Cooper Bar & Kitchen Is Open

Cooper’s Kitchen and Bar is more recently known as occupying the previous Cooper Kitchens Hardware store. Historically it was originally built around 1872. The property was originally part of the adjoining building (now The Heist bar) and was owned by the famous Mr Cooper Kitchen. Born in Halifax in 1852, Cooper was a well known Ironmonger, mill furnisher and bicycle manufacturer of Elland. He produced in the region of 10 different models of tricycle, bicycle, and penny-farthing to include the popular Elland Anti-vibration safety bicycle – a life size replica of which is now on display behind the bar in Coopers.

The hardware store was bought in 2019 by Rhodes Joinery & Building Services. Having already purchased Unit 2 The Wheatsheaf on Briggate, Elland in 2018 and refurbished the property completely into the companies new offices we could see the potential that Elland still has and wanted to give back.

In 2020, the pandemic hit businesses hard and so after careful reassessment we decided to complete the refurbishment at a slower pace and in the meantime reinvest into another venture that became the successful Roots Wholefoods on Southgate, Elland. Since then other independent shops have also opened giving a much needed boost to the town.

As things tentatively settle down, work pushed forward with Coopers Kitchen and Bar which finally opened on 2nd December 2021 with Kirsty Starkey managing.

We have tried to refurbish the property sympathetically in keeping with local history and have also commissioned a talented local artist, Richard Everett to paint a huge mural wall consisting of well known, local places and photographs taken over the years. As this is completed customers will have the chance to pop in during the day to watch as he works.

The life size replica of the Penny Farthing that Cooper Kitchen invented and produced was commissioned from Richards of England based in Hull.