The Lamb & Flag, Leeds

This is a relatively new, multiple room pub operated by the Leeds Brewery in the shadow of Leeds Minster. The pub has very bland gastro styling of the sort I don’t really associate with other Leeds Brewery pubs that I’ve been to, making it feel a bit bland and sad, especially when visited during a very quiet period, as was the case with our visit. You enter into a very plain bare boarded room with a compact servery in the rear left corner providing the only real form of visual distraction. Some decent seating was available around the perimeter of the room, but it all felt a bit empty and devoid of interest. This angular room gives way to a small side room to the right – another characterless space with a few more tables and chairs – whilst a door to the rear leads you through to a small rear patio with fine views to the Minster. On a hot summer’s day such as when we visited, most customers had taken their drinks out here and were perched on the Minster wall catching the last sliver of sun before the pub’s shadow blotted out the last rays. There is one final room to the rear which looked like it might normally be used as a more formal dining space, but there were at least a few pleasant art prints on the walls here – something the whole pub could do with a great deal more of. Five Leeds beers – Best, Pale, Midnight Bell, American Pale and Yorkshire Gold – were supplemented by guests in the form of Exit 33 Thirst Aid Pale, Camerons Fridge Magnet Pale Ale and Brass Castle Misfit. I tried the latter and found it a little lacking in flavour but kept perfectly well. The staff seemed really nice but didn’t seem to have a lot to do in their spotless, empty pub. Despite being open for a few years now, I felt this place still hadn’t bedded in very well and you could’ve told me it opened that week and I would’ve believed you. The decent beer and nice location make it worth investigation but it’s not really in the top tier of Leeds pubs in its current incarnation.

Fine Leeds Brewery pub, close by (but never connected with) a former brewery just along The Calls. Two banks of four handpumps, the first offering their own Leeds Pale and Best, Yorkshire Gold (£3.75) and Midnight Bell and the second for the guest beers: two from Ilkley, one from Roosters and Cameron Road Crew (also available in the keg version). Attractively refurbished (albeit in something of a gastro-pub style that won't appeal to everyone, with an uncluttered layout in the irregularly-shaped bar but there is also further seating at first-floor level. Another plus is the patio beer garden in a calm spot beside by the minster churchyard.

The Lamb & Flag is a Leeds brewery tied house that was converted from other use. Once inside there is a curved room which has a tiled floor,the seating normal tables and chairs and some settees,there is also an upstairs drinking area. There was a good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Leeds Best which went down well,the other Leeds beers noted were Pale and Midnight Bell,i noted a few guest beers Thornebridge Lord Marples and Thornebridge Hopton. Background music was playing and the pub was very busy on my early Saturday evening visit. I quite liked this pub. Pub visited 20/8/2016

This in my opinion is the flagship of the leeds brewerie pubs top notch beer spot on in fact very nice cheers

My Monday afternoon visit found a different pub from the one visited and described by my esteemed colleagues below. Although this is a lovely old building, and I applaud it being put to good use by Leeds Brewery, my notes made at the time describe it as being at the pretentious end of the scale, with prices to match. There were four Leeds beers and three guests, and I apid £1.80 for a half of Midnight Bell. I took my beer upstairs, as I didn't feel comfortable in the almost deserted bar. The second bar had been requisitioned for a private party (on a Monday afternoon?), so I made use of a table on the landing at the top of the stairs, with a view of the neighbouring church yard. Call me an old grouch, but this didn't feel very pub-like to me. Date of visit: 23rd November 2015

Great atmosphere in here on our Sundy, early evening visit. Two storeys with a beer garden at the rear and also a beer terrace one the first floor that overlooks the cathedral yard. Flag floors downstairs and a bit mininalist in the main bar area. There are paintings on the walls eleswhere and upstairs, many of which are for sale. 8 handpumps on the downstairs bar with several Leeds beer and two or three guests. My pint was in very good nick and Ms CAMRA enjoyed the red wine. The chatty barman allowed me to have a taste of another beer even though I'd already bought my pint. I an see us visiting here again and again.