Leeds & Holbeck

Leeds floor map in the Brodrick Hall of Leeds City Museum

The following headings: North Bar, Yard pubs, Wetherspoon pubs, Kirkstall Brewery Taproom & Kitchen, Northern Monk Refectory are included later in this post. Photos of beers mentioned are included at the end of the post. Click on pub's name for link to more details in CAMRA's WhatPub guide.

On Monday 16 January 2023, 12 CAMRA members from Berkshire, Hampshire, South London, Surrey and Wiltshire met in Leeds at the start of  a five day visit.

The Scarbrough Hotel, near Leeds station, was the 3pm rendezvous of the group many of whom had also enjoyed each others company on some of Mark's previous group visits including those based in Stourbridge (2019) and Liverpool (2019 & 2022).

This Nicholson's pub was once favoured by organiser Mark Geeson when he worked nearby in Leeds. 

Tim's beer choice: an obvious choice for the first beer in the city - Leeds Brewery - Leeds Pale (£2.40 half pint) + Black Sheep - Fresh Start Ruby Ale (£2 half pint). 

NB Per pint prices were relatively less expensive and the CAMRA discount was not claimed.

After walking along a road under Leeds station accessed from Neville Street and crossing the channelled River Aire which flows underneath the station we reached The Hop, located in arches near the south side exit of the station.

The Hop is one of the pubs owned by Ossett Brewery and has a popular music theme. Inside there are two levels. Occupying seats near the entrance, several members of the group took advantage of the special pie and a pint for £7 offer.

Tim's beer choice: Ossett Brewery - White Rat (£2.10 half pint).

It was dark when we left the Hop and our route to the next pub involved crossing the Leeds and Liverpool canal by footbridge and then a short walk west along Water Lane at the northern end of Holbeck.

At the dimly lit bar of the Midnight Bell, Tim's beer choice: Ilkley Brewery - Ilkley Blonde (£2.30 half pint). Another room had slightly brighter lighting with candles.

It was only about a 300 metre walk to reach the whitewashed Grove Inn on Back Row which has two entrances and several rooms inside with a central bar.

The music room has a raised stage in the corner. The bar counter had a plate of pork pies and pasties.

Our group ended up occupying all the tables in a cosy front room with warmth from the fireplace. 

The unspoilt traditional interior and friendly service made this pub the highlight of the trip so far.

Tim's beer choices here included: Ilkley Brewery - Mary Jane (£4 pint) and Acorn Brewery - Barnsley Gold (£2.30 half pint) to accompany a pork pie (£2.50).

The Adelphi was the next rendezvous, and could be reached via a riverside path without much of a detour from the most direct route by road.

The dimly lit interior has several high ceilinged rooms and features etched glass partitions and tiled passageways. This Victorian pub is on CAMRA's National inventory of historic pub interiors.

There is a central bar. Tim's beer choice was simply to follow the rules: Titanic Brewery - Plum Porter (£4.90 pint). We would leave the pub at 9.30pm and go to our separate hotels.

North Bar, Leeds

North Bar (a photo from earlier in the day)

However, Tim and Mark ended up inside North Bar, 24 New Briggate, en route to their hotels.

Already established as Tim's favourite Leeds bar from a previous visit in 2016, the dimly lit interior of the narrow space had tables free when we arrived.

Two cask ales from North Brewing Co were available and we would have a half of each before the cold draught from a purposely open door after 11.30pm persuaded us to call it a day. 17 beers and ciders were listed in the Keg section of the menu.

Mark and Tim's beer choices: North Brewing - Vanishing Point Blonde Ale (£2.20 half pint) and North Brewing - Full Fathom 5 Coffee Coconut Porter (£2.65 half pint). Music played had a funky feel including tracks by Dr John and Arthur Conley.

Tim revisited North Bar on Wednesday 18 January after a day out in Saltaire and Shipley. Perched on a tall stool at a high table near the back of the bar, his first beer was a schooner of Attic Brew Co - Signals IPA (2/3 pint, £5.20) from a keg font.

After checking that closing time was after midnight tonight, a bottle of Orval (£5.10) was the nightcap after noticing a promotional blackboard. The Orval coat hooks had been spotted on the previous visit.

Music played on Wednesday night included tracks by some of Tim's favourites: Kurt Vile, Dry Cleaning and Yo La Tengo. This may explain why North Bar is obviously popular with musicians.

