First birthday brings plan to expand

A second floor is set to be added to the bar, which is an offshot of the Leeds legendary drinking establishment - the historic Whitelocks.

It will be used for live events and concepts such as hosting bands, comedy nights or dinner and supper clubs.

Ed Mason, owns both The Turk’s Head and Whitelocks, and says the response to Turk’s Head, offering a totally different feel to Whitelocks, has been well received by the city’s beer fans.

He said: “We knew if we got the design and line-up right people would respond and they have done.

“We feel it is a real asset to the Leeds scene, there is nothing quite like it in the city at the moment.

“The Turk’s Head is a mecca for beer but focusses on the new wave of craft beers and Leeds and Yorkshire ones where in the last few years there has been an explosion of them.”

Planning and listed building consent will need to be obtained to allow the works to go ahead, as The Turk’s Head is a much later addition to the grade II listed Whitelocks pub.

It was a 1980s former function room whereas Whitelocks was first licenced in 1715.

When the craft beer bar opened early last year it had 12 taps and two cask lines as well as cans and bottles but the bar is being taken over for one night for the first birthday celebrations.

Cornish brewery, Verdant Brewing Company will bring its own bitters to Leeds on Wednesday night and punters are invited to join the party.

To get the party started DJs Tom Dyer and Barry’s Here will be playing hip-hop and jazz beats from 6pm.