A former cycle shop in Lindley may be transformed into a craft beer bar.
Ryan Stoppard, 27, of Beer Ink, already has a brewery in nearby Plover Road but has wondered about opening a permanent bar in the area for a while.
And when it comes to beer he certainly can mix it with the best of them.
He began working in real ale pubs as a teenager and crossed the pond as a student to manage a craft beer bar in upstate New York.
He’s worked with Ossett Brewery, Manchester’s Blackjack Beers and the now defunct Hand Drawn Monkey — and in 2016, at the age of 25, he launched his own successful brewery under the name Beer Ink.
He has applied to Kirklees Council’s Licensing department for a premises licence and says he is preparing a formal planning application for the change of use at 70 Acre Street, which was formerly Velocity Cycles.
If approved the bar would open until midnight during the week and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Ryan said: “All being well I would hope to open sometime in the middle to end of July. It will be somewhere people can drink our beer permanently.
“There’s nothing like what we are planning in the area so I think it will be a pretty niche place.”
Kirklees councillor Cahal Burke, (Lindley, Lib Dem), said: “The proposal for the building previously occupied by Velocity Cycles has raised some concerns from residents with regard to the operating hours and potential noise issues.
“I’m hopeful that these concerns can be addressed and that we can see this empty property brought back into use by having a craft beer bar which would be a welcome addition to Lindley.”
If approved the plans will mean there is certainly no shortage of decent places to drink and eat in Lindley.
Businessman and landlord, Terry Rose, has seen The Old Wireworks, near Huddersfield Royal Infirmary become a magnet for drinkers while the former Saddle pub, owned by Thwaites, on Lidget Street has also been transformed by him into Lindley Tap Bar & Grill.
Further up Lidget Street a former children’s home has been given a £5m makeover into the upmarket Manor House offering a variety of bars, fine dining and more.
