The historic ‘Victoria Family & Commercial Hotel,’ opened in 1865, is one of Leeds’ enduring Victorian landmarks, situated behind Leeds Town Hall. The individuals affiliated with Kirkstall Brewery and Whitelock’s Ale House have taken charge of The Victoria & Commercial Pub on Great George Street, pledging to revive and restore this Grade II-listed pub to its former glory.
Although the upper floors of The Victoria Hotel and the adjacent Shenanigans Irish Pub are undergoing redevelopment for student accommodation, the legendary pub itself will remain untouched. Steve Holt, founder of Kirkstall Brewery has said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to preserve an icon of Leeds pub history.”
“Our own pedigree of restoring historic pubs, such as The Cardigan Arms and The Kirkstall Bridge Inn, puts us in good stead for this project. Additionally, the chance to take on one of the most beautiful pubs in the city in partnership with Whitelock’s, Leeds’ oldest pub, was one we simply couldn’t pass up.”
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Ed Mason, Whitelock’s Managing Director and the co-founder of The Five Points Brewing Company, is equally enthusiastic about the project. “We’ve had a close partnership with Steve and his team at Kirkstall Brewery for a long time, and we love their pubs, so when the opportunity came along to join forces it felt like a natural next step.
“And at a time when so many pubs are being lost, we are delighted to be able to work with the developer to ensure that this beautiful Victorian pub is preserved for future generations.”
In addition to preserving the pub’s renowned traditional decor, Kirkstall and Whitelock’s are set to introduce a state-of-the-art kitchen and enhance the beer dispensing equipment throughout the establishment. The reopening of The Victoria & Commercial Pub is scheduled for September 2024, with further details to be disclosed in the near future.
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Feature Image Credit: Supplied
