Victorian-themed tearoom to open in former Natwest building in Bradford

The former NatWest, in Hustlergate, dates to the 1860s and is Grade II*-listed, making it one of the city centre’s most protected heritage buildings.

But the bank has stood empty since NatWest consolidated its two city-centre branches into their building next to Broadway in 2017.

Now the Hustlergate building will have a new lease of life after a planning application to convert the grand banking hall into a tearoom was approved by Bradford Council. Built for Bradford Commercial Bank to the designs of local architects Andrews and Pepper, the bank has an ornately patterned ceiling as well as its grand exterior.

The application for the building to be converted into a Victorian-themed tearoom was submitted by Withernsea Investments.

In its application report, it said: “In order to complement the building’s interior, it is proposed to refurbish and alter the ground floor to accommodate a local upmarket coffee shop/tearoom, with a Victorian influence.”

Discussing the plans for the building, the council’s conservation officer, Jon Ackroyd, said: “It stands adjacent to the Grade I-listed Wool Exchange and contributes to one of the most significant heritage streetscapes in the city centre at the junction of Bank Street, Tyrell Street and Hustlergate.

“It employs an exuberant Gothic style with 13th century detail. The corner tower above the main entrance is the most prominent feature but the whole building has a wealth of architectural features, with polished granite corner shafts to Gothic window apertures, pierced stone balconies and both gabled stone dormers and timber-hooded dormers to the roof.”