifically for frontline and main-level staff for them to be sharing ideas, identity and impact. A space for hospitality’s doers, dreamers and deep thinkers to feel seen, heard, and leave better equipped. All shaped by those who live and breathe this industry.
Whether you’re seeking clarity, connection or community – this space is yours. Come as you are. Leave with more than you realised you needed.
FAVES Leeds Hospitality Conference
Venue: Howard Assembly Room, Leeds
Date: 2 | 3 | 4 March 2026
£5 per day – all proceeds go to charity
Author: Sam Hyland
Sam is the assistant content manager for Event Industry News (EIN). Sam is involved in publishing news stories, videos and podcasts. Sam also collates the latest stories for the EIN e-newsletter. If you have a press release or story you think we might be interested to know about please email features@eventindustrynews.com
