First White Cloth Hall: Grade II listed 1700s site in Leeds opens doors once again with new cafe and bar planned
The historic First White Cloth Hall, located in Leeds city centre, is welcoming people through its doors once again after two local businesses opened their doors at the site.
Built in 1711 and located on Kirkgate, Leeds’s oldest street, First White Cloth Hall was the first covered hall for cloth trading in Leeds,
The site was on the Heritage at Risk Register for more than 20 years until a major regeneration project recently brought the building back into use.
Following a careful refurbishment of the Grade II listed building, Buzz Club Tattoo Studio and sister beauty brand Self. have now opened their new premises to the public at the site.
Buzz Club and Self. have brought their 30-strong team, previously based across three studios in the city, together under one roof for the first time at First White Cloth Hall.
Will Moody, one of the founders of Buzz Club, said: “With Buzz Club and Self. our aim has always been to create warm, welcoming spaces that feel considered, creative and accessible. Bringing both brands together at First White Cloth Hall gives us the opportunity to do that on a much bigger scale in a setting that feels completely unique to Leeds.
“From the moment we saw the building, we knew it had the potential to become much more than a studio home.”
Alongside Buzz Club and Self., the team behind the brands are now also developing a new café, bar and events concept for the ground floor of First White Cloth Hall.
Titled Moods, the venue will be located in the former central courtyard of the building.
“We want it to become a destination people come to throughout the day and into the evening, whether that is for coffee, drinks, private events or, in time, a distinctive dining experience,” said Mr Moody.
Buzz Club first opened a vegan-friendly tattoo studio in Hyde Park, Leeds, in 2018. The business was founded by Mr Moody and his wife Hayley, who met in Leeds where Will studied Business and Hayley graduated with a degree in Fine Art.
The business quickly built a large clientele before expanding to Wellington Street, where the team also launched hair and beauty brand Self. in 2023.
The move to First White Cloth Hall now brings both brands together for the first time.
Led by Yorkshire-based property investment and heritage specialists, Rushbond, the refurbishment of First White Cloth Hall involved the careful restoration of the building’s heritage features.
The project included work to preserve centuries-old timber trusses and original brickwork, in a move which has created two floors of commercial space.
The restoration came in partnership with Historic England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Leeds Civic Trust and Leeds City Council.
Richard Baker from Rushbond said: “Restoring First White Cloth Hall has been a real labour of love, and finding an occupier who shares that same care and passion was crucial. This is an exciting moment for Kirkgate.”
Martin Hamilton, director of Leeds Civic Trust added: “Leeds Civic Trust has campaigned for decades to bring this historically important listed building back into use and were pleased when Rushbond took the building on some years ago. We are delighted that the building has found a new use and hope that this will act as a catalyst to complete the renovations on the rest of Kirkgate. We wish the new occupiers well.”