a trip to Headingley's new Wetherspoon pub.
For a long time the old girls school on Headingely lane stood derelict. Now it’s a flashy new Wetherspoons where residents and students alike are happy to get their drank on.
After rumours surfacing well over a year ago of the old Elinor Lupton centre being redeveloped and turned into a spoons, a lot of local residents were slightly unhappy. However, after a £4.1 million pound cash injection, the new ‘spoons, named The Golden Beam opened it’s doors to punters on Tuesday, the 8th of June. We took a trip down there to see what the crack was.
The queue we were faced with on entry.
Upon arrival the first thing everyone noticed was the length of the queue. Despite the fact that the building stood tall and extravagant over everybody’s heads the only thing that really mattered, at least to me and my mates, was how long we’d be stood outside for. Our throats parched, desperate for a drop of that sweet amber nectar as the midday June sun pounded down on our heads, we watched as the bouncers slowly ushered groups in.
Soon it was our turn, the gatekeeper asked how many of us there were. “Just five of us mate,” we said. Hoping that our new found friend would find us one of the more highly regarded tables which would sit us outside of the new watering hole. “Outside’s full, but we can sit you inside,” he returned. Begrudgingly we accepted the compromise, and followed one of the bar staff to the table.
The interior as we walked through was quite spectacular. Not to arse lick Tim Martin, but they really had done a fantastic job of the place. Considering the place stood practically abandoned for almost 20 years, and the fact that Wetherspoons isn’t the sort of place
you’d associate to be a public house of decadent drinking, you wouldn’t be surprised if the place received a Michelin star purely for how the inside of the place looked.
Main bar area, proper big.
Aerial view of main bar area.
As we walked through what felt like miles of corridors to our table, across the massive 8,000 square feet of space the venue offered. I couldn’t help but be reminded of The Shining and that scene where Danny is riding his trike through the hotel. With the chandeliers and plush carpets, and even some organ looking thing in one of the corners, it didn’t feel like much of a Wetherspoons.
The corridor which gave me shining vibes.
Organ thing.
Eventually we got to our table. Swiftly we opened our apps and ordered our drinks.
Considering the place had only been open for a morning, service was pretty sharp. Pints arriving within about ten minutes. Considering we expected a lot longer due to how rammed the place was, it was a welcome and pleasant surprise.
Eventually a few our seals were beginning to loosen up. One by one we flocked to the toilet. Each of us returning with the same comments to be made about our experience in said water closet.
Wow. Those toilets were amazing. Roomy, well-lit and even though it was only the opening day, hygienically outstanding. My only improvement would have been a toilet attendant offering deodorant and aftershave, but we can’t always have it all, can we?
During my trip to the loo I’d even met a young lad who had cemented himself in the history books of the place already. Never catching his name, he described to me how he’d stayed up all night and came to the spoons at 8am, buying the first shot the pub ever did sell.
After a while our feet became itchy and we craved for a spot in the sought after beer garden. One phone rang, and a friend who had gone for a cigarette explained how there was a free table outside. Pints in hand we went for it.
The new beer garden.
Some lights which were definitely worth a pic'.
Although there was sick on the floor next to the table, we sat down. Blissfully sipping away as the evening sun began to set. Until waiting times for drinks went up to an hour and we all got fed up. Regardless of this however, it still was a really enjoyable experience.
We gave this trip, a solid 8 out of 10.
Article by Charles Reeve
