Popular Wakefield pub Harry's Bar reveals exciting plans to expand and help cope with post-Covid world

Harry's Bar, off Westgate in Wakefield, is beloved by its loyal punters for its intimate setting, friendly staff and broad selection of traditional ales.

Currently closed like all other English pubs because of lockdown, having to enforce social distancing again when they reopen will hit Harry's harder than most because of its size.

As a result, those running the bar - a three-time CAMRA pub of the year - want to expand to the premises' first floor, which has been vacated by a former hair salon.

The idea, which is subject to a licence being agreed with the council, will allow the pub to serve craft ales from all over the world upstairs, and in the long-term let them cater for private functions and parties themed around a particular country.

Manager Louise Waters said the move would not change the character of the popular watering hole.

She said: "If we can get it open it will be an absolute winner for us.

"We have lots of people requesting functions, so having a room upstairs will help us do that and help us keep the rest of the bar open.

"Harry’s Bar will always be Harry’s Bar. It doesn’t change what we’ve got downstairs, or what we’re famous for.

"We just want to make the best use of the space we’ve got and adapt to the times we’re living in. We’d like to explore that bit of the market a little."

The pub, like many others, has taken to selling kegs online as a means of carrying on during the second lockdown, in a move that will also help the breweries and micro-breweries that supply it.

Louise has ordered windbreaks and patio heaters in preparation for the pub reopening during the winter, as hoped, and says the bar will serve food if required to do so by Tier Three restrictions.

It's not known yet what local measures Wakefield may have to abide after lockdown finishes.

Louise added: "I feel sorry for all the pubs out there that are struggling because of the times we’re living in at the moment, and it is a struggle.

“We've put these plans in place and we’re going to give this our best shot. If we go down, we're not going down without a fight!

"Even if we have to shut early and have fewer people in than we did before, I'd always rather be open than closed."

Local Democracy Reporting Service