11/02/19 - Flying Visit to 3 Good Beer Guide pubs in Leeds

Good Beer Guide Ticks - #363-365

Background
In my uncultured youth, I'd have a more random approach to pub visiting.   Just following my nose and stumbling on somewhere suitable.   I spent a lot of time in Leeds and always found it difficult to find traditional pubs - only ever locating All Bar One type winebars.   10 years ago, armed with my first smartphone, I lamented this problem to my wife at home.   She had friends who lived in Leeds and they told me the best pint could be found at the New Penny. 

I fired up Google Maps on my new gadget and was delighted to find out it was just around the corner.   It ticked all the right boxes - a traditional looking, busy boozer.   I found the disco lights rather disconcerting but waded in, ordered my pint and was offered a seat next to a gentleman sat at the bar.   From this vantage point, we could both see the other men having a dance in a style that could be described as "close".   Think Tango, crossed with Grind.

The same SmartPhone revealed I'd been directed to the oldest Gay bar in Leeds.   We don't have those in Worcestershire.   What a hoot!  Mrs M's friend in Leeds still laugh about it today.

These days, I complete my research before setting off.   A first visit to the City for a while left me with 90 minutes to tick off some Good Beer Guide recommended boozers near the Station.

The Scarborough Hotel, Bishopgate Street, Black Sheep

The Bible introduces this tiled gem of a place as "conveniently close to Leeds Station".   That will do for me.

More Beautifully Tiled Gems

And you don't need me to tell you the history of the place when it has its own Blue Plaque.

History Today

Inside, it's had a typically Nicholson feel, not helped by the transient nature of the guests - all waiting for trains.   It was large, airy, had four real ales on and the Black Sheep hit the mark after a day's work.

Black Sheep in Nicholson's Clothing

The Head of Steam, 13 Mill Hill, Timothy Taylor Boltmaker

Just around the corner and occupying the same building as the Scarborough hotel, this is less ornate on the exterior but far nicer on the inside.

Nearly the Shortest Pub Crawl Ever

It's a proper beer lovers wonderland inside.   As well as half a dozen handpulls, there's a large collection of Belgian and American bottles.   The Belgian is of considerable interest.   A 10% quadrupel trappe would have made the 4 hour journey back to Kidderminster flash by. 

By the way, Where is HS2?

An enthusiastic barman panicked me into an instant purchase, so I stuck with the familiar.   A perfect TT Bolt Maker enjoyed to some top indie tunes that made be think long and hard about whether to re-locate Whitelocks.

Even with a modern Smart Phone, this is not as easy as you would think.

Whitelocks, Turks Head Yard, Timothy Taylor Landlord.   And a Pie.

So even if you know where it is and have been before, you still need to approach from the correct angle of Briggate to find the entrance.

Never has a pub been so keen to hide away from the outside world.

If you are close to a Virgin Money Shop - you are nearly there

Turks Head Yard is so narrow, you cannot do the splendour justice

Inside its unchanged since 1895 and 4pm on a Monday afternoon, its possible to get a seat, even if its in the dining area.    That said, it's a long way home - so I decided to eat there.   The steak and ale pie was a unique experience.   I am unsure if a thick suet crust welded on top of a pie dish is the way that Yorkshire folk like it, but getting in with a knife and fork is certainly a challenge.

A wonderful pub, where only a couple of clandestine photos were able to be taken for sharing with you.  I was mainly trying to get at the magma below the crust.

I'm not going to lie.   15 minutes to get back to platform 11a with that and 3 pints inside me was a challenge.

The tiled window to the right is where they keep the pies.