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 is now expanding with beers from Shepherd Neame on offer on award night.

More about this in issue 112!

Many of the closed pubs are boarded up and starting to look derelict and the fear is that once the property market starts to pick up again these will either be demolished or converted to other uses such as flats or shops. Some examples are highlighted below.

The Travellers in Halton has been demolished and another much needed supermarket is to be built on the site. It is only a few years since the Irwin Arms just down the road was demolished again to be replaced by a supermarket and this just leaves the Woodman as the only watering hole for the residents of this part of Halton. They have plenty of supermarkets, however.

The Wise Owl

In Armley there is a sad litany of closed pubs. On Town Street both the Barleycorn and Royal Hotel are boarded up. Three pubs in a row are closed down on Armley Road; the Nelson has been up for sale for many months, the Golden Lion has been closed for several years and the Rose and Crown is now an electrical wholesale shop. Down in Wortley the White Rose has been breeze-blocked up from the inside (we can only hope the person doing it got out!) and the Crown on Tong Road was also closed at the time of writing. The Wheatsheaf on Gelderd Road has also been closed for a couple of years.

Over in Sheepscar, Leeds CAMRA has been fighting an unsuccessful campaign to preserve the White Stag, which is on CAMRA’s Regional Inventory for pubs with historical interiors and it now looks as if it will be demolished and replaced by a warehouse for a Chinese supermarket. To the north in Chapel Allerton the Shoulder of Mutton is now being used as a taxi office.

Meanwhile in Kirkstall the George IV has been closed for a number of years and round the corner the future of the Kirkstall Lites is unlikely to be as a pub; boarding has been put up surrounding the premises, often a sign of demolition to come. In Woodhouse the Swan with Two Necks is being converted to flats and up in Ireland Wood the Wise Owl has been demolished to make way for a health centre.

The Swan with Two Necks, Woodhouse

The campaign to save the Summercross in Otley has been previously been highlighted in New Full Measure; planning permission has been granted for a care home, but no work has yet been seen on the site. The campaign continues, see www.sosotley.org.uk for details. Elsewhere in Otley both the Bowling Green and Woolpack have been closed for a long time and several other pubs are under threat. The Fleece and the Cross Pipes are both currently closed, their future uncertain.

From a pub preservation point of view there is currently much concern with regard to the future of the Rising Sun on Kirkstall Road. This is closed at the time of writing and has a fine example of an intact Victorian interior. It is listed on CAMRA’s National Inventory of historic pub interiors.

Many other pubs are under threat and CAMRA will attempt to preserve as many as possible, but it is a huge task. Please use your local pub if you want it to stay open.

The Manor House, Otley

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.

The Manor House sits in a terrace of houses. Presumably it was once several rooms, but it’s been opened out over the years. There are still nooks and crannies to hide away in, though. There’s a real fire in the winter months, and an outdoor area for the summer. The latter doubles as a smoking zone.

On the bar are beers from Thwaites. The brewery recently renamed its mild as Nutty Black, but it’s still Dark Mild in the Manor House. Also available are the rest of the Thwaites range: Original, Wainwright and Lancaster Bomber. All are always in excellent condition.
There are plenty of reasons to call in. There are weekly quizzes and draws, various entertainment, and free nibbles are sometimes provided. Dogs are welcome, too.

The Manor House is on Walkergate in Otley. The phone number is 01943 463807.

Arcadia, Headingley

A quick mention for a second Pub of the Moment, Arcadia. This is our choice because, like New Full Measure, Arcadia has recently become bigger and better!

Arcadia has been expanded into the adjacent shop. The extension is on two levels, and provides extra seating downstairs and off the mezzanine floor upstairs. A second welcome addition is a downstairs toilet for the less mobile.

The bar itself is the same size as before, but now it’s much easier to get to as more folk are able to sit down with their drinks! The usual eight beers are on the bar, along with the selection of continental beers on draught and in bottles.

The extra seating also means that the food service times have been extended. Food is now available 12-2:30 and 5-8 on Thursdays and Fridays, 12-8 on Saturdays and 1-4 on Sundays.

Arcadia remains a welcome oasis in Headingley for those adults who fancy a drink in reasonable peace and quiet. And now more of them can join in!