A “THRIVING” Bradford craft beer spot is celebrating its first birthday this weekend.

The Exchange Craft Beer House, below the Wool Exchange in Market Street, opened its doors in November last year.

It followed the closure of the Bradford-brewery run The Exchange earlier in 2018.

Prior to that it had been empty for four years.

The venture is the brainchild of Matt Bell, of Mytholmroyd-based Nightjar Brew Co and the Nightjar bar in Hebden Bridge town centre.

The first anniversary will be marked with a party.

Owner Matt said: “When we launched last November, the challenge was to to build up a craft ale following in that part of town.

“Slowly and surely we’ve established a thriving business, with a great combination of regular fans, and passing trade.

“Every week that goes by, someone who hasn’t been in before comes through the door and says ‘Wow! This place is fantastic. How have I not been here before?’”

He said the beer house boasts “Bradford’s first” shuffle board - an “addictive” bar game.

The game sees players use cues to push weighted discs, sending them gliding down a narrow court, with the purpose of them resting within a marked scoring area.

Matt said the team has listened to customers to help create the best range of beers possible, plus a supporting cast of gins, wines, rum, Prosecco and more.

There is also a house cask beer, which has been brewed in conjunction with Nightjar Brew Co.

Saturday’s party, which will kick off at 7pm and go on until late, will feature DJ sets from No Hands, 24 Hour Scouse Power, plus Ben & Richard from Anorak Attack.

There’ll also be food available from long-standing Bradford restaurant Pizza Pieces, which is based next door on Market Street.

Matt told the Telegraph & Argus last year: “I found out that this building was vacant, came for a casual look, I used to come here in the 80s, but don’t remember a lot about what it looked like them.

“I walked through the door and thought ‘wow, what a space’ and what a tragedy that it’s sat empty.

“At that moment, I thought ‘right, we’re going to do have to do this’.”

Many new bars and pubs have opened in Bradford over the last year.

The beleaguered Ivegate has turned its fortunes around with a host of new drinking spots, while Nightrain, which takes up most of Queensgate, is becoming a hotspot for rock lovers.

The space had been left in a sorry state after being used by squatters and was littered with used needles, but the team behind the rock bar transformed it into a state-of-the-art music venue.

The Rabbit Hole opened its doors in the Kirkgate Shopping Centre last year and a new bar - The HideOut - is tipped to open in Sunbridgewells soon.

Plans are also afoot to bring the old Flares nightclub, at the top of Morley Street, back to life as a live music venue.