Garden Gate Leeds: Historic Hunslet pub set to reopen a year after calling last orders

The Garden Gate in Hunslet will welcome back customers from Friday, February 2, nearly a year after its closed its doors much to the disappointment of the local community.

It will be run by Lauren Elizabeth Anderson and her son Connor who are looking forward to the challenge.

Lauren said "We have worked so hard getting the pub clean and decorated but we are so happy to be reopening. We hope all the former regulars come back to us. We are aiming to start with Sunday lunches in the upcoming weeks and then a simple traditional pub menu. It will be open seven days a week."

Lauren added: "Myself and Connor are looking forward to opening and making a go of a brilliant pub."

The Garden Gate pub is owned by Leeds Brewery and dates back to 1903. It survived a demolition threat in 1972 to become a Grade II listed building.

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Almost all of the work in the early 1900s was carried out by local Leeds firms including the Leeds Fireclay Company, who provided all the glazed tilling, and bar fitting firm J Claughton, who were responsible for the woodwork and fixed seating.

The layout is absolutely typical of a small late Victorian, early Edwardian pub with its separate rooms and central corridor.

Architecturally it has ‘a decorative treatment which rivals that of much larger city centre ‘gin palaces’ of the period’ and ‘a wealth of internal riches that include lavish tilling, faience and etched glass with art nouveau motifs, mosaic floors, moulded plasterwork and ornate mahogany fitments’.

A spokesman for the Campaign for Real Ale in Leeds said: "Leeds CAMRA are happy to see the re-opening of this historic pub and wish the management success in running it and hope it will be well supported."