retiredmartin

December 2025. Horsforth. Leeds.

Visiting these last few West Yorkshire Beer Guide newbies, like Sir Geoff tickling singles off the Australian attach at Headingley in ’64, I head for Horsforth.

Actually, I head for Kirkstall Forge,

a newish station 23 13 minutes walk from the Three Swords, overcoming the discomfort of my recent industrial injury that I don’t like to talk about.

Not sure about that grey, but Kirkstall Brewery‘s newish pub diner is a classy affair. They really are the Thornbridge of the North, in a good way.

It lacks the heritage character of the Cardigan Arms, but it’s still gorgeous.

10 minutes past opening time, just me in, but virtually every table with a reserved sign for post-work trade.

Can a pub that takes reservations really be a pub ? That would be an ecumenical question.

Judge it for what it is, a neighbourhood diner with quality cask; the bellwether Three Swords a tad sharp, but still NBSS 3 and a bit.

The Indian food is fresh, tasty and good value, though the Chicken Byriani is a dull choice.

By the time that bowl arrives a place empty at 12:15 on a post-Christmas Tuesday is filling up rapidly. A young couple, mum and baby, some gentlefolk, dogwalkers, Women Who Wine (Calverley Lodge). All human life is here.

The young staff are great; if it’s their female American soundtrack (Ethel Cain, Julien Baker et al, very Leeds) I applaud them.

And when I’m asked if I want another beer (table service alert !) I have a half of that Sticky Toffee Pudding Milk Stout (NBSS 3.5) I was always going to have.

It’s what Simon would do.