Yard pubs

Tim visited two good pubs partly concealed from Briggate pedestrian street as they can only be accessed via alleyways.

Visited with Graham Porter on Tuesday evening, the Angel Inn, Angel Inn Yard. This is a Samuel Smith's pub with beer mats emphasising that it is a mobile, tablet and laptop free zone so it was only possible to take an external photo (above). However, the Angel Inn Facebook page has some plans and photos including one of the cellar. The bar area was noisily busy so we sat in the main room which has bench seating around the walls facing distinctive tables and stools with slightly angled legs. We enjoyed Samuel Smith - Old Brewery Bitter (£3 pint) and Tim remembered this as the best pint of a day that included the Transpennine Real Ale Trail.

Some of our group visited the renowned Whitelock's Ale House, Turks Head Yard, on Wednesday evening after visiting Saltaire and Shipley. It was dimly lit inside enhanced by candlelight. 

Tim's beer choice: Ridgeside Brewing Co - Hold Fast: Calypso Session IPA (Cheers! tankard)

Wetherspoon pubs in Leeds

There are many Wetherspoon pubs in Leeds and Tim visited Beckett's Bank, Stick or Twist and Wetherspoons at Leeds station for breakfast or an evening meal.

Looking at the walls in Wetherspoon pubs usually reveals some useful information although the blackboard with a list of Yorkshire breweries at Beckett's Bank is now looking rather out of date!

Kirkstall Brewery Taproom & Kitchen

On Wednesday 18 January, Tim caught a 60 Aireline bus from Park Row to the Willow Road stop on the Kirkstall Road on a frosty morning to visit Leeds Industrial Museum (£5 admission) by the Leeds and Liverpool canal via Viaduct Road. After a fascinating walk through the multiple levels of the former Armley Mills, there was time to photograph the exteriors of Dave's Pies & Ales and the Cardigan Arms, near each other on Kirkstall Road and Cardigan Fields shopping centre. These establishments have been noted for a future visit.

The Kirkstall Brewery Taproom & Kitchen is a short bus ride back towards Leeds city centre along the Kirkstall Road, back under the railway viaduct and just past the ITV studios.

There are views of the brewery from the impressive entrance hall which features a stained glass window. The Kirkstall Claw (£1) offers the chance to grab merchandise and cans of beer.

The Taproom opens at 12 noon and was initially empty giving an opportunity to take some photos.

The main seating area at the front gets plenty of light from the big windows but the bar area is well shaded and features suspended historic illuminated signs.

Tim's beer choices: Kirkstall - Three Swords Extra Pale Ale (£1.95 half pint) and after a taster to check it was not too sour, Kirkstall - keg Blackberry Sour (£2.75 half pint).

Northern Monk Refectory

Pub in Sheepscar closed in 1982 - model at Leeds City Museum

On the last day of the trip, Friday 20 January, a visit to Leeds City Museum and nearby Leeds Art Gallery was followed by a visit to the Northern Monk Refectory in Holbeck.

Housed in the Old Flax Store, it is next to the larger Marshall's Mill, formerly a flax spinning mill.

The Refectory is on the first floor with the original Northern Monk brewery on the ground floor.

Up to 16 keg beers and ciders and up to two cask ales are served at the brick-fronted bar under a whitewashed vaulted ceiling. Tim met up with Paul Rhoods and Mark Geeson who had arrived earlier at the Refectory which opens at 12 noon (closed Mondays).

There are plenty of solid tables with benches or chairs for seating. Unusual features in the Refectory include a stainless steel funnel for milled malted barley to feed the mash tun below and historic firefighting equipment.

Tim's beer choices: cask version of Northern Monk - The Daily Mash (£2.40 half pint) and keg Northern Monk - Chocolate Caramel and Biscuit Porter (£2.75 half pint), both superb!

A mixture of music was played including some heavy rock followed by tracks by: Ozark Mountain Devils, America and Todd Rundgren

With an LNER train to London to catch at 14.45, Tim left with the others who were heading for nearby Grove Inn but parted at Wharf Approach stopping to take a photo eastwards from the road bridge over the Leeds and Liverpool canal. There would be no time for a stop at The Hop on the remaining short walk to the south entrance of Leeds station. 

A visit to Leeds and the surrounding area is recommended to anyone who enjoys beers from Yorkshire and beyond. This post includes only a few of the many pubs worth visiting.