A new “festival inspired” private members’ club offering vegan-only food, a non-alcoholic bar and events such as “sauna raves” has opened in east London as an antidote to the exhausting “gym and pub” lifestyle of stressed out young Londoners.
Shoreditch & Soul – described as an “urban wellness playground” – is the brainchild of entrepreneur Reza Merchant, who was previously behind The Collective co-living developments.
Merchant, 36, has raised £35 million from family office investors and lenders to convert and launch the 35,000 sq ft venue in a former Victorian textile warehouse with interiors designed by former barrister Jasmine Fisher. The building on Cheshire Street came up for sale in 2022.
The site also includes a total of 20 homes for rent, known as the Villas and Lofts with rents starting from £420 a week with membership thrown in.
Merchant said he was inspired to create a “sanctuary” where people could “reduce their anxiety levels, let go and return to their lives feeling refreshed and replenished.
He said he saw as a gap in the market for hard working Londoners suffering isolation and mental health challenges who did not have somewhere to go meet other people.
He said: “Shoreditch & Soul was created to directly address the pressures so many are facing – offering an inclusive space to recharge and connect.
“City dwellers need more than gyms or bars – they need spaces that allow them to connect and have fun, whilst feeling truly replenished.”
Memberships start at £99 per month and go up to £279 for unlimited access. Currently there are around 90 members but Merchant says he is aiming for a total of around 500, many likely to be drawn from the City and Shoreditch where huge employers such as Amazon have major office buildings. Entry to the public is available from £10 a day.
At the heart of the site is a circular “social sauna” in a space called the Sensorium that also includes ice baths and mist showers. It can accommodate 40 people seated or 70 standing up.
On the nights of the sauna raves a DJ plays music from inside the sauna where Merchant says no-one needs to drink to lose their inhibitions because they already have already have their clothes off.
The sauna - co-designed with the British Sauna Society’s Katie Bracher - offers Nordic, Aufguss, and Balkan ceremonies, as well as “multi-sensory sound journeys, storytelling, deep listening experiences, hammams, and yoga.”
The wellness programme - in two spaces called Heart and Soul - includes “mindful movement sessions inspired by Amsterdam’s electronic music scene” as well as yoga, movement, and strength training classes.
It will also include regular immersive banquets for up to 80 people, created by food artist Caroline Hobkinson, who has designed food experiences for the V&A and the Royal Academy of the Arts.
The alcohol free bar is run by Karmaceuticals, founded by medical herbalist Karma Campbell with cocktails “designed to elevate your alcohol-free experiences without the ‘hang-xiety’.” It is open from Friday-Sunday from 6pm to10pm with prices from £6.50 to £12.
Campbell said: “We’re here to help people enjoy socialising without the consequences, to shift the narrative around what it means to go out, connect, and feel good.
“We’re passionate about breaking the taboo around addiction and creating a space where people can explore new ways of drinking, whether they’re sober, sober-curious, or just plain old curious.
“It’s about inclusion, integrity, and innovation, and proving that alcohol-free doesn’t mean less fun, less flavour, or less freedom.”
The café Palm Greens café provides all day plant based food such as Tostada Bowl filled with whole grains and vegetable.
