41 Years After the Last One Closed, Leeds Is Finally Getting a Dedicated Roller Skating Space With The Skate Sanctuary

Great news – Roller Girl Gang’s The Skate Sanctuary is gliding into Mabgate Mills to provide an inclusive skating space for all.

Ever since the Kirkstall Rollarena closed its doors in 1973, Leeds has been missing a dedicated roller skating venue, but The Skate Sanctuary is here to change all that. The brainchild of local legends Roller Girl Gang, they’ve decided to say goodbye to their shop in Leeds Corn Exchange and make way for a roller skate studio in nearby Mabgate Mills.

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So, how did this come about? “It was only natural we outgrew our Corn Exchange venue,” Roller Girl Gang’s visionary creative leader Melissa Blackwood told us. “People wanted a place to practise that was their own, and we really needed that in order to grow the business and support more people – our new Mabgate Mills space can really reflect that”.

It was in January of this year that Melissa decided to take the plunge. Instead of a roller rink, she wanted to create an intimate and modest roller skating studio where she could really nurture people’s confidence. Mabgate Mills suited them best because it’s still within walking distance from the city centre and they complement the businesses that are already there, like Leeds Dance Studio.

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The space has been totally transformed, with mirrors lining the walls, a DJ booth, funky prints with inspirational quotes and neon lights – there’s even a fridge stacked with refreshments! Although they’re expanding into a studio, don’t fret, because their shop is still coming with them for all of your skates, wheels and accessories.

At the moment, they’re running weekday practise sessions between 12pm and 2pm, but the best thing? It’s only £3 for you to come down and use the space. If you don’t have a pair of your own skates, you can hire some for £2 – we did the maths, that’s just £5 for a few hours of learning a new skill, exercising and making new friends. Count us in!

All the instructors have experience in roller derby, outdoor and street skating, rhythm roller dance and more, so you know you’re in safe hands (or skates). Looking forward to the future, you can expect one-on-one confidence building sessions, evening classes, and of course, dancing on roller skate classes – they have to put that DJ booth to use somehow.

If you’re wondering why you should come down and give it a go, Melissa put it perfectly, “our space is about allowing people the permission to be as vulnerable as they need or want to be. We’ve got skate aids to support them, so if they really want to try this, we are more than delighted to support them to do so in a space that we hope is right for them”.

The Skate Sanctuary by Roller Girl Gang, Mill 5, Mabgate Mills, Macauley Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 7DZ.

Ella Aldridge Writer

Ella moved to Leeds in 2018 and never looked back. She joined the Leeds-List team as a writer in 2023 and her knowledge of the city continues to grow every day. She never passes up an opportunity to try somewhere new, be it visiting an exhibition or dining out at restaurants off the beaten track.

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