Pipeworks Leeds: New gay men’s sauna club set to open on Albion Street in city centre
A gay men’s club has been allowed 24-hour weekend opening despite concerns over the impact on a busy shopping street.
Pipeworks, which describes its Glasgow premises as “Scotland’s best and largest gay sauna club”, is set to open a new venue on Albion Street, Leeds city centre.
A premises licence application faced an objection from a nearby retailer worried about noise and potential public nuisance.
Fears were raised that round-the-clock opening on Friday and Saturday could affect the security of nearby shops.
But the licence was granted by a Leeds City Council licensing sub-committee after a hearing today (Tuesday, Sep 10).
Piers Warne, representing Pipeworks, said alcohol sales were not the main source of income for the business, which had a good relationship with the police and council in Glasgow.
He said: “It’s very minimal. The licensed area is very small. Experience shows that incidents of people getting intoxicated are very rare indeed.”
The hearing was told nearby retailers felt they were not properly consulted about the new club, with minimal details given on a public notice.
Coun Neil Buckley, Conservative member for Alwoodley, said: “Would it not have been better had it been more transparent?”
Mr Warne said the police and council had been involved in earlier discussions about the licence.
He said: “This is a discreet premises. People need to feel safe and that they can go there without fear and discrimination.”
Paddy Whur, representing nearby Berry’s jewellers, asked about an incident in 2022 at the Glasgow premises, where a man died after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
Pipeworks operations director David Cooper said the man had been in the club for just 12 minutes and was given first aid.
He said: “There was no blame against our venue. All our staff are highly trained.”
Simon Walton, managing director of Berry’s Jewellers, said the Leeds club would not be in keeping with the city centre.
He said: “We have recently invested millions of pounds in the city centre.
“I’m fully supportive of the LGBTQ community. We are just trying to protect the city centre and make sure it is of a high standard in terms of retail environment.
“We just feel this is not the right location in the centre of Leeds.”
Pipeworks applied for alcohol sales on the premises between 11am-midnight, Monday to Thursday, and from 11am Friday until midnight on Sunday.
The membership venue is set to open early next year after the sub-committee voted to grant the licence as applied for.