The Bridge Inn, Kirkstall

WiggyDiggy · Post by **WiggyDiggy** » Fri 10 May, 2013 12:35 pm

Couldnt see another thread on this....(Kirkstall Brewary are renovating the pub, currently 6-9 mnths late ATM)The scaffolding has come down and the externals look at lot cleaner, inside is still a building site with a lot of work to do. I'm still doing my bit to support this by buying KB ale whenever I can.Sadly I'll miss out on the opening as I'm moving out of the area, will miss having a summer pint in the garden by the river, complete with goats, chickens and horses to keep me company!

Post by **dsco** » Fri 10 May, 2013 12:44 pm

Sadly its been about a decade since you could enjoy a pint of beer in the garden with the goat - a series of useless landlords saw to the end of that pub a long time before it actually closed.I have also been "helping the brewery financially" Wiggy... Nice to see the scaffolding down - and is that an extension they've put on the end or have they just painted and repointed it? Certainly looks different/better.But it's great to see some (slow) progress. They have at least now written Kirkstall Brewery on the window... in the dirt... with a finger. But hey - it's a start!

WiggyDiggy · Post by **WiggyDiggy** » Fri 10 May, 2013 1:08 pm

It was open upto about late 2010 / early 2011 and I definitely have drank in it since I moved to kirkstall in 2009, but it was a grim experience. Landlord at the time had 'normal' tv on so it was like sitting in someone's lounge e.g. soaps were on I think.What I noticed when I first visited and I hope they keep/reopen is the downstairs bar, is that the extension you mean?

Post by **dsco** » Fri 10 May, 2013 2:06 pm

Sorry I should have emphasised the words 'enjoy' (as opposed to endure), 'beer' (as opposed to industrial fizzy alcopop) and should probably have mentioned 'buy' as well (they didn't take cards, didn't have a cash machine - they directed me to Morrisons in fact!) The beer garden had died a death as well, unkempt and full of flies towards the end. And as you say - telly on like you were in someone's front room, which was effectively pretty much true!The "extension" is on the front facing the road, the corner sticking out where you drive into the car park at the back. Sort of triangular jutting out thing. I think they've probably just done it up a bit, but it looks very different to my eyes - in a good way though. Don't think there was much living space before for the landlord/lady so that would be a benefit.The downstairs bar is cracking, hope they get live music happening in there again soon. Eventually I'm hoping this place will form a Holy Trinity of Kirkstall canal pubs - down to the Abbey, along to the Bridge, up to the West End, and home again. Ideal walk for dog and man alike.

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Fri 10 May, 2013 2:11 pm

I seem to remember many years ago probably in the late 40's, being taken by my Dad upstairs at the Bridge Inn to watch him play snooker. I seem to recall there was at least two tables, possibly more. Can any SL out there confirm this distant memory of the snooker-tables for me. My Dad worked at Henry Jenkinson's just around the corner.

WiggyDiggy · Post by **WiggyDiggy** » Fri 10 May, 2013 2:17 pm

@DCSOhttp://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=53.815865,-1.60468&spn=0.000006,0.00449&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.815891,-1.606546&panoid=JC_XKrBsYRO5K-Xd_TXpYQ&cbp=12,355.97,,0,-6.1I know which bit you mean, it does seem like an accommodation block - the dorma extension on the roof cant offer much.What was the downstairs bar like, it always looked great inside but was shut every time I visitedAlso - I'd add the Railway Hotel, maybe Rodley Barge to make a slightly longer crawl?@johnny39Sorry wayyy before my time, but interesting to hear of the tables.

Post by **dsco** » Fri 10 May, 2013 4:25 pm

Ah - they've taken that nasty lettering off and painted it. Looks better. Never realised there was a bar upstairs as well, way before my time too.

Post by **dsco** » Fri 10 May, 2013 4:27 pm

Good call on the Railway and the Barge by the way, they're cracking pubs as well.

WiggyDiggy · Post by **WiggyDiggy** » Mon 13 May, 2013 11:08 am

On this picture the bit on the end is only single storied, but is a shop of some kind, there's a bigger version of this in the local Morrisons that I may look at to try and see what it was.http://www.leodis.org/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

simong · Post by **simong** » Mon 13 May, 2013 1:26 pm

I assume it's still going to be the taps for Kirkstall Brewery - I think it's a project for the money side of the business and as such should be done nicely.It's had a variable career since I've been in the area. It always seemed a decent enough pub during the day but ropey at night, and subsequent landlords seemed to start well but then lose interest.