How Kirkstall Brewery is preserving the past while backing Leeds & local business to serve future generations
While preserving the past, Kirkstall Brewery has its eye on the future to support Leeds and back local businesses to serve generations to come.
With its roots firmly planted in Leeds’ history, Kirkstall Brewery goes all the way back to brewing by Cistercian Kirkstall Abbey monks in the 12th century.
Yet following the closure and demolition of the Tetley Brewery in 2011, Steve Holt and John Kelly have resurrected the Kirkstall Brewery brand – brewing their first batch of Kirkstall Pale Ale that same year.
Kirkstall is known for preserving and resurrecting other historic buildings and brands. In 2023, Kirkstall took on the lease of The Tetley, the last remaining building of the sprawling brewery site, which is now home to Aire Park.
Then two years ago, Kirkstall announced plans to re-open the iconic Victoria & Commercial pub on Great George Street as a joint venture with the team behind Whitelock’s Ale House. The grade II-listed Victorian pub reopened last December, having been painstakingly restored to its former glory and rejuvenated from the ground up.
Supporting Leeds
Restoring and re-opening some of Leeds’ most famous and iconic buildings is part of Kirkstall’s ongoing work to preserve the beer culture of Leeds’ past for future generations.
Venues like The Tetley, The Victoria & Commercial and the Grade II-listed The Cardigan Arms have seen generations of customers with many stories to share about the buildings’ past lives. These projects have sought to return these icons to the civic life of Leeds, not just as pubs but as places where all are welcome and can be catered for, bringing both the past back to life as well as a future for these venues.
Kirkstall also sponsors and supports a number of grassroots sports organisations across the city and beyond, including Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club, Morley RFC, Front Row Support, Garforth Town FC and more.
They are now proud to become the sponsors of the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Leeds Food and Drink Campaign celebrating the successes of the hospitality industry and opportunities it brings.
Our goal is to celebrate the rich history of brewing in Leeds and preserve it for future generations to come. We are proud to sponsor this campaign and share our passion for beer, independence and hospitality with the people of Leeds.
Backing local independent businesses
Kirkstall supports and stocks its beers in some of the city’s most exciting venues, old and new. From the legendary Brudenell Social Club and Whitelock’s Ale House to newer openings like the Green Room, Project House, Empire Café, The Highland Laddie, White Cloth Hall and The Attic. They also sells and serve beer from a variety of independent local breweries, as well as collaborating to release special edition beers and host beer festivals.
Over 200 years since the original founding of Tetley’s brewery in Leeds, the Tetley building once again became the centre of brewing history, as Kirkstall’s Great Exhibition of Prize Ales moved to the historic site for May 2026. Now in its fourth year, it celebrates the innovation, variety and flavour of Britain’s brewing heritage, as brewers from across the UK are challenged to recreate beers that transport drinkers to the past.
Celebrating 400th anniversary
To help commemorate the 400th anniversary of the signing of Leeds’ Royal Charter by King Charles I, Kirkstall Brewery has collaborated with Leeds City Council to release a special beer named ‘FOUR HUNDRED’, available at a number of events and venues across the city. More details will be released soon.
Find out more
To find out more about Kirstall Brewery, its past and future, visit the website at www.kirkstallbrewery.com.