Bradford Brewery announces reopening of abandoned city centre ale house

Bradford Brewery is set to reopen the city centre’s Exchange Ale House, which has remained empty for the past four years.

The Brewery has taken on a lease from Trust Inns for the bar, which is located below the Grade-I listed Wool Exchange on Market Street.

Once a popular Bradford hostelry, the pub fell into a state of disrepair and has required extensive refurbishment work to restore it to a usable state.

While some new features have been added, many others, including the vaulted brick barrel ceiling and flagstone floor, are being retained.

Bradford Brewery will make the bar a permanent showcase for its Made of Bradford brand, selling a wide selection of keg and cask ales combined with a hot food offer.

As well as the brewery’s own draught beers and Bradford Lager, the Exchange will stock other draught keg lines including Krusovice, Amstel, and Maltsmiths.

The venue will offer a range of bottled beers, including Bradford Brewery’s Lager and Hockey Pale and a selection from Bohemia Regent and Morretti.

The Exchange is located at the heart of Bradford city centre, close to shopping areas and transport links.

Berry Jagoda Lapaj, Exchange bar manager, said: “We hope past patrons will be pleased with what’s been done and will come back and relive some of the hey-days of the Exchange, along with new customers who will hopefully be giving it a try.

“The aim is to complement the other successful venues around us while endeavouring to be a bit different, so we can draw more people to this corner of town.

“We’ll offer coffee and breakfast with the morning papers and a warm welcome to everyone, not just beer drinkers - and we’ll have a few games around to help people relax and while away an hour or so.”

There are plans for music nights, a quiz and other events.