Ninja Warrior UK has revealed it will be expanding into Leeds next month, sharing plans to open its biggest park yet in the city this August.
The new Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park will be inspired by the ITV game show; where 250 competitors from across the country take on six different obstacle courses, tackling warped walls and floating steps along the way before one is ultimately crowned the champion.
At this mega day out for all the family (well. all the family over aged 4), you'll need to balance and swing your way across the courses, dodging obstacles and using your ninja skills to maneuver across classic challenges from the TV show like the big dipper and cargo swing.
What's more, to give the opening the real authentic Nina Warrior experience, TV co-host Chris Kamara will be at the new Leeds site welcoming the park's first-ever visitors when it opens its doors on 5 August.
The courses here will have varying levels of difficulty, making it as accessible to everyone as possible.
The new site will also feature a Ninja Cafe and inflatable ‘airpark’ with bouncy balls, tunnels and a battle zone.
Inside the new battle room at Leeds Ninja Warrior UK / Image: Ninja Warrior UK Leeds Facebook
Adventure sessions, which start from £11 for an hour, give you the freedom to explore the park at your own pace and tackle some of those more daunting obstacles as and when you feel ready to do so.
The new site in Leeds comes as part of an agreement between ITV and its new Ninja Warrior UK operator, BGL.
BGL currently manages existing sites in Sheffield and Southhampton, and the partnership agreement includes plans to open three new sites every year in the first five years.
A mock up of how some of the course will look at the new Leeds site / Image: Ninja Warrior UK Leeds Facebook
The new site, which is set to be the biggest to date, will be the eleventh UK opening - following sites in Stoke-On-trent, Wigan, Cardiff, Gloucester, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Eastbourne, Southampton, Watford and Leicester.
There are also plans to open two more in Harlow and Bradford later this year.
“We’re so excited to be bringing a slice of brilliant, wholesome family entertainment to Leeds with the Ninja Warrior UK brand, which is loved by all age groups,” said Jacob Clarkson, general manager at Ninja Warrior UK.
“We like to think we’ve created the perfect and safe place to escape to with each and every session carefully organised and managed so that parents, guardians and grandparents have no excuse.”
"Expect to tackle some obstacles very similar to the television show – including a chance to try and beat our very own warped wall,” Clarkson added.
Farmer Copleys, which is behind the popular Tulip Festival attraction, has spoken out after the tragic death of a dog who visited last weekend.
The family-run farm has decided to ban dogs (with the exception of service dogs) from its site, after a visitor reported that her beloved springer spaniel Bobby had died just hours after attending the Tulip Festival.
It's believed that Bobby had eaten a tulip bulb or flower, which can be deadly to dogs.
Farmer Copleys has now shared a statement about the incident, writing that the team are 'deeply saddened' by the animal's death.
They stressed that while the exact cause of his death remains unknown, they 'do not wish to take any further risks' and will no longer be permitting dogs at the Tulip Festival.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously," Farmer Copleys wrote in a statement shared today.
Customers who are no longer able to attend since the change are welcome to get in touch with the farm directly to discuss a refund.
And assistance dogs are still welcome, but owners will need to sign a disclaimer before taking them into the Tulip Festival.
Farmer Copleys tulip festival is one of the most popular events in Yorkshire every springDogs will no longer be allowed at the Tulip Festival
Farmer Copleys wrote: "We are deeply saddened by the recent incident involving a visitor’s dog following a visit to our Tulip Festival, and our thoughts remain with the owner at this difficult time.
"We must stress while the exact cause of this incident remains unknown, many flowers and plants in outdoor environments can pose risks to dogs if ingested, particularly the bulb, and we do not wish to take any further risk.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously. As a precautionary measure, we have made the difficult decision to no longer permit dogs at our Tulip Festival for the remainder of the season.
"In addition, this has further reinforced our decision to close the pick your own area for the remainder of the festival.
"We understand this may be disappointing for some visitors. Any customers who have booked and are now unable to attend due to this change are welcome to contact us regarding a refund at info@farmercopleys.co.uk.
"We are undertaking a full investigation and make a decision on 2027’s season in due course."
Posh bakery chain Gail’s is finally coming to Yorkshire
Daisy Jackson
Gail's has finally set its sights on Yorkshire for the first time, with a new bakery set to open this year.
It's one of the UK's most famous bakeries, launching in London in the early 1990s to supply restaurants, before opening its first retail site and cafe in Hampstead in 2005.
Gail's founders set out on a mission to bake bread as it used to be baked: by hand, using quality ingredients and time-worn artisanal methods.
While Gail's has expanded aggressively into the north, opening around a dozen bakeries in Greater Manchester and its surrounds, it hasn't made the journey across to Yorkshire just yet.
All that looks set to change, with job ads now listed for roles within a brand-new Yorkshire branch of Gail's.
Based on the job advert, Gail's is heading straight to the spa town of Harrogate - which is a fairly predictable move.
It looks like Gail's is heading for HarrogateGail's will make its Yorkshire debut
It had previously been reported that Gail's would be going to Knaresborough, but the job posting appears to hint that Harrogate will be the first Yorkshire location.
When it does open, you'll find loaf choices including classic white and brown sourdough, Gail’s ‘wasteless’ loaves (made using a specially-created recipe designed to incorporate unsold bread crumbs), alongside seeded varieties, baguettes and batons.
Must-tries include Gail’s famous cinnamon buns, still-warm cheese and ham croissants, chocolate chip cookies, and – given the weather we’re having this week – iced coffees, all day long preferably please.
But given the number of fantastic local bakeries all over Yorkshire, the question is, does anyone want Gail's?
Georgina Pellant -
28th July 2021 
