Aldi is recruiting people to test its new summer gins, and will send the lucky applicants a bunch of bottles to try for free.
At this point, we all know that Aldi’s ‘Wine Club’ is pretty legendary, right?
But if wine isn’t really your cup of tea – or, should we instead say, your tipple of choice – and you’d consider yourself to be more of a “self-proclaimed gin-ius” instead, then the budget supermarket retailer might have just the side hustle for you.
It’s been a long time coming, but Aldi has now launched its first ever – and the first in the UK, too – supermarket ‘Gin Club’, and is now in the process of carrying out a nationwide search for 30 gin enthusiasts to trial its award-winning gins before summer arrives.
Image: Aldi
Oh, and the best bit? Not only will the lucky recruits get to try some of the supermarket’s newest gins before they hit the shelves, they’ll also get sent them for completely free of charge.
Each selected Gin Club member will receive three bottles of Aldi’s latest summer gin launches over an eight-week period.
Packages will include everything needed to craft the perfect cocktail masterpiece.
Then, once the lucky recruits have tested each of the gins sent to them, all they’ll have to do in return is review each gin, create their very own cocktail, and share it on TikTok or Instagram using the dedicated #AldiGinClub hashtag, before getting to “sip back and enjoy”.
Image: Unsplash
All reviews shared will help guide and inform Aldi’s booze-buying teams ahead of key decision-making for 2025.
“We’re excited to be launching the UK’s first supermarket Gin Club,” commented Julie Ashfield, who is the Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK.
“We’re recruiting a panel of gin enthusiasts that are passionate when it comes to cocktail creation, as Aldi’s award-winning gin range has gone from strength to strength, and this provides us with a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from our shoppers, helping to improve and develop our ranges for next year.”
Fancy it then? To apply, you’ll just need to be 18 or over, a legal UK resident, and provide 150 words explaining why you think you should be selected as an Aldi Gin Club member, as well as what your favourite Aldi gin is and what the best cocktail to make with it is.
Applications are now open, with a closing deadline of 25 June. Find out more here and apply by emailing aldiginclub@clarioncomms.co.uk.
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.
Emily Sergeant -
29th May 2024 
