Oracle Bar and Nightclub to close after 15 years

Oracle Bar and Nightclub at Brewery Wharf is to close its doors for the last time on Saturday 1st February as its lease comes to an end after an incredible 15 years of business. 

Although the change marks the end of a chapter in the history of Brewery Wharf, it also hints at exciting times ahead for residents and local businesses in the surrounding vicinity. 

It leaves behind a legacy as a leading innovator of the leisure market in Leeds

Rushbond, the original developer of the Brewery Wharf estate (and many others in Leeds including Channel 4’s new home, The Majestic) will be taking the opportunity to develop the building into a mixed-use space. The first-floor boutique nightclub will be turned into a creative office space, while the bar and waterfront terrace will be developed into an exciting new concept. 

Richard Baker, Senior Development Surveyor at landowner Rushbond said, "Brewery Wharf spearheaded the renaissance of Leeds’ Waterfront and Oracle has been a popular flagship venue in the heart of the development for the past 15 years. We look forward to taking this opportunity to invest, develop and diversify the space ready to welcome new tenants to the area.’’

Oracle first launched in 2005, as a trailblazer in the city with its unique 2-floor venue and was named ‘UK Bar of the Year’ at the National Bar, Entertainment and Dance Awards soon after. 

The ground floor bar and restaurant soon became ‘the local’ for nearby residents and businesses, a popular spot for after-work alfresco drinks and dining on the largest waterfront terrace in the city. The venue was also recognised as being the first in Leeds to launch a gourmet burger menu, before introducing street food operators on rotation and in more recent years bringing the bottomless brunch to the city.

In contrast, sitting above was one of the first boutique nightclubs in the UK. Pioneering VIP hospitality and bottle to table service, it became the ‘go to’ destination in Leeds for the city’s high-flyers and a regular haunt for celebrities and footballers.

With planning permission already approved, redevelopment of the site will commence in the spring with new tenants expected to be in place for the summer. 

Deborah De Vittoris, co-founder of Oracle said, “Oracle maybe closing its doors, but it leaves behind a legacy as a leading innovator of the leisure market in Leeds; a flagship venue that continually adapted over its 15 years of trading to the latest consumer trends. I’m extremely proud of everything Oracle went on to achieve, the fantastic management and staff that worked at the venue and the many customers that enjoyed everything the venue offered. It’s great to see the landlord now breathing a new lease of life into the Brewery Wharf development, as it continues to adapt and evolve for the future.”