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Leeds’ first sauna and ice bath cafe is coming to the city centre this spring

Clementine Hall - 23rd March 2026

Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.

Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.

Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.

The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.

Images: Supplied

Images: Supplied

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.

To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a
silent 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.

Image: Supplied

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.

The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.

Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more
spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.

Read more:

Featured image - Supplied

Leeds

Myles Smith announces HUGE arena gig in Leeds this year

Singer-songwriter Myles Smith has just announced his biggest headline tour and is set to play a huge arena gig in Leeds this year.

Quit ‘Stargazing’ and get ready to fight for tickets as Myles Smith has just announced he’ll be visiting Leeds later this year for his biggest arena gig to date.

Known for hits like ‘Nice To Meet You’, ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’ and ‘Wait For You’, this BRIT School graduate is now heading on the road for some headline shows across the UK.

Recognised for his folk-pop sound, Smith has built quite a name for himself just three or so years into his career, with solo efforts and a few collaborations under his belt.

Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied) — Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied)

Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied) — Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied)

Recently, the Luton-born artist collaborated with some well-known names like Shaboozey on their track ‘Blink Twice’ and even features on a new single from former One Direction member Niall Horan titled ‘Drive Safe’.

It was only last year that the ‘Stargazing’ songwriter visited Leeds, bringing his high-energy hits to O2 Academy back in February.

Now, Smith is ready to tackle an arena crowd and has chosen Leeds First Direct Bank Arena and is expected to raise the roof when 13,500 fans flock to the star’s show this winter.

Titled after his upcoming album My Mess, My Life, My Heart, Smith will be playing a variety of well-known and brand new hits when he makes his way up North.

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Fans who are signed up to the official artist presale can get exclusive access to tickets from Wednesday, 25 March at 10am, with the window closing on Friday, 27 March at 9am.

Meanwhile, general admission tickets go live by 10 am that same Friday (27 Mar).

Myles Smith is embarking on his ‘My Mess, My Life, My Heart’ tour this winter and visiting First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds on Sunday 8 November – tickets and more info HERE.

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Featured Images - Press Shots via supplied

Leeds

Leeds city centre crowned one of the best places to live in the north by The Sunday Times

Clementine Hall

Today, Leeds city centre earned itself a coveted spot in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

What brilliant news to end the week on, hey?

Leeds city centre was amongst eight other locations across the north and the north east to be featured on the list.

The market town of Skipton took home the dazzling first prize, but it's still nice to be included isn't it.

Here's what the judges had to say about Leeds city centre: “Leeds has five universities, the fourth largest urban economy in the UK (with job opportunities in finance, insurance and big business), a youthful vibe and a relatively affordable average house price (£285,100).

Image: Unsplash

“Stay close to the centre, where you won’t have to worry about the patchy public transport, and it all adds up to a fun-filled, fulfilled life within walking distance of stylish shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There’s a good choice of riverside homes, where you may spot kingfishers and otters, and even the schools are good.”

In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the very best of Britain, with Norwich named the overall national winner.

The full list of locations in the north and northeast include:

Skipton
Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire
Leeds city centre
Morpeth, Northumberland
Newcastle: Gosforth
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire
Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
York

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain.

“It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community.

“Our expert team of judges visit every location on the list and talk to the locals to find out what they love about the place they live."

Read more: Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London

Featured image - Unsplash