Crowdfunding brewery set to open York's biggest beer hall

Brew Yorks co-founders Wayne Smith (left) and Lee Grabham (right), behind the bar of their new beer hall and street food kitchen in Walmgate. Picture by Ant Piercey.

A new beer hall and street food kitchen opens in York next week after the venue was backed by hundreds of people through a crowdfunding campaign.

Brew York, which opened in Walmgate in 2016, has expanded into a neighbouring building and over the summer it has been converted into the city’s biggest beer venue.

A new upstairs beer hall will serve 40 beers and will include the new ‘Born To Lose’ burger kitchen run by street-food chef Mark Hill, known in York for his Street Cleaver business.

The venue will open on Friday following a private event the night before for some of the 661 people who invested in the brewery’s crowdfunding drive to make the expansion possible.

Lee Grabham and Wayne Smith, co-founders of Brew York, said they were looking forward to welcoming customers.

Mr Grabham said: “We’ve had a fantastic first two years, and now we are building a venue that any city would be proud of. Places like Leeds and Manchester have some incredible venues, and this will be up there with those.

“To have been able to do this so soon, here in the city-centre, is a dream come true.”

The beer hall will also be a street art space in collaboration with The Art of Protest gallery in Little Stonegate.