Leeds Heritage Pub Classics

A few days in Leeds provided me the chance to explore both the traditional pubs and the craft murk outlets and brewery taps on industrial estates.

Consulting the Heritage Pubs guide book, I decided to spend the first day of my visit trekking around a few of the historic boozers and getting some pictures of them in the sunshine.

I'd been to Whitelock's before, so figured I could skip it this time. 
Except...when you're passing by the entrance to Turk's Head Yard, it just kind of draws you in...

Whitelock’s Ale House (Turks Head Yard, Leeds, LS1 6HB - web)
This is one of the countries classic old city pubs, dating back to 1715 when it was called the Turks Head.  It was rebuilt in the 1880's by the Whitelock family whom it was renamed after, since when it has been little changed. 
Long and narrow, the bar counter with it's polished brass and tiled frontage stretches for some distance, proper pub seating and brass-topped tables opposite, iron pillars holding the ceiling up.

The beer choice is extensive: a mild by Unbarred, Ilkley 'Mary Jane', Fell Brewery 'Foss', Five Points 'Railway Porter' or 'XPA', Theakston's 'Old Peculiar' and Timothy Taylor 'Landlord'.
But then I saw this...

Pre-noon Cheesecake Stout - a decadent delight

My early arrival gave the opportunity to marvel at the surroundings, although it didn't take long at all for a procession of customers to make their way in.  I missed the chance to take a picture of the elegant Luncheon Room section at the far end, with etched glass and mirrors.  A social group began gathering there, arriving one-by-one and all bypassing the Vocation craft cask, each ordering a Landlord. 

Devo were the highlight of an eclectic soundtrack, after which it got a bit duller and poppier and I decided it was time to move on.

My next point of call was the Scarbrough Hotel, close to the train station, with some glorious red tiling and Ind Coopes Ales writing on the frontage...

Scarbrough Hotel (Bishopgate, Leeds, LS1 5DY - web)
I'm itching to put an extra 'o' in the name, but this hostelry is named after its first owner, Henry Scarbrough, rather than the seaside town.

An "exquisite selection of perfectly poured real ales" it says on their website under the dubious subheading 'clink clink fancy a drink'.
The 'exquisite selection' included Nicholson's 'Pale Ale', Leeds Brewery 'Pale', Rudgate 'Ruby Mild' and Yardsman ‘TARA’.  I picked the Yardsman beer as it had a great micro pump clip and had travelled all the way across the Irish Sea from Belfast to be here.

The Scarbrough has a very typically 'Nicholson's interior - a chain that do have a remarkable number of impressive historical pubs.  I sat drinking my ale between the business folk on the lunchtime coffees and tourists drawn in by the tiling, hanging baskets and trad pub grub.


For the next port of call I made my way through the tunnel under the train lines and across the River Aire.

Adelphi (3 - 5 Hunslet Road, Leeds, LS10 1JQ - web)
The Adelphi was built in 1901 by local architect Thomas Winn as a flagship pub for the nearby Tetleys Brewery (pictured at the top of this post. The majority of which is now a building site, creating more hip inner-city hi-rise apartments).

The central bar has counters serving a couple of rooms, but the most obvious place to head to is the servery on the corridor where you can peruse the pump clips.  Leeds 'Pale', Timothy Taylor 'Landlord', Tetley cask, and Signal 'Absolutely Fuggled'.  Ever the 'ticker' I picked the one I hadn't heard of and was disappointed. Should have just had the Tetley.

I misheard the bar staff and handed over £2.20 in coins for a half, which was met by a rather aggressive "I said £2.70!" 
That seemed a pretty hefty price for a standard 4% cask bitter.

But the magnificent surroundings of the Adelphi make up for the price tag.
Lots of etched glass, terrazzo flooring, comfy leather cushioned bench seating, a wall of record sleeves and band pictures of local acts in the back room.
I eventually picked a spot in the front Smoke Room No.2, with mahogany hues and tiled fireplace; tables somewhat over-crowded with candle, condiments, flowers and menus. 

Leaving the Adelphi, I strode out on an unappealing walk along the busy Black Bull Lane and Hunslet Road. 
I was on my way to a...

Heritage Pub Ticking Fail...

Yep, the Garden Gate looked fantastic but the gate was well and truly bolted shut.

Google said 12-11.
WhatPub had a blank space in the opening hours section.
Twitter said 'Merry Christmas 2015'.

I haven't worked out if the pub is still open or not.  I decided I wasn't going to make the trek again in the speculative chance that it may be open later in the evening.
So...back to the centre it was, then a 1.7 mile walk out west to the Cardigan Arms. 

Thankfully open.  Although I spent so long on the other side of the stupidly busy road trying to take a picture without cars in it that I risked them calling last orders.
I gave up in the end...

Cardigan Arms (364 Kirkstall Road, Burley, Leeds, LS4 2HQ - web)
Just like the Adelphi, this is another of architect Thomas Winn's pubs, constructed between 1893-95.
It's an impressive multi-roomer.  I turned left through the front door into the busy public bar and ordered a Thornbridge / Turning Point collaboration ‘Lowline’ mini-milk stout.
Then took this on a tour - take the other door from the entrance and you're in a lobby, the other side of the bar counter offering a further choice of ales, a staircase leading to the first floor, and three doorways leading off to lounges of different sizes.

 

With the light fading, I hopped aboard a bus to take me back to the city centre.
I was planning to call it a night.  But the Duck & Drake was on my route and was tempting me to pop in for 'just the one'.

The Duck & Drake isn't on the Heritage Pub list, despite the J.Duckett & Son urinals...

Duck & Drake (43 Kirkgate, Leeds, LS2 7DR - web)
This is a two-roomer, the bar situated in the middle with counters on either side.
I poked my head through the left-hand door to find musical equipment spread across the floor and hairy blokes setting up foot pedals and tripping over cables.  So instead I entered through the right-hand door, ordered a Timothy Taylor 'Landlord' and sat on the bench seating next to a bloke giving regular updates on the football scores. 

I had a glimpse online of who the hairy folk were and discovered three bands from Seattle were playing for free at 9pm. For Free!!!
And so it was that my quick nightcap turned into a couple more and a departure after 11pm.

Fluffy Machine - a bit of 90's grunge, a bit of pop-punk, a bit of Wayne's World, and a lot of fun

I enjoyed watching all three of the acts and discovering a more interesting choice of beer in this side of the pub, including some welcome dark ales.
A great end to a long and varied day ambling around Leeds.
Right, lets get a bit of sleep and then tackle the taprooms.