ANOTHER LEEDS SATELLITE TOWN, ANOTHER WOBBLY BOB AND SPICE BAG. NO. 2 – PUDSEY

November 2025. Pudsey. West Yorkshire.

Back in Sheffield at the weekend for a couple of days to a) collect post (there isn’t any, except the Caravan Club glossy), b) put the bin out (it’s empty, but habit), c) make sure the heating is working in the middle of a sudden freeze (yep), and d) have a night in Leeds.

All trips into West Yorkshire go via sprawling Leeds Station and require you to navigate from Platform 17b to Platform 2 in 90 seconds to catch a train west, in this case to New Pudsey.

In years past I’d have used the 5 hours pre-gig to have ticked off Todmorden, Bradford and Pudsey GBG newbies, but approaching middle-age I find there’s nothing worse than having to make four trips to the Gents during live music.

I’m almost enthralled by the prospect of an extended visit to another of the c.25k woollen towns within the City of Leeds; Pudsey, Wetherby, Garforth and all. Why are they all part of Leeds ? Richard Coldwell explained the governance and CAMRA branches to me once and I wasn’t listening.

It’s a fairly grim walk from New Pudsey station to the Spoons, via a huge Marks & Spencers, some nice ceramics of the eponymous Children in Need bear (top) and a stately Town Hall that Labour are selling off to waste on frippery like alleviating poverty or such like (ooh, politics).

At least Batley had a huge Asian food scene, Pudsey just seems dull. But not in the Spoons.

I’ve learnt some hard lessons in my 60 years. Never drink beer after mango lassi, never to leave a game early and always, always, have a beer in every Wetherspoons you pass, it will always make the Beer Guide eventually.

I have an excuse for not ticking the Crossed Shuttle in 2020; I was Duncan’s DES nearly 6 years ago, driving him around West Yorkshire while I enjoyed too many flat whites (4th life lesson – 2 coffees is plenty if driving).

My note from that pre-COVID post said that Pubmeister had “an unimpressive half” here. Surely all halves are unsatisfactory.

Well, things have improved (or local CAMRA is more desperate for GBG entries, the Spoons replaces the micro across the road), as the Wobbly Bob with my Spice Bag is a silky NBSS 3.5.

The Spice Bag, though, has had its moment. I can cope with the salt overload but not the rubbery chicken, which almost rivals the North Walsham dregs.

What’s that glossy magazine next to the beer ? Oh yes, The Squeaker, your parish magazine.

News and Facts, heh ? Mainly details of Christingle services, if I’m honest.

It’s a vibrant Spoons, full of folk with no interest in Leeds v Villa on the telly. over the road. Nice painting of a sheep (is it ?) with horns, and that’s your lot.

Drink up, catch the train from the mysterious (not really) Bramley then. Oooh, lacings.

That mile or so walk to Bramley is the least noteworthy mile on this whole blog.

Even with the Phrenology advert.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

21 thoughts on “ANOTHER LEEDS SATELLITE TOWN, ANOTHER WOBBLY BOB AND SPICE BAG. NO. 2 – PUDSEY”

  3. “November 2025. Pudsey. West Yorkshire.”

    (looks up)
    Blimey. If that’s Pudsey, he’s definitely seen better days.

    Also, does Si know you’re blogging about the environs of L**ds?

    “b) put the bin out (it’s empty, but habit)”

    (slow golf clap)

    “but approaching middle-age I find there’s nothing worse than having to make four trips to the Gents during live music.”

    I get that!
    Also, seeing as how you remarked on train toilets not being reliable, how do you manage that?

    “Why are they all part of Leeds ? ”

    Don’t you lot do over there what we do over here and just lump it all in as GLA (Greater Leeds Area)?

    “some nice ceramics of the eponymous Children in Need bear (top) ”

    Ah, so that’s not ‘Pudsey’ as I indicated at the beginning. Still, those kids must definitely be in need, judging by the looks of Mr. Chin (CHildren In Need).

    “and a stately Town Hall that Labour are selling off to waste on frippery like alleviating poverty or such like (ooh, politics).”

    Heh. ‘Alleviate’ simply means to make less severe. Sneaky politicians can point to Mr. Chin for that. 🫠

    “I’ve learnt some hard lessons in my 60 years. ”

    Is 60 considered middle aged now?

    ” (4th life lesson – 2 coffees is plenty if driving)”

    A bit like the whole four trips to the Gents during live music thing.

    “Surely all halves are unsatisfactory.”

    I’d take umbrage but, meh. Besides, I have 12oz** cans that are 6% (or higher) so that’s the equivalent of a 4% pint.

    ** – sometimes 16oz!

    “I can cope with the salt overload but not the rubbery chicken, which almost rivals the North Walsham dregs.”

    Ugh. I can see why chicken nuggets is your ‘warm’ food of last resort.

    “Nice painting of a sheep (is it ?) with horns, and that’s your lot.”

    I think if it has horns, then it’s a ram.
    (not to be confused with the vehicle Ram, that only has one horn)

    “Drink up, catch the train from the mysterious (not really) Bramley then. ”

    Don’t you mean ‘to’ Bramley?
    (wait, my bad, it’s 1.3 miles from the Crossed Shuttle to the Bramley station)

    “Oooh, lacings.”

    I’m not going to look, cause then I’d need a lie down.

    “Even with the Phrenology advert.”

    Pfft. It’ll never catch on. You’d have to be out of your head to consider that!

    Cheers

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      2. He seems to spend most of his time in London these days, specifically the Parcel Yard at Kings Cross Station.

        I seem to spend half my life across the road at St Pancras.

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      3. “I seem to spend half my life across the road at St Pancras.”

        Make sure you wave to each other if you’re ever there at the same time.

        Cheers

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      4. I did tell Simon I’d be there at the same time as him this week, but as you know he’s very shy !

        Do you read BRAPA ? I love his blog but it could do with being shorter as I have the attention span of a gnat these days.

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      5. “Do you read BRAPA ? I love his blog but it could do with being shorter as I have the attention span of a gnat these days.”

        I’ve been reading (and replying) at Si’s blog. His “host” will only show my ‘handle’ as russell.smith56 instead of Russtovich. I’ve replied to most of his posts since I started up replying, again (blush). Some of my comments have gone to ‘waiting approval’, no idea why (and still waiting). 😏

        And ya, his posts are still yards long! I’m just glad he’s too busy to post every day as I reply to his posts in my inimitable style, like yours. 😎

        Si actually replied just a few hours ago to my latest comment (and his latest post), a week ago. 😇

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  4. A a school child in Calverley (then part of Pudsey), we would get a visit every year from the Mayor of Pudsey. We had to sing songs for him after which he would announce that we had been so good he was using his mayoral powers to give us a half day holiday. He was then cheered to the echo and we would troop out of school at lunchtime. The following year Ted Heath abolished local councils and we became part of Leeds.
    Robin

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    1. Thanks for the memories, Colin.

      I think what surprised me was seeing, say, Wetherby listed under Leeds in a CAMRA publication, as if it was Headingley or Kirkstall rather than a decent sized place in its own right.

      But then the Magic Rock Tap in almost central Huddersfield would be listed under the name of a suburb I can’t even see on the map !

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