Woodside, Leeds

Be careful crossing the road if you're visiting here and not staying in the Ibis Budget hotel upstairs, because the traffic whizzes round at a tremendous lick a few metres from the door. If I hadn't known, this is the last place I'd have expected to find real ale in Leeds, but in fact there are three hand pumps, serving three locally produced ales. Two were from Little Valley (near Hebden Bridge) and one was from Wharfe Bank. The latter brewery is situated in Ilkley, and their VPA does not take its name from Very Pale Ale, as the barman told me with authoritative tones, but from Verbeia, a Roman goddess whose only known altar was found in that West Yorkshire town. Whatever the origins, it was a very nice beer - I was given a taste after I had already bought a half of the Little Valley Sixpence. Both beers were in good condition and well served, though a little on the cold side. How pleasant to find good quality ales in what to outward appearances is just an ordinary hotel bar. And at a fairly standard (for Leeds) £3.10 a pint. Opens at 12 noon on weekdays, but 10 am at the weekend.