Pivovar
Pivovar was established to source, import where necessary and supply the best beers we could find to the UK market. Beers from breweries that brewed to a quality level and not to a price, breweries and not production factories. Breweries with providence, vision and passion, where everyone in the organisation believed in the quality of their product. Back in 2005 the term ‘Craft Beer’ was not widely recognised but we believed that this was what the customer would want if only they could find it. Two years attempting to persuade landlords and owners of ‘Free Houses’ that they should look to reduce their range of multinational homogeneous euro beers and offer a wider choice of different styles of real beer generally fell on deaf ears. So we decided to beat them at their own game and build a bar.
Pivni York
Pivni was our first bar, opened in 2007. A Grade 2* listed 13th century building in the heart of York. The building is over 3 levels but was not a bar and never had been. Many months of legal procedure and approvals, including Secretary of State sign off, and Pivni opened as a World Beer Free House. Within the first year Pivni had won the universally regarded national Free House Pub of The Year award from The Publican. This was a huge affirmation that what we believed in – the best beer, served properly in unique surroundings and by a passionate team was a recipe for success. Pivni became a showcase bar for the Bernard Czech brewery for whom we are the UK partner.
Sheffield Tap
We wanted to take what we had learned and apply it in another bar, and where better than Sheffield, the beer capital of Yorkshire. The Sheffield Tap was long in gestation. The Train Operating Company changed hands half way through negotiations, meaning we had to start from scratch again. The original Victorian Refreshment Rooms were in a poor state of repair, the ornate plaster ceiling was seriously water damaged and needed to be replaced, the terrazzo floor cracked and broken up in places, 30 years of railway rubbish piled throughout. Fortunately though the wall tiling was in good order and the original back bar was still hiding behind a plywood screen. The front bar had been butchered for heating vents for the period when it was a waiting room, and pushed beneath the back bar. In September 2009 we began 3 months of restoration and transformation that resulted in the first beers being sold from the original bar in 50 years and the birth of the Sheffield Tap. A further extension took place in 2011 which added another 40 seats and then the original First Class Dining Room was restored in 2012 which is now the home to the on site brewery Tapped Brew Co. In just 3 years the Sheffield Tap has won awards from Railway Heritage, CAMRA, English Heriatage and Cask Ale Pub of the Year in 2010 from The Publican. With seating for 150 people and serving nine cask ales, a cask cider,12 draft products and over 200 different bottled beers from around the world, along with our own brews of course, there is something for everyone and in possibly the most impressive brewpub in the country.
York Tap
As we had both lived in York for many years and frequented the station often we had always been aware of the curious model railway museum in an old building on the north side of the station, adjacent to the Royal York Hotel. We were advised in the spring of 2011 that the lease was up for renewal on this building and asked if we would like to take a look. Once we saw the beautiful stained glass windows and domes, the central pillars and original fireplaces then we just knew that it was a perfect fit to sit alongside our other bars. £250,000 later and the doors opened to a fabulous reception as the beauty of the original Victorian Tea Rooms was brought back to life with a thorough and sympathetic renovation and impressive circular bar in the middle of the room.
Tapped Leeds
American-Style Brew Pub. Serving 27 draft beers including 13 cask ales and 14 craft keg beers. 100+ bottled beers from around the world. Topped off with stone baked pizzas made from scratch on site.
Harrogate Tap
Harrogate Tap opened in December 2013 in the original station building. The station was built in 1862 and was the first building in Harrogate to be built of brick. As with our Taps at Sheffield and York the building was unloved and in need of significant repair and restoration.
The works to re-instate the original frontage, including demolition of an ugly lean to from the 60’s, roof renewal and interior restoration of the original decorative ceilings took around 6 months. The bar is now a comfortable and opulent environment to enjoy a huge array of beers in the great city of Harrogate.
Pavement Vaults
Located in the heart of historic York on the south side of Parliament Square Pavement Vaults brings you the finest most flavoursome BBQ and smoked food alongside a top drawer range of craft beer, wine and cocktails.
Like the majority of York, Pavement Vaults and its earlier incarnations, are steeped in history. Originally it was part of Pavement, a medieval street dating back to 1378, but was bisected in order to make way for Piccadilly. Prior to the demolition the site was a coaching inn. The White Swan Hotel was built on the site 1912 and the “Centre Bar,” housed within the hotel, was popular hangout for York’s young hedonists.
The hotel was finally closed in 1982.
Opened in November 2015 beneath the former historic White Swan Hotel a unique drinking and dining experience awaits. York’s first and finest smokehouse will delight your senses. Our open kitchen means you can watch the chefs at work and your nose will get a hint of the rubs and smokey magic. Our chefs were trained by 3 times UK National BBQ Champion Andy
Newcastle Tap
Serving 24 draft beers including 8 cask ales and 16 craft keg beers. 150+ bottled beers from around the world. Topped off with beer dough stone baked pizzas made from scratch on site. Located opposite the railway station between Head of Steam and Central Oven & Shaker.