Works begin to transform historic property into food and drink destination

Construction has started on a food and drink destination set in Leeds city centre.

Set to open its doors this summer, White Cloth Hall is a new venture from the team behind Leeds’ oldest pub, Whitelock’s Ale House, including Whitelock’s owner Ed Mason and major investor Jonathan Morgan.

Built in 1775 as a place of trade for Leeds’ cloth merchants, it was once one of the North’s most important market places.

The vision is to re-establish the Grade-II-listed White Cloth Hall as a destination of cultural and commercial renown in the city. It will enable locals to savour some of Leeds’ finest food and drink.

The Hall will include three kitchens, two bars and a deli/coffee shop, bringing together a collection of the region’s most talented chefs, baristas and sommeliers to celebrate seasonally grown and locally sourced ingredients.

Each of the three kitchens will serve a different menu, each run by a different head-chef and kitchen team.

The drinks offering will provide a choice of two bars: a wine bar with a curation of natural wines, and the flagship bar, serving Northern-brewed beers, ales and lagers, alongside house cocktails and old classics.

Mason, owner of White Cloth Hall and Whitelock’s managing owner, said: “This is a special project. There’s so much cultural history to celebrate, but also so much potential too.

“For someone like me, who’s so rooted in this city, the chance to re-establish White Cloth Hall as a go-to destination once more was unmissable, and one that I’m so excited about.

“Not only have we got a great team driving the project, we’re also busy assembling a serious array of food and drink talent – all of whom feel as strongly about doing it the right way as we do.

“There’ll be no airs and graces, no stuffiness, just beautifully prepared food and drink, served the Yorkshire way.

“We can’t wait to open our doors and show everyone what we’ve been working on. We’re going to make it somewhere to savour.”