Every now and then Leeds CAMRA makes an award to recognise a pub that has done something right, and done it rather wll. It’s called the Most Improved Pub award, and it doesn’t get handed out that often.
On a cold Tuesday in December, then, a bunch of CAMRA members made their way to the Original Oak in Headingley to hand over just such an award. The reason? The Oak, a long-standing keggery, introduced real ale over the summer. Initially this was Marston’s Pedigree, but the range …
Sadly the demise of the pub stock in the Leeds Metropolitan area continues apace. Around 70 of the 503 remaining pubs are currently closed and many others are under threat. Some closures will be temporary, but as they re- open others will close.
It was with some trepidation, then, that I received an invitation from
Leeds University Union’s Real Ale Society. “There is a Beer Fest in the
Old Bar”, they said. “Come and have a look!”, they urged. Now, your
editor is always up for new experiences and challenges, so at 4pm on a
Friday I am waiting outside the Union Building. Everyone seems to be in
normal clothing, so I stuff my Batman costume in my bag and await my
guides.
Our first Pub of the Moment this time is something of an outpost. An outpost of the Lancashire-based Thwaites Brewery estate, the Manor House is hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Otley. It’s on Walkergate. Near the Maypole. Keep walking past the library and you’ll find the place.
