The Bankers Cat, Leeds

The Banker's Cat is situated in what is clearly a very busy area for drinking on a Saturday evening. As with most pubs and bars around, there was a bouncer on the door. All of the bouncers we met were friendly though, including here. At least we got into this one, unlike the Friends of Ham and Bundobust which were both fully booked. Being a Thornbridge pub, this felt similar in atmosphere to their pub in Birmingham (the Colmore). Similar to that one, there was also lots of dark wood and it felt lacking in light in some places. The central bar is quite traditional. With all tables taken when we arrived, we propped up the bar for a while, until one became free. Looking at the last review, I'm glad we didn't try searching for the toilets. The disabled toilet next to the bar was much more convenient. Jaipur, Astryd & Lord Marples are the regular Thornbridge beers here on cask. In addition, they had Brother Rabbit, Brock & Crackendale, alongside Oakham Citra. There were plenty of craft beers on too. I enjoyed my Brock. Another new pub visited in Leeds City Centre for me and certainly one of the best 2 of the day.

Facebook page of The Bankers Cat - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Bankers Cat - www.facebook.com

A quick visit between arriving in Leeds and catching a bus out to Bardsey, so I was glad to find the service efficient and the test & trace log in seamless, with a QR code on a table just inside the door. I was ushered to a table away from sight of the pump clips, of which there were five on the eight hand pumps arrayed on the handsome dark wood bar (with brass rails for elbows and feet). The server had to keep turning towards them as he strove to remember what was on, which makes it difficult to hear when wearing a mask. Brother Rabbit, Astryd and Lord Marples were all I could remember from my brief glimpse on the way back from the toilet a few minutes later, though I also saw Lukas on keg and I guess Jaipur would have been on in one form or another. Of the three named, I know I've been unimpressed with two of them in the past, so went for the third, which was Astryd, a pale and slightly hazy beer that wasn't to my taste though it was well kept and served. Payment is at the bar rather than using a mobile card terminal, but otherwise table service was very good. The interior is superb, with parquet floor throughout, and a wood panelled ceiling. Toilets are downstairs and initially well signed, but on arrival in a room with about six doors marked Private it's disconcerting to then eventually find one labelled Toilets in an unsuspected corner.

Covid Special They ask to take your card away for payment, err excuse me? No way! I paid at the bar. Pick a table but no T&T other than your card. Table service only. Quiet on my visit.

Visitors to York’s Market Cat will experience a certain amount of deja vu on entering here. The layout and dark wood are very much the same, eight high quality beers on cask plus a range of interesting kegs. Beers are of course from Thornbridge with half from other well regarded breweries. Decor is architectural drawings and portraits of what I take to be bankers. Toilets in basement next to the former vault which also has a couple of seating areas.