If you're watching the 12.30pm Leeds vs Liverpool match on Boxing Day and you want to escape the house, we've got the best sports bars to head over to.
With 90 players across the Premier League currently isolating with Covid-19 in the last week alone, the talk of Boxing Day matches have been proceeding with caution: at present, we know at least Leeds and Liverpool will be taking to the Anfield pitch on the 26th, as long as both teams have 13 fit-to-play players on the day.
Whether you're team Leeds or Liverpool or actually want to watch the Boxing Day Test Match taking place down under, there's plenty of places that will be opening their doors just 24 hours after Christmas for punters to enjoy a pre and post-match pint.
The Box
Image: The Box
The Box have locations in the city centre and Headingley, so you're never far from a cold pint of Budweiser or a bottle of wine. Across their three locations (they have a spot on Deansgate in Manchester too if you're heading that way this Christmas), you can grab 2-for-1 cocktails, a 20% student discount and a pornstar martinis, served by the stein.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Walkabout will be saying G'day this Boxing Day and serving up a feast whilst the Boxing Day matches play out. The Australian-themed sports bar boast space indoors and outdoors, as well as in their dedicated live sports areas, but booking is recommended to make sure you get a spot at the table before kickoff.
The Tap Room is the Beck & Call's dedicated sports room. Complete with pool table, darts and huge TV screens for all the live games, the popular watering hole have stated they will be showing the Leeds vs Liverpool game, as well Aston Villa vs Chelsea at 5.30pm an Brighton vs Brentford, but as the games continue to alter according to Covid-19 cases, it is likely this is subject to change.
The Greene King pub boast that they will be showing every premier league game live over the festive period, as well as games on Sky Sports and BT Sport. On Boxing Day, the pub will be open 11am - 11pm and serving food into the night until 9pm. Grab yourself a Boxing Day treat and kick back on Boar Lane.
The Original Oak in Headingley is a favourite for all ages, but if you're a student looking for some Boxing Day action, you'll feel quite at home at this Otley Run stop. The pub will be showing all the football over Boxing Day, including (provisionally) the Scottish Premiership, Premier League and Sky Bet Championship games.
Leeds Rhinos face Wakefield Trinity in the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge, but this year, you can watch live from Headingley Stadium from kickoff at 11.30am. Leeds Rhinos have teamed up with Our League to offer Rugby League fans around the world the chance to watch the traditional Boxing Day clash for just £4.95 from anywhere in the world- a great solution if you're isolating this Christmas or don't want to head over to the pub.
If you want to get out and about on Boxing Day but can't stand the thought of being packed into a sports bar and watching match after match, the Canary bar: a new bar and kitchen made entirely out of shipping containers, are offering an ideal alternative. Get your team maters ready for their Boxing Day pub quiz at 5pm, before singing your favourite tunes at their karaoke evening. Locally brewed beers, spirits, and signature cocktails are all part of the experience here- and the management is proud of their ability to support other local businesses, whilst providing excellent hospitality. So go on, support the new kid on the block and let out the last of that Christmas cheer in good company.
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Sophie Smith -
21st December 2021 
