There’s so much going on that it’d be impossible to pin it all down. You’ll want to find your own homes-from-home… but here are some great places to start!
In the city centre
The Dry Dock is a big ‘boat’ in the middle of a traffic island, right by the College, beloved of students! In summer, it opens its top deck so you can sit outside.
The Library is student pub—it’s very close to several colleges, including ours (and if your mobile rings, you can quite truthfully say you can’t talk: you’re ‘in the Library’!)
Norman Bar is delightfully quirky and gets away with mixing antiques with the very contemporary. The food takes its inspiration from Asia; the DJs from funk.
North Bar is a dinky little place—their art exhibitions change every 6 weeks, and they even invite you to show yours!
Sela Bar is in a city-centre basement (‘cellar’, geddit?): don’t miss the tucked-away entrance! Tiny, with a great atmosphere—especially when there’s live music.
The Wardrobe is a standard city-centre favourite: grown-up, but cool. Leeds girl Corinne Bailey Ray played there before she made it huge—and still does. Good food, lots of space, lots of pre-theatre deals (the West Yorkshire Playhouse is close by).
In residential areas
The Box, Headingley, is fairly new and has a great contemporary-yet-cosy feel. There are three American-sized pool tables, big screens for music videos and sports, and an American-style diner.
The Brudenell Club, also in Hyde Park, is most famous for hosting secret gigs for bands like Franz Ferdinand and the Kaiser Chiefs. Becoming a ‘friend’ of the club (£2.50 a year!) gets you access to another bar, the games room (with pool at just 40p a game) and more.
The Faversham, next to the Leeds Uni campus, attracts lots of students. The food is good, and free membership gets you exclusive discounts and offers: advance info on gigs, discounted entry to club nights and special events, and offers from their sister venues, The HiFi Club, Wire, and Art’s Café Bar and Restaurant.
The Fenton is a student pub very close to Leeds Uni—live music most nights, 2 TVs, a pool table, digital jukebox, Gamesnet. Great friendly atmosphere, and real ale if you want it.
The Original Oak, in Headingley, brings in students as well as fans from the nearby cricket and rugby grounds. There are plenty of screens for watching sports; barbecues in the world-famous beer garden every summer; comedy every Thursday; and great roasts on a Sunday.
The Primrose, in the Sheepscar/Meanwood area, is small but perfectly formed—very casual, with a growing reputation for live music.
The Skyrack must be Headingley’s most famous pub—the second home of home students since time immemorial. Recently refurbished, its a pub of two halves; one side trad, one side contemporary.
