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.
A Yorkshire-born and bred artist and his creative team have earned the huge honour of creating the official FIFA scarf collection for this year's World Cup.
Nothing short of massive for anyone from our part of the world.
The local legend in question is Tom Pitts, who was born in Sheffield and is now based just beyond Leeds, leading the campaign right from the helm.
Hand Drawn Pixels is a graphic design and digital studio based in Otley, and while you'll see plenty of folks wearing football shirts and even the odd scarf on the town's famous pub crawl, these lot are venturing on an entirely different kind of run this summer.
In fact, the work has very much already started, with Tom and co. collaborating directly with FIFA and US manufacturers, Global Scarves, to create the World Cup collection.
With this year's tournament obviously taking place across America, Mexico and Canada, they've joined up with a big LLC, but they describe themselves as "a true English custom scarf company with American parents."
In their words, "We knit scarves for clients all over the world", with a presence both near Leeds and over in Seattle, Washington.
The fixtures themselves kick off next month (England's first game coming against Croatia on 17 June), and so Hand Drawn Pixels have been hard at work meeting the briefs for each of the nations taking part.
Here's a quick breakdown of how the opportunity came about, their vision for the project, and how everything starts for them as a whole process.
You can see more of their work HERE, but as the brand name would suggest, it's pretty simple to begin with: nothing more than a pencil.
It's worth noting that the 2026 World Cup also featured the largest number of teams in the competition's history: 48 qualified national squads, to be exact. So, technically, they've had even more designing to do than they theoretically would have in any of the previous years, too.
Tom confessed that winning this bid is obviously a big deal on its own and that seeing his creations being worn in person by supporters at the stadiums will be a "surreal" experience.
Speaking exclusively with The Hoot, he said: "It’s been an amazing creative challenge for us to truly reflect the individuality and diversity of the nations competing in this prestigious tournament on such an iconic product as the football scarf."
He went on to add that "the whole project has been a huge learning experience, gaining deeper cultural insight into every nation involved."
We can't wait to cast eyes upon a sea of colour and finely crafted fabric in unique but somehow universally familiar patterns, all designed right here in 'God's Own Country'.
Award-winning Sardinian restaurant Domo announces Leeds opening date
Clementine Hall
Domo will officially open the doors to its Leeds venue this summer.
Get ready for Domo Leeds, a Sardinian independent born in Sheffield that is loved by many for its delicious food, inviting atmosphere and stellar service.
Run by Raffaele Busceddu and Sarah May Elliott, Domo serves a range of traditional Sardinian specialities from homemade pasta dishes to show-stopping grills.
They've also got a banging cocktail menu full of signature serves and refreshing spritz, perfect for enjoying with friends over some delicious sharing plates.
Images: The Sheff
Domo has confirmed it will officially open the doors to its first Leeds venue on Friday June 5, so we really don't have long to wait.
Located at the iconic Tower Works development, Domo Leeds will offer a vibrant new canal-side destination, perfect for the summer months.
Alongside the main restaurant menu, there’ll be a dedicated bar food menu designed around relaxed dining and carefully crafted small plates designed to pair with the drinks offering creating a more informal way for guests to experience Sardinian flavours.
Domo co-founder, Sarah Elliott-Busceddu, said: “We’re incredibly excited to finally open the doors and welcome people into Domo Leeds. From day one, our vision has been to create a space where everyone feels welcome and somewhere that brings people together in the true spirit of Sardinian hospitality.
“Whether it’s an evening out with friends, a relaxed catch-up over drinks after work, or a big family celebration, we’ve designed Domo to feel warm, inclusive and full of life. We can’t wait for people in Leeds to experience not just the food and drinks, but the atmosphere and sense of community that sits at the heart of everything we do.”
Georgina Pellant -
28th July 2021 
