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Detail Pages
The Fleece, Otley
Otley
LS21 3DT
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Tunnicliffe left this review about The Fleece Hotel
Like Malcolm, as another local I was also keen to see what could be done to revive 'The Fleece', once one of the 'places to be' in Otley. The interior is great; they've retained the character whilst ditching the awful decor, replaced an small and indifferent drinks range with a great selection of beers and turned the beer garden from a pig sty to an beautiful lawned area. Unfortunately I also became quickly aware of the flaws behind the facade; a Sunday lunch 'vegetarian option' that consisted of an extra Yorkshire pudding, lots of staff yet poor service and a general sense of disorganisation. They want to attract their neighbours in, but feel they need a bouncer; they have a great beer garden, but don't want families in it after 7pm, yet strangely they'll let families in to the pub itself... as long as you guarantee to order food before 8pm (and eat it before 9pm). This all assumes they don't run out of food, which also seems to be a recurrent problem. Other local friends giving 'The Fleece' a first try were told on Bank Holiday Monday that they couldn't order food 45 minutes before the end of 'service' as the pub couldn't guarantee getting the food out in time... These people had walked past the newly opened, Market Town Taverns 'Horse and Farrier' and the newly reopened 'Black Horse' in order to reach The Fleece! Surely, defeat has been snatched from the jaws of victory.
On 26th April 2011
- rating: 1
[User has posted 4 recommendations about 3 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malcolm Hendrickson left this review about The Fleece Hotel
As a local resident I was keen to check out the newly re-vamped fleece. First impression are good. Clearly a large amount of time, effort and money has gone into the re-vamp. The array of beers and ales on offer is good, the extensive landscaping of the riverside beer garden has produced a pleasant and open space. Sadly that's where the good news ends. The member of staff, a certain Scottish gentleman, I had a mis-pleasure of dealing with wasn't simple rude he clearly displayed an outright contempt for his customers. Putting that to one side the bad news continues, my party ordered a selection of food, 4 meals in total, and not one of us was happy. The "Wing, and Nachos" would be better described as "rubbery chicken and some burnt doritos swimming in cheese and grease". The "Bowl of Chips" transforms into 5 chips... everything is served on small narrow chopping boards, a clear attempt at fooling you into think your £2.50 worth of food is actually high-class contemporary cuisine - I can only assume to justify the £9 price tag. Everyone agreed the money would have been better spent on a sandwich from waitrose accross the road. In short a bold attempt at re-inventing a local pub with everything going for it, shamefully let down, badly at the final hurdle. We can only hope changes are made quickly.
On 8th April 2011
- rating: 1
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
aleand hearty left this review about The Fleece Hotel
According to the Leeds CAMRA online newsletter, The Fleece re-opened on the 17th March. There are now six WharfeBank beers at the bar, plus a guest ale. The interior has been modified to create three distinct areas and the riverside beer garden has undergone major development.
On 4th April 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 583 recommendations about 565 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Fleece Hotel
A Punch Taverns pub now (Feb 2011) being refurbished and is leased to the Wharfbank Brewery. Apparantly this is the first time Punch have leased a pub free of a cask ale tie.
On 4th February 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3275 recommendations about 2982 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malcolm Glaister left this review about The Fleece Hotel
Pub has reopened and is currently doing reasonably well
[admin note: marked as open 06/02/2010]
On 6th February 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 18 recommendations about 17 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Joey Deacon left this review about The Fleece Hotel
The Fleece is now another closed Pub...
On 18th April 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3 recommendations about 3 pubs]