A York-based beer firm could turn a prominent empty riverside restaurant space into a craft beer bar if their licensing application is approved.
Leeds Tap Ltd – part of Pivovar which runs the Elvington Brewery and already operates a number of York bars – has applied to licence the City of York Council’s unoccupied ‘Guildhall Restaurant’ building overlooking the River Ouse.
The company’s application lodged with City of York Council stated the ‘Mittel River Terrace’, off Lendal, would be a craft beer and gastro-brew pub serving food along with drinks.
It comes as the restaurant space is currently under offer after being marketed to let by Colenso and ReesDenton for a lease costing £140,000-a-year.
Pivovar produces the Mittel pilsner and lager at the Elvington Brewery and runs York’s Pavement Vaults, Pivni, The Market Cat and York Tap venues.
We have contacted Pivovar for comment.
The York Guildhall Restaurant building, also known as York Riverside, is owned by the council.
It was built as part of the council’s wider refurbishment to The Guildall complex which was completed in 2022 but the restaurant itself has since stood vacant.
It covers a total area of 525 sqm, including 129 sqm on the ground floor and 396sqm below by the riverside.
The advert for its lease stated the ground floor could host around 42 covers, with 112 in the riverside area and 56 outside.
In a Freedom of Information request on What Do They Know, the council stated they had spent £5,128 on maintaining the building while it was empty.
They added the space had been actively marketed in the three years since the refurbishments to the Guildhall were finished.
The Mittel River Terrace venue would open from 8am to 1.30am from Sunday to Monday if the council approves the licensing application.
A council report stated the restaurant space, together with a riverside garden, would create more public interest in and use of the historic Guildhall complex.
The report ahead of approval of the refurbishment in 2017 added it would provide an ongoing source of economic investment which would help secure the long-term future of the buildings.
Office space was also created as part of the Guildhall refurbishment.
The overall cost of the refurbishment of the complex, including the main Guildhall building which dates back to the 15th century, was around £20 million.
It reopened to the public in May 2022 and the Guildhall itself has since hosted civic events and is typically used as the venue for the council’s full meetings.
David Warburton, the project lead for the refurbishment, said at the time there had been a huge amount of interest in the restaurant space.
He added the restoration was a once in a generation investment which sought to make the complex fit for the 21st Century whilst respecting its historic character.
Work began on the project in 2019 and it was originally due to be finished by 2021.
It was delayed due to material shortages, high river levels and the discovery of historic human remains.
