Yorkshire pubs operator acquires first venue in Saltaire

Yorkshire pubs operator Concept Taverns has acquired The Rosse in Saltaire for £510,000, with plans to reinvent it into a modern pub.

The long-standing pub, which has been a staple on Bingley Road since 1870, closed in November 2021, but its experienced new owners are breathing life into the old venue with a new look and a revamped offering for the contemporary customer.

Ben Warren, managing director of Concept Taverns, commented on the company’s plans for the pub: “We jumped at the chance of buying this incredible building when it became available last year. We have pubs up the road in Bingley and Thackley and know the area well, so it felt like a natural next step for us to move into Saltaire.

“We want to give the people of Saltaire something new and exciting to enjoy. The location of the pub is fantastic and a great place to come together to socialise, watch sport, and just enjoy great drinks, food and service – we just need to update it and make it work for the modern customer. We have plans for a major redevelopment later this year, which will include a new kitchen, more pub games, an improved beer garden and a whole new look and feel to the venue - but for now, we’re just looking forward to meeting the local community.”

The new owners, who reopened the pub last week, have given the pub a temporary makeover, overhauled the drinks offering and installed 50-inch screens to showcase the best of sport. The new pizza kitchen will be ready for weekend service in summer - food will initially be over-the-counter flatbread pizzas and quality tapas and sharing plates, to create a casual, social dining experience, before a larger menu follows later in the year.

Drinks will include a wide selection of cask and craft ales from local suppliers, including Kirkstall Brewery and Northern Monk, as well as a new cocktail menu, wine list, and a bespoke gin selection.

The Rosse has employed 10 new members of staff and is now open on weekdays between 3pm and 11.30pm, and weekends 12 noon - 12 midnight.

The latest acquisition for Concept Taverns brings their growing portfolio of independent Yorkshire pubs to 10. Ben Warren continues: “As a young business, we’d just got going before the pandemic hit. Fortunately, we’ve been able to defy the odds and the post-pandemic trade has retuned stronger than we could’ve predicted. We have plans to open another two pubs after The Rosse this year alone.”