First look inside The Ribblesdale Tap in Blackburn

The Blackedge Brewing Company is set to open The Ribblesdale Tap on December 1 and the team is “super excited” to welcome customers.

It is located in Northgate, at a site that has formerly been the Ribblesdale Hotel, Gladstone’s and Baroque Bar.

Pictures have emerged of the refurbished site, which is set to sell multi-award-winning cask and keg ales, as well as artisan ciders and spirits.

Inside the The Ribblesdale Tap in Blackburn (Image: Blackedge Brewery Company)Bar food will also be served and customer have been told to expect live music and pop-up events.

This will be The Blackedge Brewery Company’s third taproom, with other sites in Horwich and Westhoughton.

A spokesperson said:  “We are super excited to be part of an incredible project with Blackburn with Darwen Council.

“Work is well underway getting the bar decorated and cosy whilst still keeping the character on a fantastic building.

Inside the The Ribblesdale Tap in Blackburn (Image: Blackedge Brewery Company)“It'll be our third taproom after Horwich and Westhoughton and we can't wait to get our beers pouring in the area!

"The bar will offer our multi-award winning cask and keg ales and a great range of locally-produced artisan ciders and spirits.

“We will also serve locally-produced bar food offerings and have occasional live music and pop-up events.

“We can't wait to get the taproom up and running and be part of a growing Blackburn community.”

Blackedge Brewery boss Wayne Roper and Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Cllr Phil Riley outside 35 Northgate (Image: Shuttle)

Wayne Roper, co-founder of the Blackedge Brewery, said: "As soon as I saw the building, I was really taken by it and I brought my wife and she loved it too.

“It’s in a great location and it feels like a really exciting time for that area with work progressing well on the neighbouring Blakey Moor building.

Inside the The Ribblesdale Tap in Blackburn (Image: Blackedge Brewery Company)

"It feels like the start of something really good and we want to be a part of it.

“Blackedge Brewery was born out of a love of the US craft beer scene and it started with my brother-in-law Sean and I brewing beer in a shed at the end of my garden."

Opposite King George’s Hall, the striking 19th century building was earmarked in 2022 to be the new home of the nearby Shh! Bar after a £350,000 renovation and refurbishment.

But in October that year the owners Michael Mohan and Martin Booth-Morton suddenly pulled out of the move.

The new Ribblesdale Tap is a key part of the Blakey Moor redevelopment in Blackburn town centre.

When it was announced Blackedge was moving in, Blackburn with Darwen Council's growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood said: "This is really good news for the Cultural Quarter and town centre.

"Blackedge Brewery feels like a good fit for this iconic building, and this microbrewery will be a fantastic addition which our residents have asked for."