The Tetley: Kirkstall Brewery to take over lease of iconic Leeds building with plan to renew status as 'landmark of Yorkshire beer culture'

The Tetley building is the former brewing headquarters of Tetley’s Brewery, built in the Art Deco style in 1931. In the 1980s, Tetley’s Brewery became the largest producer of cask ale in the world, and the site has remained an icon of Leeds beer history, even after its closure in 2011.

The building, which now sits at the heart of Leeds’s Aire Park district, previously operated as a contemporary art gallery from 2013 until 2023, when its lease ended. The Tetley is expected to reopen under Kirkstall’s management in May.

The news follows Vastint UK, the company behind the Aire Park development, announcing plans to turn the building into a mixed use office and restaurant space in November of last year.

Michael Cronin, head of portfolio at Vastint UK, said: “Last year we outlined our ambitions to safeguard this iconic building for the next 100 years and have now submitted our plans to the council.

“Since we became custodians of the building, it was always our intention to keep it open until the restoration work got underway to bring this fantastic building up to 21st century standards. So, we’re thrilled to be welcoming Kirkstall Brewery to Aire Park and to be bringing one of the current generations of Leeds and Yorkshire breweries to a site which has played such a pivotal role in the history of beer making in the region.

“The Tetley will form the centre piece of Aire Park, alongside the eight-acre public park and this collaboration will hopefully give the people of Leeds a small taster of what’s to come in the very near future.”

Kirkstall Brewery said the new site will feature beers from other breweries in the area, alongside brands from Leeds Brewery and Holt’s most recent acquisition, North.

Kirkstall also plans to host a number of events at the historic building, and will be working until May to prepare the site for its reopening, with more information to follow.

“It’s a tremendous privilege to bring Leeds’s most iconic brewery building into the Kirkstall fold,” said Steve Holt, Kirkstall Brewery’s owner and founder. “As a brewery that pays a great deal of respect to the history of brewing in the city, we believe we are the ideal custodians for the next chapter of this legendary building.

“It really is the crown jewel of brewing history in Leeds, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to make it a landmark of Yorkshire beer culture once again.”