New record store and bar plans for Leeds's oldest street

Kirkgate – one of the city’s oldest streets – is seeing a flock of new arrivals as part of a multi-million pound regeneration project.

Earlier this year the street welcomed Yorkshire-themed café, bar and deli Wapentake, along with the new Art Hostel.

Now plans are in the pipeline for a new record store and bar.

The Doghouse Bar and Record Store is set to take over a former hair salon.

It will include a ground floor bar and upstairs record store.

Jacob Kelly, co-owner of the new business, said: “It is something we have been thinking about for a while.”

Jacob and his team are also behind Brewery Wharf favourite 212 Café and Bar, and the new venue is expected to open in September.

Investment in this part of town is flooding in, largely thanks to the Lower Kirkgate Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), which aims to protect and preserve key parts of the city and kick-start regeneration.

Along with public funding and potential private funding, the area could see an investment of £2.6m.

Speaking previously about the THI, which is financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Leeds City Council, councillor Richard Lewis, executive member for regeneration transport and planning, said: “Lower Kirkgate is a fundamental part of the city’s heritage that has sadly been neglected for too long, and we are determined to not only see it preserved, but for investment to take place that will help it become the thriving, vibrant place we know it can be.”