Gary Barlow has given a glowing endorsement to Kontrast, a sauna and ice bath café in Manchester city centre, where he soothed his muscles after performing three massive Take That Circus Live shows at the Etihad Stadium over the weekend. The singer, alongside bandmates Mark Owen and Howard Donald, entertained some 150,000 fans from Friday to Sunday night, reprising iconic 90s dance moves in the band's rebooted tour.
Gary Barlow's Sauna Visit
On Monday morning, Barlow posted a video on Instagram showing himself in swimming trunks, panning around the sauna's main space. He said: 'OK everyone, check this out. Amazing place, Kontrast Manchester, three different types of saunas, ice baths, absolutely mega,' giving a big thumbs up. He ended the video with 'Love it.'
Kontrast first opened in Manchester in 2024, located in a former railway arch near Victoria Station. It bills itself as the city's first sauna and ice bath café, offering a space for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Venue Delighted by Celebrity Endorsement
Kontrast's operations manager, Ella Cohen, expressed the venue's excitement: 'We were so excited and happy to have Take That down, I think the staff have really enjoyed it! We didn't know Gary was going to post about it, we just wanted them to come down and have a good time so it was a nice surprise really to see the post, we were just so happy to have them.'
The band apparently spotted Kontrast on social media and booked sessions over the weekend. Cohen noted: 'They've done three big shows and doing the ice bath helped them get through it in an energising way and muscle recovery.' She added: 'I went to the show it was so good but there was so much choreography! So it would have been really nice for their bodies to have proper rest.'
Affordable Wellness for All
Kontrast offers 45-minute sessions for £12 and 90-minute sessions for £20, with unlimited switching between ice baths and saunas. The facility includes three ice baths (one communal and two solo) and three saunas: an infra-red sauna, a large social sauna, and a private sauna for peaceful relaxation. There is also a breakout area and café.
Cohen emphasised affordability: 'We want people to come back, we want to build a community, that's really important to us, we want people to make friends and encourage conversation so for us it's very important to offer prices that are accessible to all.' She added: 'We don't just want super well-off people, we want students, young professionals, musicians at what ever level, it's important that it's available to all those people.'
Inspired by Global Concepts
Kontrast was founded by hospitality entrepreneur Jamie Smith, inspired by similar concepts in Finland, Denmark, Taiwan and Japan. The venue aims to bring people together through contrast therapy, alternating between hot and cold treatments to stimulate circulation, spike energy levels, reduce inflammation, deepen sleep, and boost mental and physical health. Smith left corporate life after an enlightening experience in Taiwan and decided to bring these benefits to Manchester.
As Take That prepares for three nights at The London Stadium, the ongoing heatwave is forecast to hit a record-breaking 38°C in London on Thursday, the first night of their shows.
