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Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar, Leeds
Leeds
LS1 6HB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alex Conway left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
Whitelocks is a Leeds Institution and is regarded as the best of the four alleyway pubs of Briggate. The outside has been retained in a great old traditional style. The pub is long and thin with the bar along the back wall as you enter. The pub has maintained its old fashioned perfectly and is a real treat to visit. Old carpets, Copper topped tables and rustic beams and fixtures give this place real character. Small tables and chairs/stools are along the left hand side of the pub and are like goldust, once you have one do not let it go as these are very sought after as this place is always packed. To the right is more of a dining area with a big food trade that has built up Over the last few years but there are only around 7/8 tables as space is limited here. Aside from the wonderful interior bee is the big selling point in here and punters are greeted with a plethora of hand pulls. Landlord (£3.90) , Old Peculiar, Ilkley Mary Jane (£3.60) and Theakston Best seem to be the permanent beers with the rest constantly Rotating. The only thing that was not entirely up my street was on my last visit all the guest beers seemed to be hoppy pales or strong hoppy ipa’s with high ABV. I had a pint of the landlord (ok, not top notch but pleasant) and Mary Jane (pretty good) but couldn’t get over the fact I was charged such high prices in such a traditional old school boozer such as this, £3.60 for a 3.5% beer I thought was really pushing it whereas you expect it from Taylors but it still stings. Overall an enjoyable experience was had in here and the great ambience that comes with it makes it instantly returnable. I would like to see a bit more variety of styles on my next visit but I think I was just a little unfortunate this time. Beer is usually of good/great quality it’s just a little annoying when they know they have something good to charge what I see as unwarranted prices. But if it’s always packed and people keep paying who can blame them. Worth a visit.
On 7th March 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 459 recommendations about 459 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
I visited Whitelocks on Saturday 9th January and found it clean and tidy with a great choice of well kept beers, still the best of the Briggate alley pubs by a long long way.
On 10th January 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3599 recommendations about 3279 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
david hammill left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
not been in this fine old pub for quite a while and it was quite sad to see it in decline the place seemed dirty with brasses not polished the same with the mirrors not very clean and the beer was mediocre it could do with some TLC
On 15th December 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
Another alley pub in the heart of Leeds' retail district, Whitelock's is something of a unique experience, with its constrained narrow interior running parallel with the alleyway outside and it's old fashioned luncheon bar. The pub is named after the Whitelock family who owned and remodelled the pub in the late 1800's and the real treat with this place is that it has altered very little in the intervening years. The servery dominates the main part of the pub, running along the back wall whilst a few banquettes and low stools formed into curved booths around copper topped tables, offer a bit of seating opposite. The bar counter itself is also copper and the front of the servery has some lovely coloured tiling that only became apparent once the heaving lunchtime crowd started to disperse. There are mirrors all over the place, including some nice name plates in the doors and plenty of old brewery mirrors including a large one for Vaux Stouts with a small stained glass 'Luncheon Bar ' insert. Stained glass can also be found in plentiful supply in the front windows, again bearing the pub's name. Beyond the servery, the room opens out a little, into the dining area with mostly banquette seating, some of which had been formed into back-to-back booths. A trip up the perilous staircase to the toilets, revealed a collection of photos and newspaper clippings relating to the pub. Some of the old black and white photos show exactly how much of the original layout and features have been retained in the modern day pub.
A glance along the crowded servery revealed a decent ale selection, although after ordering and fighting our way further into the pub, a few more handpulls came into sight behind a small pillar, so it's worth making your way down the length of the servery to make sure you're not missing out on anything exciting. The options on our visit were Great Heck Citra, Abbeydale Moonshine, Acorn Gorlovka Stout and Angus IPA, Rudgate Hagar's Mash, Theakston Best Bitter, Taylor Golden Best, Ossett Silver King and Kirkstall Pale. The Citra was an excellent pint and the general consensus seemed to be that all beers sampled were on fine form.
