October 2026. Morley. West Yorkshire.
I miss Richard Coldwell. He was interesting, enthusuastic and insightful. His comments on Morley after I popped in Oscars back in 2018 were prescient.
“This is the first ‘cosmopolitan’ style bar in Morley and has closely been followed by Beer thirty across the road, which is the Truth Hurts brewery tap – I’m surprised you didn’t take opportunity of the pre-emptive tick? The only other place I’d feel happy in Morley is the decent ‘Spoons, although I really like Morley, in terms of pubs, it’s very much a local place for local people. Looking at what is happening, and house prices, and the various mill conversions into trendy apartments I get the feeling Morley is on the way up.”
Well it took me eight years, Richard, but I took your advice after leaving the Guide newbie.
What’s really interesting is how Morley’s pubs and bars are clustered; the modern ones like Seven Hills, Otto and Oscars up top,
the more established places 10 minutes down the impressively pedestrianised Queen Street.
So much to see in that 10 minutes, from the “Joker Steps” themed steep hill,
to the carvings at the entrance to Scatcherd Park,
to the varied shop fontage.
I really did think the Humble Lotus was another Chinese takeaway; it’s a tattoo parlour.
As with most of Yorkshire’s textile and colliery towns, you have to look up, and overlook the post-war aberrations.
The highlight, used in the filming of Emmerdale and Heartbeat, is the wonderful Town Hall, awaiting the sort of refurbishment that transformed Rochdale.
It’s a town packed with grand buildings,
and a controversial tribute to its most famous son.
Though Ernie Wise’s main claim to fame here seems to be as a child performer in the theatre close to where the Wetherspoons sits.
Rule No.1 for tickers is “Take every possible loo stop“. Rule 2 is “Visit every Wetherspoons“.
12 years from opening and the Picture House has yet to grace the GBG, but Daleside’s Monkey Wrench (VERY GOOD) is Guide-worthy, and there can’t be many Spoons that have still to grace the book.
Blimey, still 27 minutes till the train goes, and even with my little talked about mobility issues I reckon it’s only 9 minutes back to the station. What to do ?
No, not that.
