Saltaire & Shipley

On Wednesday 18 January, ten from the group of CAMRA members from the South, led by Mark Geeson, travelled by train to Skipton returning to Leeds after visiting Saltaire.

This post only features pubs and taprooms visited in Shipley and Saltaire. Click on a pub's name for the WhatPub link with extra details. Photos of the beers mentioned appear at the end of the post. Photos are by Tim Thomas except where otherwise credited.

Shipley

Shipley clock tower at market and bus interchange

Tim Thomas would meet Mark's group later in Saltaire but would first travel by Aireline 60 bus from Kirkstall Brewery Tap + Kitchen to Shipley bus interchange.

Nearby, the Sir Norman Rae (Wetherspoon) gives northerly views towards the Sun Hotel and Baildon beyond.

A good range of beers from Yorkshire are served on cask at the Sir Norman Rae.

Saltaire

The scenic and cultural route towards Saltaire station is along the Leeds and Liverpool towpath with a stop at Salts Mill to view artworks by David Hockney.

An uphill walk leads to SALT Bar + Kitchen, formerly the Old Tramshed.

The mezzanine level gives views of the front bar and the brewery behind.

Tim's beer choices: Ossett Brewery - Yorkshire Blonde (£1.95 half pint) and Silver King American Pale Ale (£2.05 half pint). Contemporary music is played at quite a loud volume.

An advance party of Mark's enlarged group moved on to the Cap and Collar, only 100 metres away, for its 5pm opening time.

The one room contemporary micropub offers a range of eight or so cask and keg beers. Decoration includes cloth caps and contemporary illustrations of local features including the Shipley Clock Tower by Anne-Marie White of Clock Tower Studios.

Tim's beer choice: Wishbone Brewery (Keighley) - Velvet Gloss Stout (£4 pint) in superb condition.

63 Saltaire Road - earlier photo from WhatPub

After a stop for a Fish (haddock) and Chip supper from Websters diagonally opposite at the corner of Queens Road and Bingley Road, the group walked about 400 metres down Saltaire Road to reach Fanny's Ale & Cider House.

The pub was busy at 6.30pm but some space was available at different tables in the back room. It was nice to find real fires warming the pub. Up to nine cask ales are served.

Tim's beer choice: Salamander Brewing (Stubbee Brewery, Bradford) - Golden Salamander (£2 half pint).

192 Saltaire Road - earlier photo from WhatPub

Only 50 metres further down Saltaire Road, on the south side, we found the Salt Cellar, with fewer customers, where we received a warm welcome and enjoyed more space to congregate comfortably.

The log burner was another welcome feature.

The Salt Cellar was Bradford CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2022 and a table at the entrance allows space for CAMRA magazines including Beer Leeds. Tim added a copy of West Berkshire CAMRA Ullage magazine.

From the bar in a central position, with a range that included Mild and Porter, Tim's beer choices: Bridgehouse Brewery - Blonde (£1.90 half pint) and Great Newsome - Pricky Back Otchan (£1.90 half pint). Music played included: ABC - Poison Arrow.

Times of trains from Saltaire to Leeds were checked and we walked downhill back to Saltaire station, via Caroline Street, avoiding icy pavements. By 9pm we were heading back to Leeds on a Northern Rail train. Details of a subsequent visit to Whitelock's Ale House and North Bar are in a Leeds & Holbeck pubs post.