Social wellness company &Soul has unveiled a new wellness and cultural hub called Shoreditch &Soul in Shoreditch, London.

&Soul is an urban hospitality operator focused on fostering community and tackling loneliness. It's led by co-founder Reza Merchant, founder of all-inclusive co-living space developer The Collective.

Shoreditch &Soul, based in a former Victorian textile warehouse, has 16 private residence apartments for rent, called The Villas, which give access to a 3,252sq m wellness and cultural hub – called The Sanctuary. This has a 194sq m spa called The Sensorium, housing various contrast bathing options and a 40-person circular, 45sq m aufguss sauna which was designed in collaboration with sauna master Katie Bracher, co-founder of the British Sauna Society.

Audio plays across two contrasting rooms, inspired by the differences between the sun and the moon and fire and ice, with immersions move between the 60-90-degree sauna, cold mist, rain showers and ice baths.

The sauna also doubles as a venue for events that include sound journeys, ritual circles and storytelling.

The Sanctuary also has a 100sq m mezzanine studio for small-scale workshops and movement classes in a space called Heart, while Soul, a 194sq m double-height warehouse is used for live events and large format workshops – complete with an integrated sound system.

Food and beverage options

In addition to ethical retail and co-working spaces, The Sanctuary offers non-alcoholic drinks at its high-end alcohol-free bar, supplied by Karmaceuticals, a vegan, halal-friendly drinks brand known for its herbal infusions.

According to &Soul, the sober-curious movement among 18-34-year olds is growing and its non-alcoholic bar is set to be a community space that facilitates alcohol-free experiences. The cocktails, which are also sugar free, will each have different elixirs for different effects – to increase energy, relax or deepen connection – and avoid the next-day consequences of alcohol.

Vegan catering company and restaurant, Palm Greens, has a cafe location within The Sanctuary. It will also host immersive banquets, curated by food artist Caroline Hobkinson – known for edible theatrical performances at the V&A and Royal Academy.

ProgrammingThe daily wellness programme and special events will be provided by various partners in residence, including:

• Sanctum – the mindful movement community – will offer sessions inspired by Amsterdam’s electronic music scene• Fire and Alchemy (meditation and breathwork practitioners) will provide breathwork and sound healing sessions

• Waking Dreams Studio will offer yoga workshops• Øthers will offer meditation, philosophy, ambient music – combined with fragrances – to change guests’ moods.

Merchant 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.

“Nearly 70 per cent of Londoners struggle at some point with their mental health, so something needs to change,” Merchant added. “We believe the next generation of wellness hubs belongs in urban environments, where they can have a transformational impact on mental and physical health.

“With a cultural programme designed to bring people together, and innovative use of sauna culture to reset body and mind, Shoreditch &Soul offers a new way for people to meaningfully and mindfully connect,” said Merchant.

Memberships

Open to the public as well as residents, a one week trial at Sanctuary – with unlimited access to classes and to the Sensorium – costs £29.

Full memberships are as follows:• Fire – this package costs £99 per month and offers unlimited access to the Sensorium sauna sessions, two guest passes in the first month, 10 per cent off banquets, immersions, events, food and drink

• Water – at £149 per month, this package offers unlimited sauna sessions, 10 classes and 4 workshops per month. It also includes two guest passes in the first month and the same 10 per cent off its other services.• Earth – for £199 per month members on this package have unlimited access to all sauna sessions, classes, workshops and have 15 per cent off banquets, immersions and events. Members also have two guest passes in the first month and 10 per cent off food and drink

• Air – this package costs £279 per month and provides all of the benefits of the Earth package, plus access to the Shoreditch &Soul co-working space.

&SoulThe hospitality company has one other community-living development, in Southall, London – which opened in November 2024.

Designed to be an entire village within a building, it is a community hub with 302 studio-style bedrooms across 11 floors and more than 1,765sq m of shared amenities.

It has a spa surrounded by a kitchen garden, with saunas, ice baths and relaxation tipis. There is a gym, communal kitchen and dining room, co-working spaces, in addition to a yoga shala and a movement studio.