Have you ever had the urge to let out all your anger and emotions and to smash something after an awful day? 

Then Temper Tank, a stress room where you are allowed to hit things with baseball bats and sledgehammers, might be the place to go. It’s the first of its kind in Manchester and offers a new way to deal with stress and anger.

The nonprofit organisation wants to tackle mental health problems and provides a space where people can let loose in different ways. 

Interested people can book 15 or 30 minutes long group or individual smash sessions, depending on the package they choose. 

Behind this idea of Temper Tank are André Lawsun, 32, and Ruginq Bibi, 26, who opened this place last year in August in New Islington next to Pollard Yard.

In the following interview, they talk a little bit about the concept behind Temper Tank and the place itself. 

As Ruginq mentioned in the last part of the interview, the council rejects funding at the moment due to the belief that anger rooms make people even angrier. Consequently, André and Ruginq are trying to work against this stigma. 

“Because the concept of smashing rooms is quite new, there is no study present that confirms that it helps or that it makes it worse. Not everyone wants to accept help, so we are currently working on the idea that it is person-centered,” Ruginq said. 

The person-centered approach is a more positive one and is more directed as looking at a person as a whole. So for people that have build up tensions, want to feel immediate satisfaction or try out something new, they should give it a go. 

Nevertheless, one should keep in mind that when dealing with severe mental health problems, it might still be worth seeking a counsellor or therapist for help.