New bar pays homage to Yorkshire Post and Evening Post history

Reporters beavering away in darkened rooms and the sound of chatter and typewriters tapping away frantically before deadline echoed in Wellington Street from the 1970s.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Nov 2016, 05:48 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2016, 14:55 BST
City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon HulmeCity Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme
City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme

The iconic newspaper building, despite it resembling a concrete block, became one of Leeds’ most well known landmarks until it was demolished in 2014 and the newspaper staff re-located to new offices on Whitehall Road.

But the newspaper legacy remains and has inspired the theme of a new pub which officially opens today just a stone’s throw away from that building conjuring up stereotypical images of old school hacks eager for the scoop of the day.

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Old type-writers sit in the windows of Editors Draught, newspaper front-page style prints adorn the walls, the decor is industrial, grey, panelled and with high back editor’s office chairs.

City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon HulmeCity Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme
City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme

But the pen and paper has been swapped for pints and pub snacks.

However, there is a separate booth upstairs called the Press Box and a cocktail area called Writer’s Block.

Previously a pub under many different guises from the Central to The Wellington and back to the Central again the lease has now been taken on by Stonegate Pubs - a Luton based firm which has 660 other pubs on the books.

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This includes others in Leeds such as Bower’s Tap, The Liquorist, The Library and The Merchant.

City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon HulmeCity Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme
City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme

Despite being owned by a national pub chain, each one bears its own branding and identity depending upon its local surroundings.

Wayne Ince, operations manager at the Editor’s Draught explains: “Stonegate had a realisation as a company that people like the independent pubs and it makes a difference.

“This is a hybrid between a brand and a local pub. We were torn between this and the mill heritage but many people will remember the newspaper office so we went down that road.

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“It was quite iconic. You would give directions using the building and still now you say ‘go where the Yorkshire Post used to be’.”

City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon HulmeCity Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme
City Buzz the Editors Draught, Wellington Street, Leeds..7th November 2016 ..Picture by Simon Hulme

The vibe is that the pub will be a city centre local where office staff can socialise after work without having to go right into the city centre.

Mr Ince added: “We have guessed what the trade is going to be and the noise from local offices has been really good.”

Related topics:Yorkshire PostLeeds