Publican Local Focus: Leeds - Little London lives
Having spent the best part of five years as a student in Leeds, it's fair to say I know my way around a good number of the city's hostelries.
On my visit I was expecting to see lots of changes to the landscape I knew 10 years ago as a resident.
But many of my old haunts are still there, albeit now operating in a completely different economic environment.
It's clear also that Leeds can still justify its nickname of 'Capital of the North'. Walking around the city centre, the many shops, markets, restaurants, hotels and cultural attractions, such as the West Yorkshire Playhouse, all appear to be going strong.
But what of the city's pubs and bars? Though many are still standing, how are they faring in these recession-bitten times? On the whole, pretty well, it seems.
For example, at Wrens Hotel, in the Northern Quarter of the city, the tills are still ringing thanks to the mix of customers it attracts - and its eight letting bedrooms.
Licensee Dawn Edwards, a former graphic designer, is very proud of the cosmopolitan mix of her clientele. "We get opera singers, office workers, goths, it's a great mix," she says.
Trade may be holding up for the majority of operators. But one thing is very evident in Leeds: as with many city centres - the tough times have led to an outbreak of cheap offers and deals, hoping to attract cash-conscious drinkers.
Bars offering meal deals are widespread and I'm even told of one club that offers 80p drinks all night.
Dawn feels these offers are fuelling the alcohol-related issues the city still faces. "I think the reason we have problems in the city centre is there is not enough money to go around in the industry and too many bars serve people that are too drunk," she says.
Another licensee I talk to is all in favour of a minimum price to clamp down on these deals.
Of course, Leeds' pubs and bars also benefit massively from its population of 80,000 university students. And just to the north of the city are the student-heavy areas of Hyde Park and Headingley. Both have pubs that feature on student pub crawl the 'Otley Run'. The event seems to have mushroomed in popularity, and nowadays it even has its own official website and Wikipedia entry.
One man who has seen many an Otley Run in full swing is Martyn Goulding, licensee of the iconic Original Oak. But Martyn feels the famous crawl has now got "out of hand". "About five or six pubs have been added to this and we are now eighth on the list, so sometimes you have to be quite strict with people coming in," he says. "You have to remember, we don't sell sweets, we sell drink."
Overall, the city seems to be weathering the economic storm. But it is the pubs in the suburbs that are reportedly suffering. Tales of closures are more prevalent away from the bright lights of the city. A familiar tale now, up and down the country.
Dean Pugh is manager at Leeds CAMRA Pub of the Year Mr Foley's Ale House in the city's financial district. The pub is owned by Mitchell's of Lancaster.
How much will a drink cost me?
Cask ale is £2.50 upwards. One of the more expensive is Sleeman IPA - £3.90. A pint of Amstel is £2.85. A glass of white wine is £2.85. Coke is £1.50.
Do you do food?
We do homemade pub food. A steak baguette is £5.45, sausage with onions baguette £4.95, hamburger £6.45 and fresh haddock £6.95.
Who are your customers?
Monday to Friday it's office workers. In the evenings it's a mix - anyone who appreciates good drinks.
What attracts people?
The wide selection of real ale is a big draw, and we also have around 30/40 different varieties of bottled beer. People like the relaxed atmosphere. It's generally people who are willing to pay a little bit extra for a different drink.
What are the issues affecting trade in Leeds?
There's so much competition and a lot of places are doing offers. Some areas people would avoid because of the problems cheap offers cause. I think there should be a minimum price for that reason.
John Mitchell is manager at the Town Hall Tavern, the only Timothy Taylor-owned pub in Leeds city centre.
How much will a drink cost me?
Landlord is £2.50 a pint, Best Bitter is £2.30, Golden Best is £2.25 and Ram Tam £2.50. A pint of Carlsberg is £2.45. House white wine is £2.55, a Jack Daniel's and Coke is £2.30 and a Coke is £1.55.
Do you do food?
All our food is fresh and locally sourced and we only deal with local producers. Ploughman's is £6.95, homemade curry £5.95, steak & ale pie £6.50 and rump steak £8.95.
Who are your customers?
Monday to Friday it's business people - insurance workers and chartered surveyors, but also locals and regulars. We get some students, but mainly the more mature ones who appreciate their beer.
What attracts people?
It's the good-quality beer, the food and the atmosphere. We're a rugby pub, we have Sky, but not music.
What are the issues affecting trade in Leeds?
The recession. A lot of firms near us have laid off staff, so that's affecting our lunch trade. People seem to be more inclined to just grab a sandwich and head back to the office.
Dawn Edwards is lessee at the Punch Taverns-owned Wrens Hotel in the Northern Quarter of the city centre. The pub also has eight letting rooms.
How much will a drink cost me?
Timothy Taylor Landlord is £2.80, Deuchars IPA is £2.65 and Old Rosie cider is £2.90. A pint of Carlsberg Export is £2.80. A glass of pinot grigio is £3.25, a vodka and mixer is £2.50 and a Coke is £1.30.
Do you do food?
We do well-priced, hearty pub grub and all of it is homemade. We are a boozer really, not a food pub. But we do burger & chips (£5), goats' cheese & red onion tart (£5.50) and steak & ale pie (£5.90).
Who are your customers?
It's a very mixed bag. Theatre-goers, theatre crew and cast, opera singers, office workers and locals. We also get a lots of goths come in on Friday nights for a pre-club drink.
What attracts people?
We have some well-kept real ales. We also have five rums and three bourbons. I think having a zero-tolerance policy on idiots also helps. And we have staff who have been with us a long time, which people seem to appreciate.
What are the issues affecting trade in Leeds?
There's a lot of competition in the city centre and I think a lot of the managed houses are under a lot of pressure, which can mean that a lot of people get served who are too drunk. I would rather have 10 people in here who were behaving than lots more people who weren't.
Martyn Goulding is manager at Mitchells & Butlers' flagship pub the Original Oak in Headingley, home to many of the city's students.
How much will a drink cost me?
Carlsberg is £2.15 a pint, Stella is £2.80, Foster's £2.35. Beck's is £2.70 for a bottle. A glass of Blossom Hill is £1.75. A double Smirnoff and mixer is £2.99 and a Sex on the Beach is £3.09.
Do you do food?
We do a wide range of food, offering good value. A BLT is £3.69, steak and ale pie £2.99, lasagne £2.99 and slow-cooked belly pork £6.69. A mixed grill is £6.99.
Who are your customers?
We run the pub for the whole of the community, but our customers are predominantly students. We are a big sports pub, so a lot of university sports clubs use us. And we are not far from the crick
