The Owl, Leeds

Now reopened but perhaps not as it was in its glory days. A public and a lounge bar rarity, public to the right with a pool table, tile floor, and mid height bench seating. The lounge is furnished to a more comfortable standard and is darker lit, it has tables and chairs and there’s a conservatory and a patio with a sloping garden at the back. Three pulls in each bar, the same two beers in both, St Austell Proper Job and Ossett Blonde. There’s a T bar of five lagers and ciders, nothing out of the ordinary. Rather poor beer quality on both casks although the landlady recognised this and changed the Ossett, she later on offered a replacement for the Proper Job even tracking me down in the garden to make the offer, which I rate as good service.

An attractive and welcoming village local, The Owl is a very friendly place to enter and it was all but impossible not to strike up a conversation when ordering a beer. This wasn't overwhelming, just genuinely friendly. Although a fair chunk of the lounge area is laid for eating and the restaurant is clearly popular, there is also a strong focus on ale with knowledgable staff more than willing to offer advice and tasters. Ales on when we visited were: Black Sheep, TT Landlord, Saltaire Five Rise Pale, Moorhouse Black Cat, Partners Tabatha, Off Beat Way Out Wheat and Raspberry Way Out Wheat. A fine range of local regional and micro beers. Everything we went for was in tip top condition and expertly served. This is where I'd head if in Rodley, and if not then it's certainly worth a detour.

A substantial stone building opposite The Rodley Barge,to the right of the entrance is a public bar with pool table and large flat screen while to the left is a carpeted lounge with a long banquette ,circular tables and stools,smaller screen and it's own bar access on the otherside.The lounge leads onto a restaurant section with it's own door to a fairly large garden .The food was proving popular and expertly served by the no nonscence landlady.We were there only for the beer and on seeing more handpumps on the lounge side ,decided to base ourselves there.The barman,despite wearing a Greene King sweatshirt,was very knowledgeable about his seven handpump selection and was extremely friendly,as were the locals who engaged us in pleasant conversation.Dotted around the interior were owl miscellany without being overdone,and there was light background musak playing. The condition and variety of the ale on offer during our trip was top notch ,and this pub fully deserves it's 2012 GBG entry,there is also a 10p per pint CAMRA discount,the only one in Leeds we were told. We were offered unusual and attractive glass tankards to drink from and the Wheat Beer from Offbeat Brewery proved as good a pint as those supped in serveral GBG regulars in Leeds city the previous night. Lots of banter with the barman,a friendly local well used by a cross section of the community,this is a pub well worth seeking out and spending time exploring their ale range.I will most certainly return when next in the area.