Here you’ll find news from Leeds CAMRA and beyond dating back to Autumn 2010.

December 2011

October 2011

September 2011

August 2011  

The Chapel Allerton Arts Festival at the end of this month sees the Regent showcasing beers from local breweries Leeds and Kirkstall.

The Duck & Drake, City Centre, has now opened what has been described as an “astonishing” outdoor area, with roomy decking over an area of unused outbuildings.

Up to three real ales are now available at the Dry Dock, Woodhouse Lane.

The Fenton has had a sprucing up and, under new management, the beer quality is on the up.

Yeadon’s Albert is selling guest ales at £2.20 a pint, with regular beers even cheaper.

The Tyke Bar, under the Etap hotel on Crown Point Road, has real ales on offer.

The recent charity beer festival at the Royal at Pudsey was a great success, with well-kept ales from Salamander and Kirkstall breweries being well received.

April 2011

On Friday 29th April, for that day only, all 17 pubs  in Otley will be renamed for the Royal Wedding- in honour of Kate Middleton’s Yorkshire lineage.  Also in Otley the Black Horse has re-opened after being refurbished.

Beer Ritz, the off licence in Headingley has re-opened. Zak Avery is still there keeping a good choice of take away beers etc.

The Horse and Farrier in Otley ( Market Town Tavern pub, was the Three Horseshoes) should be open in time for Easter, 20th April is  planned.

The Regent at Chapel Allerton is joining the SIBA delivery scheme.

The Skinners Arms in Sheepscar has been sold and it’s reported that it won’t be a pub again.

3 pubs holding beer festivals around Easter are Albert Inn, Yeadon (22-25 April), Three Horseshoes, Headingley (29 April – 2 May), Old Cock, Otley (21-26 April).

All production of Tetley’s  Bitter is now at Banks’s brewery in Wolverhampton, there may be 1 or 2 seasonal beers brewed at the Hunslet site before June.

At Briscoe’s brewery Paul is currently brewing once a week of which half is going to the Old Cock in Otley. He has a new weaker beer called Chevin Light at 3.8%.

Electrical problems at the new Kirkstall Brewing Co are delaying the first brew, hope to have  more news in May.

Two breweries just outside our area will be going through ownership changes soon. Roosters brewery has been sold to Ian Fozard, his sons will be running the brewery. Anglo Dutch brewery is reportedly for sale.

Ilkley Brewery Black Summit, a 5% IPA style beer with chocolate malts has won the beer of the festival at Guiseley Factory Club’s recent beer festival.

March 2011

The Old Cock in Otley has gained two separate Pub of the Season awards after only 6 months trading. Leeds CAMRA and also the society  SPBW have rewarded the pub due to its quality and choice of real  ales especially from LocAle breweries.

The Fleece in Otley is now open (17 March), the interior has been altered to create 3 distinct areas and the riverside beer garden greatly developed. 6 different WharfeBank ales on the bar with a guest ale.

The Bracken Fox in Scarcroft has reopened following renovations and is now called the New Inn . It is one of the Vintage Inns group.

The Ilkley Brewery have now moved to a larger site in the town. The new 20 barrel plant will enable production of up to 20,000 pints per week.

The Cross Keys in Leeds are to host an “Erdinger Night” on Tuesday 22 March. This will have 5  beers from the Erdinger range and include a 3 course meal. Check the website   www.the-crosskeys.com

On the 16th March at 5pm, the North Bar in Leeds will be holding a launch event of Thornbridge brewery beers from the keg! The beers will be exactly the same as which go into bottles, unfiltered and unpasteurised.

Beers from the Revolutions Brewing Co, based in Castleford and launched in Nov 2010, will be available at an event held at The Hop in Leeds. This takes place on Sunday 27 March from 2pm. Check their website www.revolutionsbrewing.co.uk

The Leeds Brewery have installed a brand new 40 barrel fermenter to help meet demand for Leeds Pale and Leeds Best.

In Otley renovation of the Fleece is well underway with an anticipated opening this month. Renovation of the Three Horseshoes (now owned by Market Town Taverns) is ongoing, opening in Spring. The Yew Tree Inn has a choice of   Tetley Bitter, Ilkley Mary Jane, Leeds Pale & Copper Dragon Golden Pippin.

In Yeadon the Cask & Brewer has re-opened and in Guiseley the Liberal Club has closed it’s doors permanently.

The Thornhill Arms in Stanningley is currently closed, whilst the Barley Mow in Bramley has been refurbished.

The 100th brew from WharfeBank brewery is called  ’C'  and is a 5.6% hoppy beer available in pubs this month.

