New café-bar concept moves into transformed premises

The Collective, an interior design and cafe-bar concept, is to open at 34 Boar Lane in the centre of Leeds in late autumn.

The 42 cover café-bar enables guests to enjoy high-quality furnishings and tableware, which are all for sale, with a drink and light refreshments. It is inspired by the Los Angeles art scene.

Kinrise, the owners of 34 Boar Lane, has recently completed the transformation of this building, which features both office space and retail premises.

The Collective is taking a 1,819 sq ft unit on the ground floor, next to street food specialists Mowgli, who are already trading. Recruiting is now under way for all positions, with a total of 16 jobs to be created.

The Collective deal was brokered by the Leeds office of global property Knight Frank, on behalf of Kinrise.

Ellen Pryce of the Collective said: “Inspired by the sun-soaked serenity of the LA art scene, The Collective will offer a feast of eye-candy for the discerning design junkie with its dreamy interiors and laid-back ambience.

“It will provide our guests with an immersive experience that encourages them to quite literally buy into our brand.

“We have worked hard to source some amazing British companies that produce high-quality hand-crafted furnishings and tableware and it’s exciting that we can allow our to guests to really fall in love with the pieces before they order them for their own home.

“The food and drinks will match the curated interiors with an instagram-worthy menu of healthy brunch and lunch options, incredible coffees and classic cocktails.”

Co-director Dale Wynter added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to work on a brand-new concept that uses our team’s Collective skills within interior design and hospitality and brings something completely fresh to Leeds.

“When we saw 34 Boar Lane, we knew it would be the perfect home for The Collective as it embodies a great ethos of being environmentally friendly, modern and encourages a great sense of community.”

Movable bookcases at the Collective will allow private meetings and cosy corners to work as well as spaces for events and workshops.

George Aberdeen, co-founder of Kinrise, explained: “It is very exciting to welcome such an innovative and imaginative company like The Collective to 34 Boar Lane.

“They are the perfect fit for our very special building, where we are creating a collaborative environment that offers our occupiers high-quality office floors, small studios or co-working desks all with top technology as well as an exciting range of independent restaurants and events.”

Eamon Fox, partner and head of department at Knight Frank in Leeds, added: “We are choosing our occupiers very carefully, as the spirit and ethos of 34 Boar Lane is crucial. The Collective concept is absolutely brilliant and fits this special building’s aspirational culture perfectly.

“We worked with Kinrise for over three years to find the correct property in Leeds to buy and now our ambitious vision has become a reality.

“We have transformed this well-positioned building into an exciting workplace at the forefront of the Leeds market. The lettings announced so far are a resounding endorsement of what Kinrise has achieved here.”

Current occupiers of 34 Boar Lane include recruitment company Charlton Morris, pensions advisory firm Isio, brand agency McCann, culture group Leeds 2023 and Yorkshire restaurant chain Mowgli, together with many smaller companies who use the co-working space on the ground floor.

The Leeds office of property consultancy Pudney Shuttleworth advised the Collective.