'You'll be hard pressed to find a bad drink': Meet the people behind Leeds' thriving bar scene

Bars are about much more than simply grabbing a drink. They're places to unwind with friends or colleagues over a cocktail after a long week, discover something new, or celebrate life's big and small moments.

While pubs are often described as the nation's living room, bars are where we're free to experiment - whether that's with a cocktail featuring ingredients you've never heard of or a wine list designed to satisfy even the most discerning connoisseur.

This week, the Yorkshire Evening Post's Leeds Summer Served campaign is celebrating the independent bars that have carved out their own niche in the city. From specialist wine bars to neighbourhood cocktail spots, these venues each offer something unique.

Leeds has no shortage of exceptional bars. Along Greek Street and Call Lane, national names sit alongside independent favourites, making it easy to hop from one venue to the next - yet no two bars feel quite the same.

We visited two of the city’s most loved independents, and they told us it’s the locals and collaborative spirit that are driving the Leeds bar scene.

‘Leeds is filled with the most amazing creatives’

Farrands is an award-winning wine and cocktail bar on Swinegate, with stylish decor, inventive cocktails and a wine list that would take months to work through.

And general manager Charlotte Fisher-Smith thinks the secret to its success is consistency.

“Something our owner and founder, James Boothroyd, always says is, ‘The difference between good and great is attention to detail’, and I believe that is exactly what has kept Farrands on the map for almost seven years running,” she told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

But Charlotte also credits the people of Leeds for creating such a vibrant scene where bars like Farrands can thrive.

“The independent bar community here is filled with some of the most amazing creatives, and support and collaboration between bars is never-ending,” she added.

“I am always saying to guests, 'You'll be hard pressed to find a bad meal or a bad drink while you're in Leeds' because the level of passion and care put into everything is sky high.”

“There is a level of service in independent bars and restaurants in Leeds that I truly believe you cannot find elsewhere, because the people behind the operations are kind, passionate, and always striving to be the best at what they do,” she added.

She says independent bars are essential because they give people a reason to come back.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting the comfort of multi-venue sites, but what independent bars offer is the chance to experience something new and specifically curated for that venue,” she explained.

“If you want to have some amazing cocktails in an underground music venue, you go to Domino Club. If you want to lick the frosting off the spoon and revel in life's small joys, you go to Below Stairs.

“If you want to hear some of the best independent artists and vinyl collections in Leeds while being served teas and brilliant spicy margs, you go to Holding Patterns.

“And if you want to sit on a low-lit terrace with the roof pulled back, and enjoy Yorkshire cheese and a cocktail that took us months to create, you come to Farrands Bar.”

‘We’re an industry of friends - and we push each other to be better’

Few people in Leeds know the wine industry like Chris Hill, who founded Latitude Wine Merchants in 2008 and scooped the Outstanding Contribution To The Industry award at our Oliver Awards this year.

The business operated as a wine and liquor retailer under the arches on Cherry Tree Walk until two years ago, when the team opened an in-house wine bar, where Chris could put his decades of experience running bars and restaurants to use.

“The goal of the bar was to be able to show off our stock even better: an ever-changing by-the-glass wine list, a cocktail menu based on our favourite products and a cheese and charcuterie list designed to complement the drinks served,” he told the YEP.

“We also now have a space where we can hold all the tastings and events we used to have to take to other people's venues.”

The bar has become an integral part of Latitude and has changed how both new and old customers interact with the shop.

“A lot of our old retail customers love the chance to enjoy a glass of wine while shopping”, Chris said.

“On an evening, we rearrange the tables and bring the lights down, which makes for a great environment to enjoy top-quality wine and cocktails.”

Chris credits Leeds’ independent bar scene that has developed over the last three decades for his own venture’s success.

“When the first wave of bars opened in the '90s, all of the original owners and managers were friends and colleagues,” he said. “Everyone who worked in these venues encouraged each other to be constantly improving.”

Venues such as MOJO, Oporto and Townhouse would go on to train a generation of top-quality bartenders, managers and operators, many of whom would later open their own successful bars and pubs, Chris explained.

He added: “Leeds hospitality still has the same healthy and encouraging rivalry, where each venue looks to learn from and improve on what has gone before. Ultimately, it is an industry of friends, all encouraging each other to keep innovating and improving.”