A Leeds restaurant group has surprised its foodie fans by making the decision to expand into the world of beauty by adding a salon to its repertoire.
The team behind Culto Italian and Poco Sicilian have taken over Spirals, a Meanwood hair salon that has been on the same parade as them for decades.
They made the decision to take on the salon after finding out that the previous owner was planning to retire, feeling that it would be a shame to lose such a piece of Meanwood history if the new owners decided to turn it into something else altogether.
The team behind Culto Italian and Poco Sicilian have taken over the Spirals, a Meanwood hair salon that has been on the same parade as them for decades / Image: LINEA
"Just like this, right in the middle of the pandemic, lockdown, and staff shortages, we took over the business to keep it as a hairdressers salon," the team said in a social media post.
"The main idea was to create the salon that we ourselves and all residents would want to visit regularly. The perfect destination where you could escape your daily routine, relax and treat yourself without breaking the bank. An affordable indulgence, if you want.'
The team is known in Leeds for its popular Italian eateries POCO Sicilian (team pictured) and CULTO / Image: Poco Sicilian
Applying the concept of “Beauty in Simplicity” to the new salon, which they've named LINEA, the space is dedicated to enhancing your natural beauty - offering treatments on everything from hair to brows and nails.
Following the mantra of "less is more" they promise they won't be offering anything "artificial or over the top, only the necessary treatments that will make you feel and look beautiful."
"We know, it sounds ridiculous - a team specialising in restaurants have decided to go into beauty now. To be honest, there was not a single day when we haven’t regretted this decision," they continued.
"But, on the other hand, we’ve created CULTO and Poco from scratch once, and we are up for a challenge, even if we have to completely step out of our comfort zone this time."
The salon is located on the same parade as restaurant CULTO / Image: CULTO
As well as helping you to perfect your hair, brows and nails, further treatments on offer at the salon will also include lashes.
Keeping in step with the ethos of the restaurants, products used in the salon will be vegan and cruelty-free.
The team will be using the Kevin Murphy range for hair treatments and colouring, which they say are the "best on the market" for those who want organic, cruelty-free, sulphate and paraben-free vegan products.
To create ethical but stylish nails, meanwhile, they'll be working with The Gel Bottle company - which is also 100% cruelty-free and vegan.
The CULTO team pictured outside their restaurant on the Meanwood parade / Image: CULTO
Explaining their decision to take over the salon, the team said: "When we first found out last year that the owner of the Spirals, the hair salon that’s been on our parade for decades, decided to retire and sell the business, we thought it would be a shame to lose this piece of Meanwood history if the new owners would turn it into something completely different.
Followers were quick to offer their support, with one commenting "This will be a great addition to Meanwood, look forward to visiting."
Another simply said, "You guys are amazing!"
To keep up to date with LINEA, you can follow them on Instagram here and find the salon at 93 Stainbeck Road, Meanwood, Leeds.
"After years of late nights, strong cocktails, and incredible stories; The Maven will close its doors"
It's a sad day for the Leeds night life scene, as a beloved speakeasy bar has today announced that it will be closing its doors for good.
The Maven has been a firm favourite for many years with those looking to enjoy some experimental and expertly made cocktails.
Hidden behind an unassuming door at the top of Call Lane, it was a great spot to visit if you were looking for something that little bit special.
Announcing the news to their social media, The Maven said: "From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for being our guests over the years and promise that until then, we'll do our best to give you the best nights out on Call Lane."
The Government wants the public to help decide if children should be banned from social media
Emily Sergeant
Should there be a minimum age to access social media? Should children be banned all together? The Government is asking the public to help decide.
In case you missed it earlier last month, the Government announced a social media crackdown in a bid to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes – with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he was looking to take ‘immediate action’ to make the online world safer for young people.
The new measures announced included a crackdown on ‘vile’ illegal content created by AI, as well as ‘fast action’ to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law.
It was also hinted at that setting a minimum age limit for social media – which Australia famously became the first country to do so last year – could be on the cards, and also the restricting of other harmful features like infinite scrolling.
The Prime Minister insisted that ‘no platform gets a free pass’.
And now, it’s your turn – parents, guardians, and young people across the UK are being urged to shape the country’s next steps on children’s digital wellbeing, as the Government has today (2 March 2026) opened what is said to be the the world’s most ambitious consultation on social media.
The consultation will aim to gather insights from the public on how to keep children safe online across social media, AI chatbots, and gaming platforms.
The Government has launched a consultation on banning social media for children / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)
“Millions of parents across the country worry about what social media is doing to their children’s sleep, concentration, and mental health,” the Government said in a announcing the launch of the consultation.
Many parents and campaign groups have called for an outright ban on social media for under-16s, however, others – including leading children’s charities like UNICEF – have warned that a blanket ban could drive children towards ‘less regulated’ corners of the internet, or leave teenagers unprepared for when they do come online.
This is why the Government says its consultation ‘looks beyond a ban’ and instead covers a full range of options – from curfews, to the impact of chatbots and gaming.
It also asks the questions about how any new rules would work in practice, in a bid to make sure they are effective.
On the social media side of things, three main questions are being posed in the consultaion:
Should there be a minimum age for social media, and if so, what age would be right?
Should platforms be required to switch off addictive features that keep children hooked late into the night – like infinite scrolling and autoplay?
And whether mandatory overnight curfews would help children sleep better, and what age they should apply to?
Speaking on the launch of the consultation today, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Technology is fundamentally changing childhood. Used well, it can open up new opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but only if we get the balance right.
“That is why we want to hear directly from parents, teachers and young people about how we strike that balance and give children the very best childhood in a digital age.”
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall added: “We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having.
“This is why we’re asking children and parents to take part in this landmark consultation on how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change.”
The consultation is now live, and you can have your say here.
Georgina Pellant -
13th September 2021 