February 2011

The North Bar in Leeds is helping the Brewdog brewery launch their range of single hopped beers on draught. Visit the bar on Wednesday 16th February when all 4 beers will be on.

News of a pub just outside our area, the Hunters Inn at Pool in Wharfedale. There is new management who have bought the lease, the 9 real ale handpumps will remain with ever changing beers and the pub itself won’t be altered.

The new bar called Alfreds opened in Meanwood and has 3 handpumps serving real ale, beers from Elland and Marble breweries on offer to begin.

WharfeBank brewery have announced details of plans to turn the Fleece in Otley into one of the region’s  landmark inns. The beer garden will stretch to the river and the pub renovated. All their beers and some from other breweries will be on the bar.

The branch beer festival http://www.leedsbeerfestival.co.uk/about/ may be able to offer the first brews from Kirkstall Brewery Co. Visit the website for regular updates.

The latest seasonal offering from Tetley’s called Green Shoots is being brewed in Leeds. Reports reach us of Banks !! brewed Tetley Bitter being sold on the East coast ie from Bridlington to Redcar.

The Fountain Head near St James hospital was selling Leeds Best recently.

The managers of the Town Hall Tavern are leaving, we wait to see if there are any changes under the new management.

In Horsforth the Bridge Inn has 6 handpumps dispensing real ale, Tetley’s,Leeds and Black Sheep beers are available.

Guiseley Factory Workers Club sold it’s 1000th different beer which was Beartown Bearly Literate.

January 2011

The Old Cock in Otley will hold their first beer festival from Thursday 3rd February until Sunday 6th Feb. The 6 guest ale handpumps will be dedicated to Cumbrian ales.   http://theoldcockotley.co.uk/

Ridgeside Brewery should soon be able to sell their beers in bottles, check out their website.

A new bar / venue will be opening in Meanwood called Alfred which will be the 5th venture in the North Bar group. From 28th January it will be open evenings & weekends.

The Black Horse (aka O’Malleys) in Otley will undergo refurbishment to include  external work, re-opening of bedrooms and new kitchen. It is set to re-launch in March without the Irish theme. Barrack Inns which has the lease has also taken over the Red Lion in Otley.

The Tut n Shive in Yeadon has re-opened and has 3 real ales on offer. This will undergo some refurbishment with plans to offer food and live bands.

The Packhorse in Woodhouse is selling the Burley St brewery beers. It is under the same management company as the Fox & Newt.

December 2010

Tetley Bitter will continue to be brewed in Leeds until June 11th 2011. The seasonal ales also continue,  Northern Cracker at 4.3% is currently available in Wetherspoons.

Midnight Bell from Leeds Brewery was voted mild of the festival at Huddersfield Camra beer festival.

WharfeBank brewery have a Christmas ale called WassAle at 4.2% which is spiced with ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.

The Imperial in Beeston has re opened.

The Picture House on Merrion Street  now serves a daily good value carvery.

The Black Bull in Pudsey is set to open as a Wetherspoons pub later this month (22nd Dec).

The leasehold of Whitelocks in Leeds is up for sale along with 3 other pubs owned by Chennell and Armstrong. These include Whitakers in Otley and the Black Bull in Wetherby.

November 2010

Market Town Taverns opened their 13th pub in November. It is in Meanwood and called East of Arcadia. The pub group have also acquired the Three Horseshoes in Otley and following a comprehensive refurb expect to re-open in Spring 2011.

The recent Otley beer festival has been one of the most popular in this event’s history. Just over 1700 people came through the doors and chose from more than 60 real ales.

The brewery based in the Fox & Newt, Leeds is now called the Burley Street Brewhouse and looks to have settled on 3 regular beers, Monza Mild (3.5%), Brickyard Bitter (3.7%), and Laguna Seca (4.0%).

Martin Kellaway, MD of WharfeBank brewery, hopes they will be brewing 17,000 pints per week within a year. They are currently selling 100 casks a week and are planning to start bottling in 2011. They are also looking to buy an outlet for their beers in the Wharfe region.

6 LocAle breweries won awards at the recently held Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North Region Beer Competition 2010. Beers from Ilkley and Ossett breweries were well represented.

The Ings in Guiseley has been named as having one of the best – run cellars in the country in a competition run by the Morning Advertiser.It is  regional winner for Yorkshire and a runner-up in the national final.

The Queen’ s Arms in Chapel Allerton has reopened as a Toby Carvery.

The Three Legs on the Headrow, Leeds has real ale on the bar and is reputedly offering breakfasts from 10am.

Bar 57 in Pudsey was recently selling a Saltaire beer from a hand pump.

