Leeds has now welcomed a brand new addition to the city’s independent food and drink scene, with the opening of The Turk’s Head.
From the team behind Whitelock’s Ale House and The Five Points Brewing Company, The Turk’s Head is the latest chapter in the 300-year history of the pub. The building has seen a few different guises over the years, from former worker’s cottages to a function room.
Following a complete strip out and remodelling, The Turk’s Head has been carefully realised with the help of Lord Whitney, a creative studio based in Leeds.
The Turk’s Head will have an ever changing beer menu which includes 12 on tap and two cask lines, the debut menu including beers from leading UK breweries including Five Points Brewing Company, Ilkley Brewery and Cloudwater. The Turk’s Head will also showcase independent and artisan spirits, giving Whittakers of Harrogate, a small batch distilled gin company their first step inside Leeds.
Rebekah Whitney, Creative Director of Lord Whitney, comments: “We’ve always loved offering audiences the chance to experience something a little different. It’s really exciting for us to be part of a project celebrating the history of Leeds’ oldest pub. We looked at the history of drinking establishments over the 300 years that The Turk’s Head has existed, taking inspiration from dram and liqueur shops that gave way to the infamous ‘gin palaces’ of the 18th century.
“We’re reflecting on, rather than replicating the history. There’s a focus on using high quality materials (which also mirror the quality of the drinks being served) and working with local companies on almost all aspects of the bar, including working closely with Esgate and Parkin on the bar’s branding to create an overall experience for those entering The Turk’s Head.”
“Whitelock’s as John Betjeman once famously said, is the very heart of Leeds,” says Ed Mason, Owner of Turk’s Head/ Whitelock’s and Five Points brewing company. “We have served the discerning drinkers of Leeds for 300 years, and The Turk’s Head is the latest chapter in our history.
“We love Whitelock’s and nothing will be changing in the main bar – but The Turk’s Head gives us the opportunity to showcase an even wider range of independent UK breweries and interesting drinks producers, and encourage even more people to come to our wonderful pub which has been at the heart of the local community for the past three centuries.”
