Pipeworks Leeds: Opening of gay men's sauna and 'destination spa' hit by 'unfortunate' delay
A new gay men’s sauna club and “destination spa” that was scheduled to open earlier this year has issued an update.
After receiving permission from the council for 24-hour weekend openings last September, Pipeworks announced that it was hoping to open its new venue on Albion Street “between February and March 2024”.
However, the Yorkshire Evening Post has now received confirmation from director of operations, David Cooper, that the venue is not expected to open until “towards the end of 2025”. He said that this was was due to “some design enhancements and improvements to the overall concept”.
Mr Cooper said: “Our priority is to deliver a venue in Leeds that reflects the highest standards of quality and creativity. To achieve this, we made the decision to refine certain elements of the design, which has extended lead times for some fit-out materials.”
Mr Cooper previously said that the venue would be a “destination spa” that would receive £1.6m in investment and recruit “between 25 and 30 people”.
The facilities at Pipeworks are set to include a steam room, dry sauna, cold dunk showers, swimming pool and a rooftop spa area.
In his latest statement, Mr Cooper said: “Recruitment will begin in the coming weeks, with registration opening soon for those interested in joining our team. We will also be hosting open days and assessment events to meet prospective colleagues.
“Additionally, we will soon launch online registration for customers wishing to become members of our new destination spa. Membership will provide access to both our upcoming Leeds venue and our existing Glasgow location.”
He continued: “We know there is great anticipation for our Leeds opening, and we share in that excitement. While the delay is unfortunate, it has been necessary to ensure we deliver a truly exceptional experience.
“Stay tuned as we ramp up activity on our Leeds social media channels, where we’ll continue to share updates on our progress.”