The Twelve Tellers

The Twelve Tellers is a J D Wetherspoon pub located at 14–15 Church Street in Preston, Lancashire, England. It operates under the Wetherspoon brand, the large British pub company founded by Tim Martin, whose first pub opened in north London in 1979 and which was floated on the Stock Exchange in 1992 as J D Wetherspoon plc. Like other Wetherspoon houses, The Twelve Tellers is a large, food-and-drink-led pub offering an extensive menu of beers, real ales, wines, spirits, cocktails and pub food, with long opening hours, a strong value positioning and a distinctive emphasis on converting notable buildings. The pub takes its name from the history of its building. The Baroque-style structure was purpose built for the Preston Savings Bank and opened in July 1907; a photograph from around that time shows the grandiose banking hall and its 65-foot-long counter with twelve tellers at work. The building is grade II listed and stands on the site of an older bank established in 1776. It later became part of the Trustee Savings Bank group and was most recently occupied by TSB, which moved into the premises in the early 1990s. After standing empty for several years, it was taken over by J D Wetherspoon and converted into a pub, retaining its imposing architectural character. The Twelve Tellers trades as a modern Wetherspoon pub with facilities including Wi-Fi, TV screens, a licensed outside area, a projector and screen, room hire and meeting facilities, and baby-changing facilities. It participates in Wetherspoon's twice-yearly real-ale festivals and seasonal menus, including the autumn beer festival and the Christmas menu, and customers can order food and drinks to their table via the Wetherspoon app. The pub is part of the wider J D Wetherspoon estate, which operates hundreds of pubs across the United Kingdom and is known for its no-music policy, its campaigning on beer prices and taxation, and its programme of investing in historic and unusual buildings.

The Twelve Tellers occupies a grade II listed building at 14–15 Church Street, Preston, Lancashire. The Baroque-style building was purpose built for the Preston Savings Bank and opened with much pomp and ceremony in July 1907. Its foundation stone had been laid by W P Park, chairman of the trustees, in October 1905, and the building opened to the public in 1907 as the company's headquarters. A photograph taken around that time shows the grandiose banking hall and its 65-foot-long counter with twelve tellers in place — the detail that gives the pub its name. The former bank stands on the site of an older bank established in 1776; the site had originally been a private residence, owned in 1715 by a Mr Eyre, and later that year Jacobite rebels entered Preston and proclaimed Prince James Edward Stuart King of England. The bank later became part of the Trustee Savings Bank group, where the public was served inside the grand banking hall by twelve tellers from behind the 65-foot-long counter. The building was last occupied by TSB, which moved into the premises in the early 1990s. It then stood empty for several years before being taken over by J D Wetherspoon and converted into a pub, preserving the imposing architectural character of the former banking hall. The pub operates within the J D Wetherspoon estate. Wetherspoon's first pub was purchased from an entrepreneur who had converted it from a bookmakers and opened in Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, north London, on 9 December 1979. For its first month it was called Martin's Free House, but was renamed Wetherspoons early in 1980. For the first few years the company's pubs were all located in north London, with the head office above The Dog in Archway. In 1990 Wetherspoon's pubs hosted their first real-ale festival, lasting four days and featuring six beers; today each Wetherspoon pub is involved in the twice-yearly beer festival, offering up to 50 beers each, 10 of which are from overseas. In 1991 The Tally Ho in North Finchley, London, opened with a dedicated non-smoking bar upstairs — the first of many pioneering initiatives carried out before the smoking ban of July 2007. That year the company also started its CBS scheme, highlighting cleanliness, beer and service, and produced the first edition of Wetherspoon News, an eight-page black-and-white magazine offered free to all customers. Hamilton Hall at Liverpool Street station, London, opened as the company's first pub in central London and at a train station. In 1992 Wetherspoon opened its first two airport pubs, at Heathrow Airport in Terminal 4, and the company was floated on the Stock Exchange, becoming J D Wetherspoon plc, with shares issued at £1.60. As part of this estate, The Twelve Tellers trades as a modern Wetherspoon pub. It offers an extensive food and drink menu, long opening hours (from 8:00am until 1:00am most days, and until 2:00am on Fridays and Saturdays), and facilities including Wi-Fi, TV screens, a licensed outside area, a projector and screen, room hire and meeting facilities, and baby-changing facilities. Children under 18 are only allowed on the premises between 8:00am and 9:00pm. The pub takes part in Wetherspoon's seasonal programmes, including the autumn beer festival — a 12-day event in October featuring a range of 30 real ales, including five from international brewers — and the Christmas menu, available from mid-November until the end of December (excluding Christmas Day). Customers can order food and drinks to their table via the Wetherspoon app.

• 1992

  Wetherspoon opens its first airport pubs at Heathrow Terminal 4 and is floated on the Stock Exchange as J D Wetherspoon plc, with shares issued at £1.60.

• 1991

  The Tally Ho opens with a dedicated non-smoking bar upstairs; the CBS scheme and Wetherspoon News are launched; Hamilton Hall opens.

• 1990

  Wetherspoon's pubs host their first real-ale festival, lasting four days and featuring six beers.

• 1990

  TSB moves into the former Preston Savings Bank premises in the early 1990s.

• 1979

  Wetherspoon's first pub opens in Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, north London, on 9 December.

• 1907

  The Baroque-style bank building opens with much pomp and ceremony in July, with a 65-foot-long counter and twelve tellers.

• 1905

  The foundation stone of the purpose-built Preston Savings Bank is laid by W P Park, chairman of the trustees, in October.

• 1776

  An older bank is established on the site of the later Preston Savings Bank building.

Value-led, high-volume pub offering food, drink and long opening hours in a converted grade II listed former bank building, under the J D Wetherspoon brand.

• Real ale

• Beer

• Craft beer

• Wine

• Spirits

• Cocktails

• Pub food

• Breakfast

• Christmas menu

• Soft drinks

• Coffee

1. 1The Twelve Tellers - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
2. 2History - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
3. 3The Twelve Tellers - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
4. 4About us - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
5. 5The Twelve Tellerswikidata.org