Culture in Norwich: The Lions' Den City

18 December 2025

Culture in Norwich: The Lions’ Den City

There’s no doubt that The Lions’ Den has become an important part of Norwich’s community, combining a love of our city and a love for wellbeing and self-care. And in their new location on White Lion Street, The Lions’ Den City is set to bring people together more than ever.

With rooftop saunas boasting views of Norwich landmarks, a community sauna where you can meet new people, co-working, studio and treatment spaces, not to mention the city’s only alcohol-free late bar, this is a venue for everyone to enjoy.

Here, we speak to The Lions’ Den Founder, Lee Tayler, about the importance of this community and what awaits us in their City venue.

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Congratulations on The Lions’ Den City! What led you to open a second venue in the centre of Norwich? 

Thank you! The Lions’ Den grew from listening to our community and delivering a consistent offering. Come rain or shine. 

When I started Norfolk Paddle Boards, customers would often tell me they wished they had someone to paddle with. So, I created Social Mondays, a regular session where people could get out on the water, make friends, and find others who shared their interests. 

As the community grew and winter arrived, people told us they missed seeing familiar faces, having those easy conversations, and feeling part of something. Winter is often when we need the connection and outdoors the most.  

So, we opened The Lions’ Den River with a simple dream: to give people a place to keep coming together through the colder months. Warm blankets, fires for toasting marshmallows, and cheese toasties to enjoy while watching the quiet winter river, with the familiar swans from spring drifting by.  

Then our wood-fired saunas arrived, bringing hot and cold therapy, and a setting that encourages deeper conversations beside the glowing stove on the banks of the Wensum. It was built to give you a consistent space for recovery, connection, and… just fun. Because sometimes we all need a good laugh, a catch-up with friends, and a little nudge out of our comfort zones. 

We wanted to create activities people could weave into their daily or weekly rhythm. Whether it’s a sauna and cold plunge, or simply a walk along the river followed by half an hour with a coffee and a book.  

The introduction of our second venue, The Lions’ Den City, has created more space and more availability. It also gives us the freedom to expand on everything we already love doing by the river. It’s Norwich’s new living room, a place where people can gather in the heart of the city. 

And personally, I’ve always wanted to build an alcohol-free bar, a space where not drinking feels completely normal. The Lions’ Den City is the perfect place to do that.

We love that your new rooftop sauna is the first in East Anglia – how did this idea come about? 

The idea came from wanting to offer something that felt both familiar and completely new. Our riverside saunas have become a big part of people’s routines, and our rooftop saunas bring a new kind of magic. 

I’ve been inspired by our friends at SaunaBox and sauna culture around the world. Sauna is all about connection to your surroundings; the heat, the cold, and the community it creates. When we saw the skyline from our new site, it felt obvious. Norwich has such a beautiful mix of rooftops, spires and history. Putting saunas on the roof felt like a way to let people experience the city differently.

‘Move, work, unwind’. Tell us more about what features we’ll discover inside (and out!).  

The Lion’s Den City has been designed around the rhythm of a day. How people move, work, rest and connect, all under one roof. 

Here’s what you’ll find: 

Three saunas
Two rooftop saunas overlooking the Norwich skyline, and East Anglia’s largest community sauna. We’re running sessions Monday to Sunday, with both one hour and express 30-minute slots available to book, giving people more flexibility than ever to build contrast into their week. 

A café and alcohol-free bar
Think warm drinks, nourishing food, and a bar that feels social without the expectation to drink. The idea is for everyone to have a brilliant time, without alcohol at the centre. 

Studio and treatment rooms
We’ve built a studio so we can bring in wellbeing practitioners from across Norfolk (and beyond). Breathwork, movement, workshops, talks… all the things our community has been asking for. 

The treatment rooms will also allow local therapists and practitioners to share their work in a calm, grounding environment in the heart of the city. 

Coworking
As a remote worker myself, I know the feeling of sitting in a café surrounded by ten people with laptops but no one speaking. At the river, people naturally start conversations with strangers. I wanted to bring that same atmosphere into our new location, all the good parts of having colleagues, without the office politics. 

So, co-working will be celebrated in our café at City; giving people the chance to be productive, meet others, share skills and feel part of a working community. 

Importantly, when will you be open? 

We’re open now! We opened the doors on Sunday 14th December, and we’d love people to come in and take a look.

The Lions’ Den is all about community and connection. What has been the most surprising aspect coming out of your community? 

Honestly, the richness of the conversations. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 20 or 70, when you step into the sauna, everyone is the same. You share stories, you reflect, you laugh. 

What also delights me is how many people come alone and end up leaving with new friends; whether they’ve come for the sauna, to OutThere or to grab a drink at our riverside nature cafe. That’s always been the heart of this whole project: creating places where people feel they belong.

Can we expect events and workshops like OutThere at your new venue? 

Absolutely. OutThere has grown far beyond what I expected; from a handful of people to sometimes more than a hundred turning up to walk, paddle or run together. It’s become a real anchor in people’s month. The Lions’ Den City will give us additional space to grow, and we are in the process of turning OutThere into a Community Interest Company. 

At The Lions’ Den City, we’ll also be offering workshops, talks, movement sessions, guest practitioners and more. Norwich has an amazing wellbeing community, and now we can give them a home, as well as inviting experts from all over the world to teach and inspire our community.

I’m new to sauna. Where do I start? 

Start simple. Begin with 5 to 10 minutes in the heat, step outside for some fresh air or a cold plunge, then come back in. There’s no right or wrong way, just listen to your body. 

It’s natural to be nervous but you don’t need to be. Our sessions are friendly and open to everyone. Our Sauna Hosts will guide you through it, and everyone is incredibly welcoming.

If I’ve got a whole day or just a few hours to spare, what’s the best way to spend it? 

If you’ve got a few hours:
Start with a sauna session, rotating between the rooftop saunas for the views and the community sauna for the chats, followed by a warm drink in the café. Bring a book, do a little work, or just enjoy the atmosphere. 

If you’ve got a whole day:
Start with a studio class – stretch, move, and wake your body up. Then head to the Living Room (our cafe) to unwind with a book or enjoy some toast and a coffee for breakfast. Treat yourself to a mid-morning treatment before settling in for a delicious lunch. 

In the afternoon, return to the studio for a meditation session, or take some time for journaling. Later on, slip into a soothing sauna session – making connections and disconnecting all at once. Afterward, change into something comfy and head back to the Living Room for a warm bowl of dahl with a sauna friend, accompanied by a lovely alcohol-free drink under ambient lighting and the gentle sound of music drifting from our vintage speakers as the day winds down.

And, finally, what’s your favourite Norwich skyline view from your new rooftop? 

I can’t pick just one view … but there’s a feeling of awe when you step out onto the roof and can see the city from multiple angles! You can see the castle, The Forum, Norwich Cathedral spire, the rooftops, the curve of the streets, people walking underneath. From The Lions’ Den City rooftop, Norwich feels peaceful yet full of life. 

It’s a completely different perspective of Norwich, and I can’t wait for people to experience it.

The Lions’ Den City is now open! You can book sauna sessions, classes and more here and at their River location via their website.