The owner of a roadside cafe in Yorkshire claims that men “from Manchester” are holding dogging parties in the bushes behind them.
Sharon Wherrett – the co-owner of Big Baps @ Junction 25 in Brighouse – said that she sees at least “two or three doggers” every morning as she is serving customers their breakfast, and claims that the men in question are coming “from Manchester”.
Apparently, sometimes there are so many people that there’s no room for lorry drivers and other drivers to park in the lay-by next to the cafe.
Sharon claims that the wooded area behind her cafe is littered with condoms and old mattresses that are used for people to have sex on, and after having repeatedly reported the issue to her local MP and the police, she now feels she needs to warn walkers in the area herself.
“If you came and had breakfast at our cafe, you’d see two or three doggers, guaranteed,” Sharon told Yorkshire Live.
“Most people think it’s funny, but it’s actually really seedy.
“There’s a charity that comes down and puts condoms and lube in the trees.”
Sharon added: “Families want to walk down there and we have to warn them ‘actually no it’s a male dogging site down there’ and we get homophobic comments, it’s just terrible.
The owner of Big Baps @ Junction 25 said that she sees at least “two or three doggers” every morning / Credit: Google Maps
“If it were a female and male dogging site, I’d feel exactly the same [but] that just doesn’t come in to it – it’s the fact that it’s a dogging site.
“There’s a hotel 20 yards up the road, I’m sure they would appreciate the business.”
Sharon claims that men come “from Manchester” to attend dogging parties behind the layby, which is having a real impact on her business, and not only because lorry drivers are often left without a safe place to park for their rest breaks.
“The truckers who do manage to park there on a night get propositioned, they knock on the cab and say ‘dya fancy a bit?’,” Sharon continued.
“Sunday afternoon is worse and on a night, they come from Manchester and have parties down there.
“A lot of them have car seats in the car, with baby seats.”
She concluded: “The main thing I’d love to do is for truckers to be able to park [as] they come in depressed, they’re away from their families and they want a warm meal.”
Featured Image – Google Maps
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Leeds’ most famous pub has announced the return of its annual FREE Beer Festival this summer
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 -
22nd October 2021 
