pictures of the woodway hotel, vesper road, hawksworth

alexktilson · Post by **alexktilson** » Sat 19 Jan, 2008 12:27 am

Hi, im alex, the last manager of the woodway hotel, on vesper road, hawksworth. I was the manager there for deepside a small pub company, back in 1998, I have some intresting memories of the woodway, it was a lets say one of the wildest pubs i have managed, and the most difficult to manage. (been in my mid 20's at the time), im now 34 and running a town centre pub in banbury. I would like to know if anyone has any pictures of the woodway.I remember the woodway was a very big pub, two bar operation, there was a disused tap room, (the gents toilets had a problem with drainage from the urinals, they discharged into the cellar, as the pipe work was corroded hence the tap room was never used due to this), so trading took place in the lounge / entertainment bar, this room was tatty, with flock wall paper, 1970's seating, and lighting, but it looked good on a friday night with the disco light's flashing. The cellar's were huge, they ran the full lengh and width of the pub, with communal showers and changing rooms below the pub, as in the woodways day it had its own rugby team. (they were creapy as the lighting never worked in part of the cellar). the size of the living quarters were a supprise to me when i moved in, 7 double bedrooms, dining room, lounge, kitchen, office, laundry room, bathroom and seperate toilet, and also a roof terrece over the function room. I have some good and bad memories about the woodway, i guess most of it is down to the pub company who leased the woodway, basically they never invested in the pub, to improve the decoration or attempt to rebrand it, which it needed both, on my last visit to leeds, i had a drive upto the woodway, and saw it closed and boarded up, half the roof had collapsed, and it looked fire dammaged, that was disheartening to see, i now understand that a block of flats stand on the woodway hotel site??, all i can say is shame on the pub company, for letting that happen. as i mention, if anyone has any pics of the woodway i would love to see them. Alex Tilson. my email is [email protected]

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Sat 19 Jan, 2008 3:53 pm

Not exactly a picture of the pub but http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sat 19 Jan, 2008 10:37 pm

Woodway had a Rugby League team in the Leeds and District League for years.

alexktilson · Post by **alexktilson** » Sat 19 Jan, 2008 10:54 pm

The Parksider wrote: Woodway had a Rugby League team in the Leeds and District League for years. I remember a few customers told me about the rugby team at the woodway, i dont know when the rugby team finished with the woodway, but i remember that the communal showers in the cellar worked whilst i was there.

alexktilson · Post by **alexktilson** » Sat 19 Jan, 2008 11:00 pm

buffaloskinner wrote: Not exactly a picture of the pub but http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL thanks for that intresting picture, when was it taken, as i dont ever remember a road signage for the pub near the railway bridge, there was a sign directly outside the woodway. the woodway remained a john smiths house, (magnet) untill the day it closed, I would guess the picture to be roughly taken in the mid 1900's, as i think the woodway was built towards the end of the 1800's, as had really high ceiling's in the living quarters, and quiet a lot of period mouldings in the trade rooms and living quarters

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 12:57 am

when first leaving school,i worked for ernest ward the butcher on richmond hill,i worked with a lad called daz from hawkworth,his brother had the 'sausages' dog on thats life,he used to sing a little ditty about the woodway.....'they say that in the woodway the beer is very fine..you drink a pint of bitter,you think it's turpentine'....his words,not mine....just thinking about that job,our foreman's sister was the girl on the birds eye beefburger ads...i know all the stars me y'no!

alexktilson · Post by **alexktilson** » Thu 24 Jan, 2008 12:47 am

wiggy wrote: when first leaving school,i worked for ernest ward the butcher on richmond hill,i worked with a lad called daz from hawkworth,his brother had the 'sausages' dog on thats life,he used to sing a little ditty about the woodway.....'they say that in the woodway the beer is very fine..you drink a pint of bitter,you think it's turpentine'....his words,not mine....just thinking about that job,our foreman's sister was the girl on the birds eye beefburger ads...i know all the stars me y'no! yeah thanks for that bit of information it is very informative. not.