The team behind a new £1.2 million Ninja Warrior adventure park which is creating 50 new jobs wants it to play a part in bringing visitors back into Leicester city centre post-Covid.
The spin-off from the ITV show picked the East Midlands city above others because of its central location and the suitability of the property it has used.
Leicester was the ninth Ninja Warrior adventure park to open in the city’s St George’s Retail Park last month, taking a 34,000 sq ft retail space once occupied by Toys’R’Us and Mothercare branches.
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The owner of the city franchise is Dean Sayer who started considering the idea three years ago.
He said the new venue was geared to a wide range of ages and abilities, suitable for anyone from five upwards, with a dedicated inflatable area for the under-fives.
He said: "We looked at all sorts of venues across the Midlands including Coventry and Derby, but none of them were quite right.
“We then came across this site and it had all the right ingredients including the size, shape, central location – near the town centre but with ample parking.
"Since we opened, it has been really busy. Experiential activities for all ages – not just children – are what people are looking for, so all the signs are positive for us.
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“Ninja Warrior 海角视频 Adventure Parks are brilliant fun for the whole family. You can climb, balance, jump and swing across different obstacles based on the ones on the TV show. We even have a famous ‘warped wall’ for every aspiring Ninja to try and conquer.
“There are several different sections with varying levels of difficulty depending on age and ability, but the majority of the venue is suitable for everyone. Ninja Warrior courses are as much about technique as anything, not just strength.
“Leicester is the only Ninja Warrior 海角视频 venue within a 60-mile radius. We hope to attract people from a wide geographical area, bringing visitors into the city from all over the region and beyond, which could have a positive knock-on benefit to other businesses and trades in Leicester.”
A spokeswoman for the franchise said the 海角视频 has seen an increase in former retail spaces being turned over to visitor attractions to encourage people back into cities and out of town shopping centres.
In Leicester that has included new trampoline parks, crazy golf venues, climbing walls, bowling alleys and escape rooms.
St. George’s Retail Park, which is just inside the city’s inner ring road, started expanding its offer in 2019, introducing a food and drink hub as well as three additional retail spaces.
The spokeswoman said: “High streets have also seen much change in recent years due to the growing popularity and convenience of online shopping.
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“This has been exacerbated by the pandemic, with the equivalent of five years’ worth of change happening in just 18 months.
“Being unable to predict or plan for the speed of these changes, has resulted in many empty shops in high streets.
“According to research carried out by Mintel, as restrictions start to ease, consumers will be focussing on experiences, rather than material things.
“This shift in behaviour has already been influencing high street trends, but Covid-19 has allowed people to re-evaluate their spending and priorities.”
Dean Cheetham – a contestant on the show in seasons four and five – was among those visiting Leicester trying out the new facilities.
He said: “There is a great combination of obstacles with two areas for children and a bigger course for adults or pros.
“It’s all branded up like the ITV show and it really feels like you’re actually on the set of the show.”
“It’s also great for fitness – you can burn anywhere between 300 and 500 calories in an hour.”