The Hop, Leeds

I've been to this Hop before, but probably before I started reviewing pubs, and the Hop that used to be in Sheffield (a couple of times) and the one in Wakefield (several times), and I can't say I've been impressed with any of them. Partly this is because I find Ossett beers a bit samey and mostly not to my taste, but my recent visit here brought it home to me that it's just not my type of pub. It occupies an interesting space near where the River Aire plunges down through a channel beneath Leeds City station and out into the Aire & Calder Navigation. But there's little sense of this once in the pub, which is impersonal and noisy, but not with the invigorating rush of white water. OK, I seem to have been here at a quiet time, but you've got to ask yourself, why is North Brewery Tap busy, why are people going in to Whitelocks and the Duck & Drake, why was I almost the only customer here at 8:30 of a Wednesday evening in high summer. It may seem a bit harsh, but to me this pub is a waste of what should be an interesting space.

Official site of The Hop - thehopleeds.co.uk

Official site of The Hop - thehopleeds.co.uk

This relatively new Osset house is set under the railway arches in Granary Wharf but has been done out in reasonably traditional fashion. There are plenty of detailed descriptions so I'll keep it brief. It was busy on our Friday evening visit with assorted after work drinkers and this is clearly a popular spot but it's a decent size and plenty were taking advantage of the outside space so it never felt overwhelming. Service was also swift and efficient despite the high demand. Beers on were largely from the wider Osset stable: Osset Big Red, Yorkshire Blonde, Silver King and Jester, Rat White Rat and Number of the Rat with guests being Wimbledon Common, Vocation Chop and Change and Jennings Cocker Hoop with two handpumps unused. That's plenty to go at and the Chop and Change was in very good shape and whistled down. Well worth a visit.

The Hop is a newish pub that is situated under railway arches. Once inside there is an oblong shaped room which has a tiled floor,there is a mix of seating types all in use on my Saturday evening visit,so i propped the bar up,there is also some more seating upstairs. The pub is an Ossett brewery tied house,there was a very good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Rat rat Attack which went down well,the other beers noted were Ossett Yorkshire Blonde,Excelsior,Silver King,Blonde,Gold and Bad Co Comfortably Numb. This is a decent pub,i would have been happier visiting it during the day when it is less busy. Pub visited 13/2/2016