Ossett Brewery’s original live music venue is returning to its roots as The Hop and Cobble, reopening on Friday 30th October following a major refurbishment. Combining the character of a traditional pub with the launch of The Backroom, a dedicated live music space, the venue will also feature professional pool tables, darts, food from The Pie Hole and a packed programme of entertainment.

The Hop and Cobble is set to reopen its doors on Friday 30th October following an extensive refurbishment, marking an exciting new chapter for the Bank Street venue. Bringing together the warmth and character of a traditional pub with a renewed passion for live music and entertainment, the venue will offer a welcoming destination for everything from a quiet pint by the fire to a lively night out.

At the heart of the transformation are two complementary experiences: The Hop and Cobble itself, a cosy, character-filled pub with great beer, a pool hall, darts, food from The Pie Hole, and The Backroom, a dedicated live music space championing grassroots talent alongside established acts, local cover bands and much more. With a varied offering of food, drink, entertainment and activities, The Hop and Cobble aims to offer something for everyone.

A proper pub, with character at every turn

The refurbishment will see The Hop and Cobble transformed into a warm, welcoming, and distinctive pub, blending traditional pub character with contemporary touches. Wood fires, cosy corners, comfortable furniture, and warm paint tones will create an inviting atmosphere, complemented by dark ceilings and traditional Lincrusta wall coverings.

Music-inspired stencils and artwork will add personality, while Ossett Brewery pumpclip wallpaper will celebrate the brewery’s heritage and love of great beer. The result will be a pub with its own identity, somewhere to settle in for a relaxed afternoon, catch up with friends over a drink or make an evening of it.

Upstairs, visitors will find a dedicated games area featuring four professional English pool tables and three premium darts boards. Whether you're a seasoned player or simply looking for a bit of friendly competition, the space offers another reason to get together and enjoy everything The Hop and Cobble has to offer.

Food will come courtesy of The Pie Hole, serving a selection of locally sourced, traditional Yorkshire pies, offering hearty, comforting food that pairs perfectly with a pint. Already a favourite at other venues across the Ossett Brewery estate, including The Boston Tap and The Hop Leeds, The Pie Hole will bring another taste of proper pub food to The Hop and Cobble.

The Backroom - live music and entertainment at the heart of The Hop and Cobble

Alongside the pub’s new look, The Backroom will provide a dedicated space for live music, bringing grassroots musicians and bands back into the heart of the venue. The aim is to create an accessible, welcoming platform for emerging artists, local musicians and established performers, giving audiences the chance to discover new talent in an intimate pub setting.

The Hop and Cobble has also approached local colleges to help uncover and support the next generation of performers. By providing opportunities for students and emerging musicians to organise live events, perform in front of audiences and gain experience using the venue’s new sound system, the team hopes to play an active role in developing local talent and strengthening Wakefield’s music scene.

However, the entertainment will extend well beyond grassroots music. The programme is set to feature established and up-and-coming touring bands, local cover bands, DJ nights and comedy, creating a varied calendar of events with broad appeal.

Whether discovering an exciting new local band, singing along to familiar anthems, enjoying a comedy night or browsing records, The Backroom will offer plenty of reasons to visit.

The ambition is to establish The Hop and Cobble as a place where different audiences can come together, with the pub and its entertainment offering working hand in hand to create a lively, welcoming atmosphere throughout the week.

A venue with music in its DNA

The reopening marks a fitting new chapter for a venue with a long-standing connection to live music. The Hop Wakefield first opened in 2008 as Ossett Brewery’s first live music venue, founded by Jamie Lawson alongside Mike Inman and Mike Heaton, drummer of Yorkshire indie band Embrace. The original concept brought together traditional real ale and live music, creating an intimate venue that would go on to welcome a wide range of performers.

Over the years, The Hop became a well known fixture on Wakefield’s music scene, with its stages playing host to acts including Metronomy, Pulled Apart by Horses, Embrace and John Cooper Clarke, alongside comedians and other performers. Its success also paved the way for further Hop venues across Yorkshire.

Now, as The Hop & Cobble, the venue will build on that heritage while introducing a refreshed pub experience and a broader entertainment offer. The Backroom will carry forward the original spirit of live music, while the wider venue will celebrate everything that makes a great local pub, community, character, comfort, good beer, good food and a place to bring people together.

Jamie Lawson, Founder of Ossett Brewery Pub Company, said: "When we first opened The Hop in 2008, the idea was to create something that brought together the things we loved the most- great beer, a proper pub atmosphere and live music. We were lucky enough to have some fantastic people involved from the very beginning, including Mike Heaton, and the venue quickly became a real part of Wakefield’s music scene.”

"The Backroom gives us the opportunity to take that original idea and bring it back to life in a way that feels right for the venue today. We want it to be somewhere people can come for a pint, discover a great band or musician and feel like they're in a proper local pub. Grassroots music is a really important part of that, and we want to give local musicians and young people coming through the opportunity to develop, perform and get their music out there. That grassroots connection is something we're really excited to bring back to The Hop."

A new chapter for a Wakefield favourite

The reopening marks a new chapter for The Hop, while staying true to the foundations on which the venue was built nearly two decades ago: great beer, great music and a proper pub atmosphere.

The Hop and Cobble will officially reopen on Friday 30th October from 12pm, with The Backroom forming the centrepiece of the venue’s renewed focus on live music and grassroots talent. Whether you’re joining for a pint, a bite to eat, a game of pool or darts, or to discover your next favourite band, The Hop is ready to welcome Wakefield’s beer drinkers and music lovers back through its doors.The Hop and Cobble is located at 19 Bank Street, Wakefield, WF1 1EH.