New life for the building where Leeds began: Moods opens at First White Cloth Hall

There are few buildings in Leeds that can claim to be the place where the city’s commercial story started. First White Cloth Hall on Kirkgate is one of them — and after more than two decades on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, it’s about to be busy again. On Friday 31 July, Moods, a relaxed-luxury all-day cafe, bar and events venue, opens its doors on the ground floor, giving the public a reason to walk back into a building most of us have only ever admired from the pavement.

Built in 1711 for the trade of white, undyed cloth — with some of its roof timbers dated to the mid-1470s — the Grade II* listed hall sits on Kirkgate, Leeds’ oldest street. It was the engine room of the city’s wool trade, the point where Leeds turned cloth into commerce. A major restoration by Rushbond, backed by Historic England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Leeds Civic Trust and Leeds City Council, brought it back from the brink. Now a Leeds family has taken on the job of filling it with life.

A family-led vision

Moods is the work of Will and Hayley Moody, the husband-and-wife team behind Buzz Club Tattoo and hair and beauty brand self. The couple met as students at Leeds Beckett, opened Buzz Club in Hyde Park in 2018, and have been building independent businesses in the city ever since. First White Cloth Hall now brings everything under one roof: Buzz Club and self. occupy the upper floors, and Moods completes the ground floor. Together the three brands make the building home to a 70-plus-strong independent team, with Moods alone launching with 30 staff.

“Leeds has been our home since university, and First White Cloth Hall felt like the kind of building you don’t get a second chance with,” says Will Moody. “Moods is about opening the ground floor up and giving people a reason to use the building from morning through to night.”

Hayley, who has led the design across the whole building, wanted it to “feel special without feeling stiff — luxurious, cosy and full of detail, but still somewhere you can drop in for a coffee, a pastry or a cocktail depending on the day you’re having.”

Michelin pedigree, all-day ease

The kitchen is a genuine coup. Head Chef Craig Rogan trained within Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred group, including L’Enclume and Fera at Claridge’s, and has since cooked at Manchester House and The Grand in York before leading his own Craig Rogan at The Collective. He was named Chef of the Year in 2023.

At Moods he’s doing something more relaxed: fine-dining technique and exceptional British produce, served all day without the formality. Expect signatures like a wild mushroom crumpet with Old Winchester and black truffle honey, mead-glazed pancetta with potato rosti, and a fried chicken brioche with elderflower and pickled cucumber. A fuller restaurant and private dining offer follows in autumn 2026, with dishes such as king scallops with nduja and Scotch bonnet on the evening menu.

Provenance runs through everything, with a supplier list that reads like a love letter to the North: meat from Swaledale Butchers, seafood from Taylor Foods, beer led by Kirkstall Brewery, and coffee from Dark Arts with Leeds’ own RAW Coffee joining as a guest roaster. Bar Manager David Harding’s cocktail list leans into summer — a dessert-inspired Peach Melba, a coffee-and-croissant Moods Monty — alongside a proper low- and no-alcohol collection.

The details

Moods opens at 6pm on Friday 31 July for drinks and bar snacks, with all-day food from 8am the next morning. Hours are Sunday to Thursday 8am–11pm and Friday to Saturday 8am–12.30am, with around 124 covers to start, rising to 170 once the restaurant opens. Walk-ins are welcome and bookings are advised via OpenTable.

First White Cloth Hall, 98–100 Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ. moodsleeds.co.uk · @moodsleeds