Former Tetley’s brewery to re-open as art gallery

Although most of the site of the former Tetley’s brewery in Leeds has been cleared of buildings, the 1930’s art deco headquarters remains and will re-open as an art gallery on Friday.

The gallery, which is named The Tetley, has undergone a £1.5 million refit and is hoping to attract 45,000 visitors a year.

The gallery will also include a museum dedicated to the brewery, which closed in 2011 after 189 years.

The Tetley director Kerry Harker, told the BBC: “Hopefully its going to be an exciting and inspiring place for people from Leeds and beyond to come and learn about contemporary art and the heritage of the Tetley brewery.”

Inside the building most of the old offices have been removed to reveal the open building as it was designed. Some of the old wood panelled board rooms remain, as do some 1930s touches of design, and these will be used to house art and exhibitions in the future.

The remainder of the 22-acre site of the former brewery has now been cleared of buildings and is still waiting for the next stage of its development to take place.