Living regeneration in Salford: Martin Ellerby, Yoga Republic
24.02.26 3 min read
As part of a new series, we will be shining a spotlight on people who work, live and spend time in Salford Central, New Bailey and Crescent Salford, as ECF marks 20 years of regeneration in the area.
For two decades ECF has been driving ambitious and transformative regeneration in Salford.
The placemaking partnership has worked to bring positive change to Salford, creating an area that people want to live, work and spend their spare time. A long-term vision that has gradually reconnected an area that once felt on the edge of the city, with Salford Central the catalyst for change.
A thriving community
Through the £2.5 billion Crescent Salford masterplan, the supergroup’s approach is continuing to create new homes and improve the lives of people who live in the area, supporting people to thrive economically and socially.
The impact of ECF’s approach to placemaking and long-term regeneration is best told not through the buildings created, but through the people who have made the area a part of their lives.
From residents in Timekeepers Square, The Slate Yard and Novella, to businesses with commercial space in Eden and One New Bailey, and the independent cafes and small businesses that call the area home. Crescent Salford is a thriving community.
New Bailey, Salford
Meet Martin Ellerby, Founder of Yoga Republic
Martin Ellerby is the founder of Yoga Republic and the area’s transformation coincided with a shift in his own lifestyle. He spent two decades working in urban regeneration, but made the decision to switch to a career in yoga and wellbeing, after taking up the practice in his mid-forties.
Martin held his first yoga classes in 2021. He now runs four classes per week from Eden, a groundbreaking sustainable workplace completed in 2024.
“When we were invited to start doing some trial classes inside Eden at New Bailey, it immediately felt like the right fit for the business,” said Martin.
“From hosting the first classes with the Muse and ECF teams, we currently offer four classes per week. It’s a great use of the space and supports the wellbeing of people who work here, while also attracting people from the local area.
“While I deliver some of the classes at Eden myself, I know the Yoga Republic instructors who also deliver classes enjoy it here because it’s a small, intimate studio space where they can offer a personal customer experience to everyone who joins us on the mat.
“Having Spice and Grind Café on the ground floor is also an added bonus for our customers and instructors.”
Eden and New Bailey provide the right community spaces for Yoga Republic, and the increasingly connected neighbourhood is providing a backdrop for the growth of this independent business.
