New Openings

Plans for huge £75m surf park and leisure resort project an hour from Leeds

Set to open in 2025...

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 11th December 2023

Trafford Park may be an hour across the Pennines, but there's certainly a lot to travel over for.

And the news of the £75 million development is just the tip of the iceberg.

The development over in Trafford Park that will see a brand-new luxury leisure centre, surf and spa resort arrive in Manchester is finally moving again after two years of delays,

And it'll be the first of its kind anywhere in the North, reports The Manc.

Originally slated to arrive in 2023, planning permission for Modern Surf Manchester was granted back in September 2021 but due to problems with funding, the hugely ambitious project has been held up ever since, with the opening date pushed back to sometime in 2025.

However, according to an update on the Trafford City Council website, the wheels are turning once again with developers Tartan Leisure — who are already part way through building a similar attraction in Edinburgh — now appointed to deliver the product to the masses.

Modern Surf is part of a larger 20-year project to upgrade the TraffordCity complex, with around £2.6bn set aside for the huge investment and undertaking, with this set to be the first inland surfing destination in the North of England — and we've already had a spellbinding glimpse of what it's going to look like.

Using technology from Wavegarden to create an artificial lagoon and giant surf park, the TraffordCity attraction will produce 1000 waves every hour at varying intensities and will be able to house up to 90 people at any one time, delivering a kind of surfing few will ever have experienced before.

Better still, once completed, Modern Surf Manchester will create over 140 new full-time jobs during peak times.

The wider regeneration of Trafford Park also includes a whopping £250m set aside for the highly-anticipated, Therme Manchester, which was first announced back in 2020 and will be a similarly unprecedented addition to the region and the North as a whole.

The water park, spa and wellness resort situated just next to the Trafford Centre will span nearly 30 acres alone and the latest images depicting how it's going to look are pretty incredible:

https://thehootleeds.com/news/inside-the-giant-indoor-waterpark-and-spa-with-35-water-slides-set-to-open-in-trafford/

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The sheer scale and scope of Modern Surf Manchester and the surrounding investments in Trafford can't be overstated, not only generating new business and tourism for Greater Manchester but even adding fitness and mental health benefits to locals.

Speaking to TraffordCity, Manc professional surfing coach Alan Bisseker, who has worked with Olympic and professional organisations including GB Surfing, said that "there are few sports that give you as many health and fitness benefits as surfing", insisting that this "combined with the significant positive impact on mental health and wellness is undeniable and well-documented."

Andy Hadden, Founder of the newly appointed Tartan Leisure team who are soon set to finish their Lost Shore Surf Resort in Scotland, added: "There has been an enormous rise in popularity for surfing over recent years with proven benefits to our overall health and wellness... the response and appetite that we have seen from the public has been phenomenal. [Modern Surf] will be a very exciting addition to an already incredible combined retail and experienced-based leisure destination for all to enjoy."

Trafford is already a hub of culture, leisure and sport in the UK and when this thing arrives that's only going to become more apparent — sod the New Year, roll on 2025 and surf park city!

@the.manc Trafford is the sporting capital of Manchester ⚽️🏏 #trafford #oldtrafford #manchesterunited #ifly #indoorskydiving #altyfc #chillfactore #manchesteroriginals ♬ Exercise - Vin Music

Featured Images — Trafford City Council (planning portal)/Modern Surf Park Manchester

New Openings

A look inside Leeds’ first Sardinian restaurant serving soul food on the water’s edge

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Domo is ready to open its doors and sun-drenched terrace this Friday.

Introducing Domo, an independent restaurant 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 that aren't often seen outside the island, all made entirely in-house.

Opening this Friday 5 June, we had a peek inside and let us tell you, it's even better than we imagined.

Image: The Hoot Leeds
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Image: The Hoot Leeds

First off, the interior is just drop dead gorgeous.

From the moment you step inside you feel as though you've been whisked away to an Italian island, the walls are lined with hundreds of booze bottles and on each table you'll find beautifully hand-painted plates ready to be adorned with delicious food.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Every corner is dotted with antique trinkets, and we already know the stretching terrace will be the place to be when the sun comes out.

Now, onto the food.

From small plates made for sharing to hearty bowls of seafood pasta, everything is made with the freshest ingredients and made entirely in-house.

You could do a lot worse than plonking yourself on the terrace with mates, ordering a selection of their cocktails and tucking into a heaping plate of fried calamari and prawns or a carefully curated plate of Sardinian cured meats and cheeses.

They also serve pizzas and salads, all accompanied by a brilliant wine and cocktail list. Whether you're after a long lunch, celebrating an occasion with a slap up meal or fancy a few nibbles - Domo can cater to all.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

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.”

You can book your table here.

Read more: A much-loved Leeds coffee shop is celebrating 15 years in the city with £1.50 coffees

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

New Openings

Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch

Clementine Hall 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.

Read more: Inside Leeds’ new neighbourhood bakehouse from the team behind Silver’s Deli

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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