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Whitelocks lives on to trade another day
Exclusive David Parkin Business Editor ONE OF the oldest pubs in Leeds is to be returned to its former glory after being acquired by a long-established Yorkshire family firm.
Whitelocks, which dates back to 1715 and is in Turk's Head Yard off the city's Briggate shopping street, will be operated by York company Chennell & Armstrong, which itself was founded in 1817.
They have bought a 10-year lease to operate Whitelocks, which boasts a blue plaque marking its heritage as a city inn which has satisfied the hunger and thirst of travellers, merchants and workers for almost 300 years.
As well as being a favourite venue of real ale drinkers, Whitelocks has been visited by many famous names, including author Charles Dickens and many stars who played at the nearby City Varieties and Grand Theatre.
Now its new owner wants to reinstate much of the tradition which customers claimed was lost when it became part of pub giant Spirit's vast portfolio.
David Statner, commercial director at Chennell & Armstrong, said: "We are delighted to now be associated with this wonderful old bar and are looking forward to gradually reinstating its former glory and status within the Leeds drinking and dining community."
Founded 190 years ago, Chennell & Armstrong specialised in wine imports and wholesale until the early 1990s when it started to acquire public houses.
It operates The Woodland Inn at Thunderbridge between Huddersfield and Denby Dale, The Black Bull at Wetherby and Whitakers in Otley.
Nick Hodgson, of Sheffield-based Quest Property Sales, which represented the new owner, said: "Whitelocks and Chennell & Armstrong were made for each other.
"When David Statner visited it, he said to me: 'I'm in love'. It is a real pub as it should be. They will tidy it up and improve the standards. They want to take it back to what it used to be like. I am sure that they will protect this valuable asset in Leeds city centre.
"The staff have been there for donkey's years and the regulars are the mainstay of the business. It will be tweaked, but there will be no wholesale changes – it's not going to become another plastic pub."
Two years ago Spirit Group faced a barrage of protests from regulars claiming part of Leeds' heritage had been lost after it relaunched Whitelocks' food and drink menus in an effort to cater for a new breed of pub goers who wanted a "city day pub".
A petition was launched in an attempt to stop the changes by Spirit Group, which acquired Whitelocks when Scottish and Newcastle offloaded 2,500 pubs and hotels in October 2003. It altered the menu with penne pasta and Kashmiri chicken to replace traditional staples such as roast dinners and steamed puddings.
Whitelocks was originally named the Turk's Head, because of its location, but its name was later changed after it was acquired by the Whitelock family.
Earlier this year Sarah Whitelock, great-great-grandaughter of John Lupton Whitelock, who took over the pub in 1880, returned to unveil a distinctive blue plaque for Leeds Civic Society. The final member of the Whitelock family to run it was Percy, who sold it to Scottish Brewers in 1944.
david.parkin@ypn.co.uk
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Monday 20 May 2013
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