Headingley Pubs
1. Woodies – Traditional(ish) style but main target clientele are students and this place is usually the first port of call for the infamous ‘Otley Run’ so expect to see groups of 18-23 year olds in all manner of fancy dress. Pool table and Big screen and average beer prices and usual chain owned selection.
2. The Three Horseshoes – a bit more ‘trendy’ than Woodies but much of the same. During the day does home-cooked food but there much better eateries in Headingley.
3. The New Inn – In the same chain of pubs as Woodies so much the same. Food served up to 8:00pm and a very small bar so can take time getting served but has a couple of benches outside and on a hot summers day can be nice to sit outside with a pint and watch the world (students) go by.
4. Arcadia – Situated in the 60’s style Arndale Centre Arcadia offers the largest selection of real ales and unusual beers in the area – but you’re going to pay for the obscurity. This is not one of the stops on the ‘Otley Run’ so you won’t find yourself queuing at the bar stood between a ninja turtle and Batman. Does have a wiff of wet dog though.
5. Citrus - Started life as a café and has evolved into a bar/restaurant – another bar that is usually missed by the hordes of ridiculously dressed students. A contemporary style bar with the upper floor being a pool hall.
6. The Headingley Taps – One of the bigger pubs in Headingley and gets busy on match days being a short walk the Kirkstall Lane entrance of Headingley Stadium. As with most pubs in the area, food is served through the day but you’d be pushed to tell the difference between them.
7. Arc – The first of the ‘new generation’ cocktail bars that sprung up before the Headingley Residents Committee managed to get their objections lodged with the council. Fashionable, expensive and like most places in Headingley offers food. This is not your usual student pub and wouldn’t look out of place in the city centre. It has a cocktail bar and is open until 12:30am.
8. Trio – Upstairs is a restaurant and damn fine fodder too but expect to pay for it. Downstairs is a swanky bar that sells expensive beers and extravagant cocktails. Open till the small hours and not usually frequented by pre-match drinkers.
9. Box – Operated by the folk who own Trio and Arc so kind of in the same theme but a little more ‘down to earth’. Does ok food but nothing special. Pool tables and bar upstairs big screen downstairs with T.V’s showing Sky Sports on virtually every flat surface. Popular for the pre-match pint.
10. The Skyrack – By far the most famous and one of the largest pub in Headingley. This place gets rammed pre-game with a friendly mix of both home and away fans. Famed as being a Rugby League pub (main down to the landlady’s husband) as it is a stones throw from the St. Michaels Lane entrance and on a hot day you can sit outside in the sunshine an enjoy a clod pint and a BBQ’d burger. The ‘rack’ boasts 3 large screens with a large scattering of T.V’s so you won’t miss a second while you’re taking a trip to the bar.
11. The Original Oak - Traditional style pub over two floors with a huge (ex-bowling green) beer garden but don’t expect any tradition beers, the target market these days are students and the style and décor reflect this. Another large pub and situated directly opposite the Skyrack and as such is in direct competition so the two places are similar in most ways. If the Skyrack is busy and they’re queuing outside the door pop over the road – you’ll hardly notice the difference anyway.
