The founders of North Bar have been making a name for themselves across the Pennines for some 25 years now. In 1997, two mates, John Gyngell and Christian Townsley, took over a long, narrow unit on New Briggate in Leeds city centre, eventually creating a space where people could try brews they couldn’t get anywhere else.
North Bar in Leeds became the first craft beer bar in the UK and slowly built a reputation for friendly service and great music in minimalist surroundings. In the early days, and in the owners own words, the beer selection was “much less adventurous”, but over time it built up relationships with Yorkshire-based beer importers and the bar became a launchpad for what are now household names in beer.
Fast forward to 2023 and the owners now operate eight bars across Yorkshire, have their own brewery - North Brewing Co which launched in 2015 - and have opened a multi-million pound taproom in Springwell. Now, after searching for a spot in Manchester since they opened their first bar, the Leeds-based brewery has finally found a home for its latest taproom just off Oxford Road.
