Leeds oldest pub has been granted new historic protection status in acknowledgment of its important cultural status in the city.
A fixture in the city for over 300 years, Whitelock's Ale House is loved by locals and tourists alike for its great selection of beers and cosy drinking nooks.
Now, the hidden boozer has been given the second-highest historical protection status possible - acknowledging its status as a surviving upmarket Victorian “luncheon bar”.
On the advice of Historic England, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has upgraded the pub to Grade II* - putting it in the top 5.8% of protected historic buildings in England.
It is one of just two historic UK pubs to be upgraded to Grade II*, the other being the Victorian Prince Alfred in Maida Vale, London.
First licensed back in 1715 as The Turk’s Head, Whitelock’s has witnessed countless key moments of local record.
Image: Whitelock's
Image: Whitelock's
Image: Whitelock's
The pub still boasts has its 1895 interior decorative scheme, as well as a number of striking period features.
Described by poet John Betjeman as “the Leeds equivalent of Fleet Street’s Old Cheshire Cheese and far less self-conscious,” it has been a favourite rendezvous for many guests of note over the years.
The pub received royal approval when Prince George (later Duke of Kent) entertained a party in a curtained-off section of its restaurant and was known as a popular haunt for stars of the stage in days gone by.
The pub was also recently named as one of the cosiest in Britain acrroding the Mail on Sunday’s hotlist.
The roaring flames from the fire heat up the bar area and offer the perfect place for dogs to curl up to after a long day in the city: creating the perfect laid-back atmosphere for all ages.
Whitelocks has a long history of serving customers a range of ever-changing dishes, including their famed Sunday roast, each paired with a careful selection of ales and wines.
Image: Whitelock's
Tucked away off the high street, Whitelocks is a true hidden gem, although given its popularity, it is more likely Leeds worst kept secret.
A considered selection of ales and wines are paired with home-cooked food, all sourced from the local area, are just some of the little touches that make this public house feel like home.
Feature image - Whitelock's Ale House
News
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
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.”
Leeds Tattoo Expo to return to the First Direct Arena for 10th anniversary
Clementine Hall
The tenth annual Leeds Tattoo Expo will showcase some of the best in tattooing both local and internationally.
If you fancy getting yourself a fancy new bit of ink, then look no further than the iconic Leeds Tattoo Expo that will be returning to the First Direct Arena this June.
Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, over 200 tattooists and 70 traders will be flocking to the city to show off their skills.
And not only that, but there’ll also be a whole host of market traders for you to browse as well as live music to have a boogie to.
The artists will be tattooing with options for both pre-booked appointments and walk ups available throughout the weekend.
Image: Leeds Tattoo Expo
There will also be a piercer, tooth gems and a henna artist ready to adorn your body.
Alongside getting tattooed, there’s plenty to do and to see over the whole weekend; there'll be an alternative drawing class, an illustrators market with kids’ workshops provided by Art Gecko, an art fusion event on the main stage, burlesque performances and competitions, a small vintage clothing pop-up, fire breathing and break dancing demonstrations in the square outside the arena.
The annual tattoo competitions will also be taking place each evening, where tattooists showcase their work to a panel of judges, sponsored by Killer Ink!
To celebrate Leeds Tattoo Expo's tenth anniversary, they'll be hosting a Pre-Party at Belgrave Music Hall on Thursday 5 June which is a completely free entry event complete with live music and free pizza.
You can find out more about the event and book your tickets here via the First Direct Arena's website.
Georgina Pellant -
15th June 2022 