This is a great pub that I probably didn't see the best of thanks to the cramped conditions, although this didn't really detract too much from my enjoyment. It's an alarming, but very reassuring feeling when you leave the bustle and chaos of the modern shopping precinct to be transported back in time to this old fashioned establishment and it is this precious quality that makes the pub an essential destination.
On 14th December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
Located down an alley, Whitelocks is a thin bar whose interior seems deceptively large due to a mirrored wall to the left. It is worth popping in just to look at the large copper plated bar that was constantly being wiped down by a barmaid. To the left of the bar is an attractive tiled servery, but there didn’t seem to be any food available during my Friday afternoon PuG jolly boys (and girls) outing. To the right of the bar is a seating area that was very busy so I didn’t get to have a nose. To be honest the thin bar area was also very busy so I was glad to grab a couple of minutes peace in trap one upstairs.
I can’t remember what my first pint was, but I’m pretty sure Real Ale Ray recommended a pint of Moonshine for my second pint, which was very tasty.
This pub is well worth a look.
On 11th December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
Totally agree, still one of the best watering holes to be experienced in Leeds City Centre and great to pay it another visit. Good range of Ales on and the two I tried were in very good condition. I would like to have reported what they were but I didn’t have a chance to record them and blame it on these Yorkshire folk being too bloody friendly. The invariably very busy narrow internal space of the Whitelocks makes it difficult to stand there without striking up a conversation with the locals. And by the time I’d finished explaining why I was there , what we were doing and being forced to go through the remaining target pubs on the crawl list to get the local experts view, the rest of the PuG crew had buggered off and left me, resulting in a swift exit to catch up.
On 8th December 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
I'd vote this pub one of the top 3 in Leeds City Centre. The interior consists of a lot of mirrors, which gave the impression that the pub is larger than it actually is. The servery consisted of an embellished copper plated counter, part of the counter was also finished in white marble. The front of the bar counter was finished with coloured glazed Victorian tiles. The toilets were up a narrow, steep staircase at the end of the pub. The beers were in fabulous condition and one of my favourite beers was on handpump, Abbeydale Moonshine.
On 23rd November 2013
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
Called in here last week after enjoying Leeds beer festival. It is an interesting building due to it's age, but it's location by Marks and Spencers in the main shopping area meant it was very busy, The beer was good though, and we enjoyed our Ilkley Best from their selection of real ales.
Above was in March 2012, and we were back there yesterday. Lovely busy pub with a good atmosphere. Always seems to be crowded inside but friendly staff don't keep you waiting for your beer. We chose Rudgate Hagar's Mash and Acorn Agnus IPA, both in great condition.
On 23rd November 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
Yes still a very fine pub did a releaf for Scottish and Newcastle 20 years ago here nothing changed
On 30th November 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Whitelocks First City Luncheon Bar
A long-overdue revisit found little change, and my Hambletons Nightmare Pennine Sun Stone were in very good order. Daily papers now seem to be available, which is an added bonus. In a city with plenty of choice, this is certainly a must-visit for any discerning punter.
Aug 2009
A 16th Century listed pub with a high Victorian interior décor dating from 1895 (and a luncheon room, it makes good on this promise!) located down a narrow alleyway in Turks Head Yard, off Briggate (look for a pub sign hanging above Northern Rock). Listed in CAMRA’s unspoilt interiors, it really is a feast for eyes; décor is all wood panelling, old brewery mirrors, ceramic and copper bar counter, leaded and stained glass windows, etched glass, ornate tiling, heavy velvet curtains and polished brass. The beer is also a star, with 10 handpumps dispensing a good mix of the eclectic and the familiar in Good Beer Guide condition. Prices are a bit steep, but if it helps keep the interior well-groomed then I suppose it’s a price worth paying. The floor of the bar is raised from where you stand ordering, so the staff quite literally look down on you. It’s a cosy affair inside, with space at a premium when busy due to the long narrow bar and separate dining room. As Roger notes, if you stand or sit near the bar you are subject to the underground rumblings of the cellar cooling equipment. The outside alleyway has some seating for punters and barrel tables, which is a nice old-fashioned touch. This one is a must when crawling Leeds and is best sampled off-peak.
On 28th August 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]