Guests are given an old Nokia, an instant camera, and a compasson arrival to the Unplugged countryside cabins.
We all know that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to properly switch off - even when we’re on holiday, reports The Manc.
With the constant pings, buzzes and flashes of digital technology begging for our attention every minute of the day, it’s not easy to properly step away and unwind.
Which is why the Unplugged countryside cabins were invented – and its first Northern location has just opened. Each of these stunning tiny homes includes a lock box, which guests are encouraged to lock their mobile phones in.
Over the course of each three-night stay, Unplugged guests are instead given other items to keep them entertained.
Image: Pasco Photography
The Unplugged cabins include board games, books, and cassette players, as well as an instant camera with film so you can still capture your break – without the pressure to immediately shout about it on Instagram.
You’re also handed a classic Nokia phone (yes complete with Snake) in case you need to contact anyone, and a map and a compass.
They are also kitted out with a compact but fully equipped kitchen for cooking up a storm, a log burner and an outdoor fire pit, and comfy beds with luxury Piglet bedding.
There are several of these countryside retreats dotted around the south of England, and there’s now an Unplugged property here in the North, just outside Greater Manchester in Cheshire.
The ‘Luna’ cabin has a huge panoramic window overlooking the countryside, and its location just off the Sandstone Trail.
Image: Pasco Photography
The cabin is even pet-friendly. You’ll find inside the compact wooden-clad space a powerful hot shower and toiletries, while outside are wellies and umbrellas to brace you for the great outdoors.
Unplugged was launched by two friends – Hector Hughes and Ben Elliot – who at the time both worked at a tech start-up and were teetering on the edge of burnout.
So after one of them took a two-week silent retreat in the Himalayas, they decided to try and create a few pockets of total, switch-off zen here in the UK.
Image: Pasco Photography
They say: “Humans have always escaped to nature as an antidote to hectic city life. The issue is that now so many of us just wouldn’t know where to start.
“We’re glued to our phones, inundated with push notifications and respond to emails at all times of the day. We’re on a mission to help you unplug from your devices so that you can recharge.
“So we decided to build beautiful off-grid cabins just outside of city life that take less than an hour or two to get to.
Image: Pasco Photography
“We also remove any of the woo-woo and stigma that might come with meditation and Buddhist retreats by creating beautiful cabins in nature for you to use the space and time to switch off how you want to.
“When we launched our first cabin, Koya in July 2020 we’d check in and out every guest, lock their phones away and take the key back with us to London. Now we have a lot more cabins, guests check themselves in and are encouraged to lock their phones away to benefit from 3 nights offline.
“We of course practice what we preach and all of the Unplugged team go for a digital detox at least once per year to help us switch off and recharge.”
You can book Luna, the Unplugged cabin in Cheshire, here.
If there’s one thing Leeds knows how to do, it’s produce a seriously talented bunch of emerging creatives. And this time, we’re swapping the usual indie gigs and late-night dance floors for a choir proving there’s nothing old-fashioned about singing together.
Meet LC Pop Choir, the Leeds-based group taking some of the biggest pop, rock and gospel hits and giving them a whole new lease of life.
Based at Leeds Conservatoire, the choir was founded in 2015 by Principal Lecturer Craig Lees and has since grown into a talented community of students and alumni who share a love of music and a good old singalong.
But don’t go thinking this is your typical Sunday afternoon choir. We’re talking huge vocals, impressive harmonies and the kind of performances that make you want to get up and join in. Think songs you already know by heart, reimagined with a whole room full of voices behind them.
In 2025, LC Pop Choir took to the stage on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, performing Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten. The anthem is practically impossible not to sing along to, and the choir gave it a powerful new spin, showing just how much a familiar pop hit can be transformed through the power of group vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxUjfRqvyks
It’s the sort of performance that reminds you why live music is so special. There’s something about hearing a song you’ve known for years delivered in a completely different way that makes you fall in love with it all over again.
LC Pop Choir is such an exciting part of Leeds’ creative community. They’re not just performing songs; they’re finding new ways to bring people together through music. And that’s something Leeds has always done particularly well.
What makes the group even more special is the talent behind the harmonies. Made up of emerging artists releasing their own music, touring around the country and even performing at major festivals, these are creatives making waves in their own right.
Yet, every Monday, they come together as a family of creatives, supporting one another, nurturing their talents and celebrating their shared love of music.
The music industry can be a competitive place, particularly for artists just starting out, so having a space to develop their skills, meet like-minded people and be part of something bigger is invaluable.
This Leeds pop choir is putting emerging musicians centre stage. Credit: Ian Hodgson
And that sense of community is exactly what makes groups like LC Pop Choir such an important part of Leeds’ cultural scene.
Whether you’re a musical theatre obsessive, a pop music fanatic or someone who simply loves a brilliant live performance, LC Pop Choir is one Leeds-based group worth keeping on your radar.
We have a feeling some of these young artists will be paving the way for the next generation of music in the North, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
Leeds City Council granted £1.6m to tackle rough sleeping by Christmas
Clementine Hall
A £1.6m grant has been given by the government to Leeds City Council to help tackle rough sleeping.
The funding has been allocated to Leeds City Council as part of the Government’s national Rough Sleeping Programme.
The overall target is to help rough sleepovers off the streets by Christmas through providing safe accommodation.
The council have said that voluntary organisations and charities will be able to help them reach this target.
The council report said: "This funding will be used for immediate interventions to ensure all those rough sleeping have an offer of accommodation by Christmas and support longer term sustainment of accommodation.
“The initial target is to provide a suitable offer of accommodation for everyone who is rough sleeping by Christmas 2026.
“Providing a path into supported accommodation and independent living is the key objective and sustaining this independent living with, where necessary, ongoing support to prevent any return to rough sleeping and homelessness.”
The government announcement spoke of the scheme: "The programme is intended to support people experiencing rough sleeping.
"People experiencing rough sleeping may have differing entitlements to housing and support depending on their individual circumstances, including their immigration status and eligibility for public funds."
The funding is intended to help provide immediate support for people currently sleeping on the streets, while also helping them access longer-term accommodation and the support needed to maintain independent living.
By working with local charities and voluntary organisations, the council hopes to ensure people are not only offered a place to stay but are also given the help they need to avoid returning to the streets.
The Hoot -
5th October 2022 
