SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Not so long ago, I was coming back to Leeds for a family funeral. Wanting to make a bit of an event of it, I rang an old mate and enticed him away from his wife for an evening on the beer. "Where shall I meet you?" Well, after going through several places, and me not knowing any of them, I finaly asked if the Scabby Taps was still around [and still known by the same name] having been assured that it was, that was where we met. We went on to drink in lots of other places, all of which had been there when I still lived in Leeds but were, by then, known by other names. Ah well, thanks God for the Scabby Taps.

I believe the origin of 'taps' is described on the back of the menu in the pub. If I remember right its says its something to do with the back room music hall they used to have ie tap dancers?

LS13 wrote: I believe the origin of 'taps' is described on the back of the menu in the pub. If I remember right its says its something to do with the back room music hall they used to have ie tap dancers? I suspect that anything to do with tap dancers is or was a joke. The origin of 'taps' is I suspect the rather mundane one of a 'tap room' -particularly if the original hotel had a tap-room that was open to all not just residents.

I remember when beer was sometimes 2p cheaper in some pub's tap-rooms. In others, there was even an unwritten rule whereby it was men only. On Sunday lunchtimes in the White Cross, Pudsey, bread and mucky dripping, pieces of pork pie and raw black pudding slices were served gratis in the tap-room. Nice.    

Si wrote: I remember when beer was sometimes 2p cheaper in some pub's tap-rooms. In others, there was even an unwritten rule whereby it was men only. On Sunday lunchtimes in the White Cross, Pudsey, bread and mucky dripping, pieces of pork pie and raw black pudding slices were served gratis in the tap-room. Nice.     When I worked at the Manson in Crossgates [and I left there in '89] the beer was cheeper in the "tap 'ole" then it was in the lounge. Women were allowed in but even I can remember when the Station in crossgates excluded women from the tap room. In my current pub, the King William IV, Hampstead, very few women come in and it's a bit of a bonus. The fact that all the men are "good with colours" is besides the point.........

I wonder how widespread the use of the word "Taps" to describe a pub is. Apart from the Scarbrough and Headingley ones, there is the Ilkley Taps (a recent use of the word, I think) and there used to be a Melbourne Taps in Otley. Anyone know of any others?

I Lived in LUTON(Exile!) in the 60's, The pub at the top of George Stwas called the 'Brewery Taps'. Apart from 'Wicket' style pumps onthe counter,they had Strong ale, 'Dragon's Blood' and'IPA' etc, in casks on trestles at the back. The casks had Brass Taps to draw the ale. The brewery then, was 'Flowers' and it was nearly as good as 'Tets'. Of course,Whitbread's 'bought out' Flower's later. I believe the main brewery of Flower's was InStratford on Avon and they had William Shakespeare as oneof their Logo's on pumps and bottles.Hope that's of some interest!ArryPS there's always Deolali (Doolally)tap,which you could getdrinking too much Tetley's!Shut up!

Si wrote: I wonder how widespread the use of the word "Taps" to describe a pub is. Apart from the Scarbrough and Headingley ones, there is the Ilkley Taps (a recent use of the word, I think) and there used to be a Melbourne Taps in Otley. Anyone know of any others? The nearest pub to a brewery is often referred to as the 'Brewery Tap' - Ive heard it applied to the Adelphi - and I believe the Bridge at Kirkstall was referred to as a 'Brewery Tap' in the days of Kirkstall/Duttons/Whitbread. There was a pub in Idle next to the old Trough Brewery called the'Brewery Tap' - I think it might still be there, although the brewery, sadly, has closed.

There's a pub chain called 'Tap and Spile'.I haven't seen one in Leeds but there's one in York,Harrogate and Whitby.

In Leeds the "tap and spile" is what became of chaplins on the Georgian arcade of t' Merrion Centre. Sadly the powers that be would not renew its lease about 10 years ago and to my knowledge its been vacant ever since. tap in this case along with spile was more to do with parophanalia related to brewing rather than the room.on another note. I had always believed the Adelphi to be the brewery tap. however as I understand it that is reserved for the pub on site and as discussed on another thread there was a pub more on site of Tets brewery than t'Adelphi