Just outside the Leeds district, the Woolpack in Esholt has reopened after a closure of 3 months.

October 2010

The latest addition to the Market Town Tavern pub estate, Veritas, has opened on Great George Street. It has 8 real ales to offer and take away deli food.

The Old Cock, (a brand new pub), has opened in Otley just across from the bus station. It has 8 hand pumps and intends to promote local micro breweries. Some Rodhams beer was on recently and we may see some Briscoes beer there soon.

Park Row (was Sports Bar) on the Headrow has a choice of 4 real ales and a cider. Timothy Taylor Landlord and Caledonian Deuchars IPA amongst others are on the bar. They are planning to have a Bierkeller underneath in the future.

The Owl at Rodley is offering 10% discount to card carrying CAMRA members.

The Town Hall Tavern is offering a 5% discount card to CAMRA members.

Guiseley Factory Workers Club are soon to sell their 1000th different cask ale and have had beers from over 200 different breweries.

The Kirkstall Brewing Co hope to be brewing beer before Xmas and may have some of their first brew on sale by then.

The Ridgeside Brewery has won a CAMRA silver & gold award for its beer ‘Black Night’ at the 2010 York beer festival.

Trial brews, named Brew no.1 & Brew no.2, from the Burley Street Brewery have been on sale at the Fox & Newt.(£1.95 per pint)

The Midnight Bell, Holbeck has received a commendation (Conversion to Pub use) in the annual CAMRA  Pub Design awards. The Dyneley Arms, Otley is commended in the Refurbishment category.

The Black Horse Hotel, Otley has re -opened as an Irish themed bar and is called O’Malleys. It is selling real ale, Black Sheep Bitter and in November Wychwood Hobgoblin.

Autumn 2010

The Rodley Barge recently celebrated their 250th different cask ale with a special produced by Old Bear. A staggering achievement in a period of about two and a half years. No doubt this number will rocket when they hold heir annual beer festival in conjunction with the Owl over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The Town Hall Tavern have successfully negotiated a guest ale in addition to their range of Taylor’s beers. They launched with Thornbridge Jaipur IPA.

The Bowling Green at Otley has finally been re-opened as a Wetherspoons. Early reports are very good. ‘Spoons have also opened a Lloyds No. 1 bar in Leeds centre. The Hedley Verity opposite the Merrion Centre is stocking a wide range of cask ales. Wetherspoons will also be holding a Daleside beer festival in their Leeds pubs throughout September. See promotional posters for details.

The Regent, Chapel Allerton, have been allowed to stock Leeds Pale as a permanent beer.

The Highlander, Burley has re-opened as a free house with the ex-landlord of the Eldon in charge.

Just up from them, the Fox & Newt has changed hands and is reported to be serving a wide range of ales. They are hoping to start brewing as Burley Street Brewery shortly.

Meanwhile the Fox Beer Company have shifted production to WharfeBank Brewery in Pool.

WharfeBank themselves were formally opened in July by Leeds North West MP, Greg Mulholland. Having produced trial brews off site, and got used to the new plant and equipment, most of our readers will already be acquainted with their excellent beers.

Ridgeside Brewery of Meanwood recently launched and are aiming to produce three regular beers, Ridgeside Challenge, Ridgeside Best and Black Night, as well as a monthly special. We hope to bring you more about the brewery as soon as we can.

Slightly outside the district, we understand that the Junction Brewery in York will be launching in September. Their initial outlet in Leeds will be the Scarbrough Hotel.

The White Stag on North Street has been demolished. Another act of mindless vandalism.

The Royal Hotel on Armley Town Street has re-opened and has two hand pumps, Tetley Bitter and a guest.

The High Farm at Holt Park is serving from a range of up to five hand pulled beers.

Bar Work on Wellington Street has returned to its original name of the West Riding, and on our recent visit was serving Leeds Best, Leeds Pale and Greene King IPA.

The Old Bar at Leeds University continues to sell quality ale and the university Real Ale Society now have some influence on the selection of ales stocked.

The Abbey Inn at Newlay held their annual charity beer and music festival at the beginning of July. A large range of ales were on offer, and a good time was had by all.

The Rising Sun on Kirkstall Road has re-opened as a furniture shop. One of the services they offer is house clearances, so it’s not looking good for this listed property. Regular readers will be aware that the pub is on CAMRA’s National Inventory of pub interiors, and any damage to the interior would be catastrophic to the heritage of the area.

The Old Vic in Bramley may become a child centre after the planning department have approved plans.

Just up the road, the Old Unicorn continue to serve quality real ale from Taylor’s, whilst the Lord Cardigan, a few doors away, remains sadly closed