Headingley Pub Guide

Headingley has pubs (plenty of 'em), cinemas, fast food, classy restaurants, in fact, everything the discerning student away from home for the first time could possibly dream of, so here's a few of the best Pubs in the area.

THE ORIGINAL OAK

has been a favourite haunt of students and young people living in Headingley for as long as anyone can remember. It can be a useful stopping-off point on the way into Leeds centre but it has also been the scene for many a 'lively' night in its own right.

The Oak has three bars which are usually more than adequately staffed to deal with the hordes descending on them every night during term-time. It does get busy at the Oak, but that is surely a sign of its popularity.

There are enough little nooks and crannies at the Oak to make sure that even if it is a busy time, you can usually find somewhere to have a chat and a drink without having to shout at the top of your voice.

The Oak can get rather crowded, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights usually proving the busiest. At times like this it can get a bit much, so if you are not quite in the mood for dealing with a bunch of merry young things out for a good time and letting everyone else know about it, then perhaps the Oak is best avoided. But if you are in the mood yourself, then there are certainly worse places to be!

And then, of course, there is the beer garden. Until recently it was a well-kept bowling green, but it appears it has been decided that students sitting out there (yes, in all weathers!) may well bring a bit more life and soul to the place than the bowling community.

The garden may not be as nicely trimmed as it used to be, but on balmy Summer term evenings it really is the only place to see and be seen.

Food is also available at the Oak from lunchtime into the early evening, and the meals certainly seem to attract plenty of customers. The choice is OK, with fare for vegetarians and carnivores alike and the prices are pretty cheap too.

"What about the drink?" you may ask. It is the usual basic choice of bitters and lagers but what more do you want? After all, it is pretty likely that if you are going for a trip to the Oak, you will be there to socialise rather than savour every mouthful of a classic bitter or imported Eastern European lager.

In summary, the Oak is not necessarily a place for the hardened CAMRA member, but surely generations of students cannot be wrong?!

THE SKYRACK

It can really be described as a pub of two halves. One half is in a more traditional, low-roofed style which is more intimate than the other half which is open, bright and modern.

During the day, the Skyrack attracts a mixed clientele with locals and students side-by-side. But as the evening approaches, the students take over to create a lively atmosphere even on quiet nights at other less centrally-placed watering holes.

The refurbishment work should have meant that the Skyrack is less packed than it used to be in days gone by. But it has, in fact, just meant that there is more space for drinkers and revellers to fill - which they very often do! After saying that there are also a number of little corners where you can enjoy a quieter drink.

Remember, the Skyrack is just around the corner from the home of the Leeds Rhinos and the Yorkshire Cricket Club, so sport is often on the agenda here. If there is a big event taking place, it will certainly be on show on the big screen in the new bar area.

The drinks on sale at the Skyrack show perhaps a little more imagination than in other pubs in Headingley. There is a wider selection of bitters than might be expected, together with other more exotic alcopop offerings.

If you are after entertainment, then the Skyrack has the traditional offerings: fruit machines and shoot-'em-up games round every corner. There is even the occasional sighting of that pub rarity: a game of dominoes. There are also two reasonably-sized snooker tables which are usually pretty busy, so get there early to avoid disappointment.

In summary: as with all Headingley's pubs the Skyrack is often busy, but rarely uncomfortably so. The selection of drinks on offer is above average. And whether you are wanting to catch up on the latest footy or thirsty for the latest gossip, this two-pubs-in-one could be the answer.

THE BOX

Situated on Otley Road the bar has become very popular in a short space of time. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed and it's the perfect place to meet friends for a game of pool as the Box boasts three American-sized pool tables.

The modern interior was designed by the same people who did the arc and consists of clean, minimal detailing with simple cube shapes in the furniture, but the dark wood gives it a cosy feel.

Big screens display major sporting events and music. Food is served 11am-8pm in the American-style diner.

THE ARC

The arc has become popular as an alternative night out to the city centre. It's also the place to be seen lunching, offering a wide variety of Italian foods during the day.

The arc features two bars - one serving cocktails. There are two floors to disperse the crowds of students it attracts. The arc also features a balcony, ideal for those warm summer evenings.

Catering for all musical tastes. There is live jazz every Sunday afternoon and r'n'b every Thursday night when Too Cheeky is hosted by Dave Needham. It's free and open until 12.30am. On a Wednesday a house DJ plays a collection of 60s/70s classics with more recent indie, funk and rock.

The arc is very popular and you may have to queue to get in on a busy night but the atmosphere is lively and any trendy young thing will tell you it's the place to be.

THE HEADINGLEY TAPS

So called because it used to be the local water pumping station, but these days it is a somewhat different substance that flows through its pipes.

The Taps is interesting to look at from the outside, but inside it does not play on its origins. BBC Leeds user Dominic Phillips reports that it has been refurbished with high ceilings, bright colours, new furniture, and loads more space than the old pub.

The Taps does have a beer garden of sorts: it's a car park. So if you fancy a pint on a Summer's afternoon or on a warm evening it may not be your first choice. It certainly lacks a certain 'ambience'. That is, of course, unless you like to check out the latest models of car.

THE NEW INN

Only recently did it again become the New Inn. That is to say, despite the fact it has always been the New Inn to its regulars, it went through a period of ersatz Irishness as O'Hagans.

Now it has reverted to its old name again, and thus the New Inn is born...or reborn.

Its traditional name does little to distinguish it, being the most common pub name in Leeds. But the pub does have its charms, nevertheless.

Look up as you enter the front door and you will see the whimsical clock on the outside wall announcing No Tick and, no, nobody can remember when it did tick...if ever.

A central bar serves a knocked-through room which has been turned into three separate areas, one with a pool table. It did seem to lose some of its atmosphere when it became O’Hagans during the height of the mock Irish pub boom some years ago, but it may well be on the way back now.

This watering hole is found just yards around the corner from the Cottage Road Cinema, so if you want you can down a pint before the curtain goes up on the latest blockbuster.

Finally, the New Inn does have a "beer garden" of sorts - a few tables by the side of one of Leeds' busiest roads.

THE THREE HORSESHOES

Once the most renowned of the three pubs in this group (Woodies and the New Inn being the other two) it was famous for its sporting memorabilia and the crush at the bar.

A cosy, traditional pub with a lively clientele was too much of a target for the brewers and in came the word - makeover. Don’t panic though it could have been a lot worse, the design is supposed to appeal to "locals", students and those searching for a coffee bar feel.

So there is some traditional panelling, some bright colours and bare wood and a couple of quieter carpeted corners. It seems that the total look is less than the sum of the parts yet the pub remains popular and the beer is good.

After all that is the main point of a pub. Drinkers still travel to the "shoes" as a single destination as well as part of the Headingley run.

WOODIES

A square-fronted wooden beamed frontage gives way to an interior that is pleasingly dark. The trend for light and stripped wood has yet to reach this far. The big barrel above the door gives you a clear idea that this is indeed an alehouse. Inside, the pub has its supporters, but the atmosphere is harder to pin down. The pub does comes alive though for sport on the big screen.

Woodies is much more a 'local' rather than a purely student pub like the Original Oak, perhaps another reason why the ambience is not perhaps quite as lively as in other hostelries closer to the heart of the student community. There is not the same rush and push as there are in other watering holes further into Headingley proper, which is a plus or minus point depending on your mood and your intentions for the evening. One definite plus point is the range of beers and the friendliness of the staff at Woodies, both of which are certainly more than adequate.

In summary, Woodies is, perhaps, an acquired taste in some ways. But if you want a bit of an escape which is not too far from the crowd, Woodies is for you.