Kirkstall Brewery reopens former Tetley Brewery site
Kirkstall Brewery, which rescued Leeds-based craft business North Brewing Co from administration in January, has taken over the lease of the former headquarters of Tetley Brewery while plans to refurbish the site are ongoing.
The Leeds-based beer brewer and operator of six of its own sites plus a taproom along with two partner pubs said it aims to create a “contemporary, fresh and friendly venue and events space that celebrates the rich history of beer making in Leeds and Yorkshire” under the moniker of The Tetley.
It will serve Kirkstall’s own beers and those from other local, modern and traditional craft and cask brewers, including Tetley, and will also operate a restaurant food menu.
Landmark of beer culture
Kirkstall Brewery owner and founder Steve Holt said: “We’re thrilled to be able to work with Vastint UK to create a venue that celebrates Leeds’s brewing heritage, in a building that is a landmark of beer culture.
“It was always our ambition with this project to create a venue that offered fantastic food and celebrated the best of local brewing.
“We’re thrilled to have not only Kirkstall, Leeds Brewery and North [Brewing Co] beers available but also beers from other Leeds based breweries including Northern Monk and Anthology and, of course, Tetley’s Bitter.”
Heavy investment planned
The relaunch of The Tetley, which is located south of the River Aire, follows the opening of the first of Aire Park’s public realm, Tetley Green and Theatre Gardens, and marks the initial phase of the new eight-acre public park. On completion, The Tetley will stand as the focal point of Leeds’s newest mixed-use district, Aire Park.
Originally built in an Art Deco style in 1931, the building has evolved over the years until its closure in 2011. Committed to ensuring this Leeds landmark is preserved for another 100 years, developer Vastint UK has already revealed plans to invest heavily in its redevelopment and refurbishment, including retaining original features such as its war memorial and the former Tetley boardroom.
Vastint UK head of development north Simon Schofield, which owns The Tetley building, said: “As a true icon of the city’s built environment, we’re excited to have The Tetley at the heart of Aire Park. We hope this partnership with Kirkstall Brewery gives the people of Leeds a small taster of what’s to come in the very near future.”
