A huge new garden centre is taking over a former golf course in South Leeds after council bosses green-lit a planning application earlier this month.
The company behind Tong Garden Centre can now push ahead with plans to build the facility and soft play area on what was formerly the Acanthus Golf Club off Thorpe Lane in Tingley.
The huge new £14 million development will include a 400-seater restaurant, a 1000m2 plant space, 'Grass Hoppers' indoor and outdoor play areas, and a 400m2 food hall alongside a large garden centre.
The existing outdoor play centre at Tong's Garden Centre / Image: Tong's Garden Centre
The old golf centre building will become the hub for an exciting new adventure play area set over five acres for 8 to 14-year-olds.
If it's anything like the existing Tong's site, there'll be plenty for kids to do here. Think giant outdoor inflatable pillows, a wooden adventure area with zip wire, monkey bars and rope ladders, coin-operated race cars, and even a giant sandpit.
Dining options at the original Tong's are also diverse, including carvery sandwiches, full English breakfasts, traditional fish and chips and chef's homemade pies.
The new garden centre itself is expected to have a range of home, garden and lifestyle products up for sale.
MD, Mark Farnsworth said: “Despite the challenges of having to close temporarily, the garden trade sector has proved resilient to the challenges that Covid-19 has presented, which gives us confidence for the future.
“We have made no secret of our ambitions to be a multi-site operation. We have been working on the Tingley opportunity for over two years, so we feel confident that we can deliver a fabulous experience for our visitors.
"We have learnt many valuable lessons in the five years that we have been growing Tong and we think that Tingley Garden Centre and Adventure Playground will be a great addition to the community in South Leeds."
It is hoped that the new development will create as many as 200 new jobs in the area.
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Leeds’ most famous pub has announced the return of its annual FREE Beer Festival this summer
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Georgina Pellant -
7th June 2021 
