Town centre pub reopens following £750,000 refurbishment
A pub in a Grade II listed building in Dewsbury has been refurbished, reopened and handed to new tenants.
The revamped Black Bull, in Market Place, opened its doors last Friday.
Members of Dewsbury Forward and property investor Peter Mason, who owns the pub, met to inspect the premises, before handing it over to tenants Inglenook Inns and Taverns.
Peter Mason. Credit: Mark Bickerdike
Dewsbury Forward, a working group set up to boost trade in the town, has welcomed the outcome of the renovation.
Chairman Eric Firth said: “It is a major boost for business and we are delighted to see the pub finally open.
“Dewsbury is on the up with exciting improvements ahead including a college set to open in the town centre next year and lots of heritage improvements to come.”
Around £750,000 has been spent on the Black Bull, including a complete refurbishment of the property, thanks in part, to a grant from the Dewsbury Townscape Heritage Initiative. (THI)
The initiative is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Kirklees Council, and aims to preserve and enhance key buildings.
The remainder of the money came from Mason, of Leeds-based Mood Developments, which has previously won awards for its restoration work in Leeds.
Mason said: “We are excited to finally see the pub open. It has taken two years of hard work to get to this stage and we have had to follow strict guidelines with the listed building status. We have gutted the building and re-designed the interior.
“We are aware of its previous reputation, but this is a chance to wipe the slate clean with a fresh start, which also coincides with lots of good things happening in Dewsbury.
Credit: Mark Bickerdike
“We see it as the perfect time to invest in Dewsbury, which is an absolute hidden gem architecturally and want to capitalise on the investment taking place in north Kirklees.
“The location is excellent with Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester not far by train. The buildings are quite magnificent if you stop to look. The first time I saw the Black Bull, surrounded by other beautiful buildings, I knew it would be worth buying.”
Mood Developments is also hoping to transform Field House, opposite Dewsbury Railway Station, into 23 luxury flats, seven of them penthouses, with a bar and restaurant underneath, providing planning permission is granted.
Firth added: “I am delighted that a developer with a great affection for historic buildings has turned up in our town to be part of our regeneration programme.
“It really was a tragedy that this wonderful listed building had become an eyesore through repeated neglect, but Peter has stepped in to bring it back to life.”
Ben Lewis will be the manager of the Black Bull, which intends to attract a family-friendly clientele. Community groups will also be able to use the property’s upstairs function room.
