29 Boar Lane
City Centre
Leeds
LS1 5DA
0113 440 7998
info@bankerscat.co.uk

Modern Pub

Entering the Bankers Cat, with its mahogany bar counter and separate seating areas, you’d believe it had been here for generations. In fact it only opened in 2019, having been converted from a former branch of the Nat West bank. The Grade II listed building has come full circle, built in 1873 as the Saracen’s Head public house, converted to a bank sometime in the 20th century, and restored to a pub again in the 21st century.

The Bankers Cat is one of a small but growing chain of impressively fitted out new pubs in a joint project between pub group Pivovar and Thornbridge Brewery. Others include two other converted banks, the Colmore in Birmingham and the Fargate in Sheffield.

On the counter is a selection from Thornbridge’s range of first class beers, but always including Lord Marples bitter, Astryd pale ale and of course the award winning strong beer, Jaipur. It also serves beers brewed using the recently acquired Burton Union system often including the 7.7% Imperial Stout. There are also two or three changing guest ales from other breweries and a selection of keg beers and cans. There’s a large range of gins plus a smaller choice of whiskies from around the world. There is no food.

The pub has a row of four-seater booths, Irish style, on the left side and a narrower wood-panelled lounge area on the right. This leads to a wider corner compartment with a wonderful stained glass window. The window was not part of the old bank but is a replica of an Edward Burne Jones window at the brewery’s first home, Thornbridge Hall, created specially for the pub. Downstairs the old bank vault is now a pair of comfortable small rooms, still with a large steel door and a safe.

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