The Grove Inn, Leeds

This is a fantastic, multiple room traditional pub in a part of town that has undergone a serious amount of redevelopment, making it look rather incongruous amongst the new steel and glass buildings that now surround it. The entrance takes you into a corridor, from which you have a choice of rooms. Rather unusually, the corridor also provides access to the bar, with a sizable stretch including several handpumps running along the left hand side. The servery can also be reached from the public bar on the left hand side as you enter. This is a simple room with bare floorboards and low stool seating. A range was lit in the fireplace, making it feel nice and cosy and a few locals were already starting to fill the room out a bit on my early afternoon visit. On the right hand side of the corridor there are two small rooms, the first of which had some banquette and low stool seating with a comfy armchair in front of a large fireplace. The second room is painted red, with a much smaller fireplace and a really nice bench with an unusual curved back. The door and internal window have stained glass scenes depicting boats on the nearby canal. The largest room is at the rear, but unfortunately there was some sort of private function taking place in here which made it impossible to explore - whenever I poked my head through the doorway one of the occupants would give me a dirty look, perhaps afraid that I might pinch the ham and cress sandwiches from their buffet. Anyway, I did manage to establish that there is a good deal of seating in here and that they normally host live music on the stage at the back. Music was being played throughout my stay and was surprisingly loud considering the time of day, although this may well have been as a result of the aforementioned function. There was a great choice of ales at the bar, in the form of Leeds Frostie, Ilkley Mary Jane (£2.80), Moorhouse Lap Prancer, Pride of Pendle and Black Cat, Riverside Desert Aire and Jailbreak and Daleside Blonde. The Mary Jane was as wonderful as always and the barmaid was quick and served with a smile. A really wonderful pub that deserves to be given far more time than I had to spare. I wouldn't hesitate to call back here the next time I find myself in Leeds.