The Bankers Cat Leeds review: I visited a stylish city centre bar - and it felt more like a pub
They say cats have nine lives and it is perhaps fitting The Bankers Cat has had a fair few.
Initially constructed as a public house in the 1800s, the Boar Lane building spent time as a bank and bookies before a full-circle return to being a boozer.
It remains a spot to lighten your wallet but rather than a deposit receipt or a betting slip for the 12pm race at York, you get some pretty stellar pints.
A bar with a distinct pub charm, it is something of a local away from your local. It is spread across two floors yet endearingly intimate.
There is a full mahogany bar, stained glass windows and leather sofas, helping to form a quirky and stylish interior.
Granted, it is about preference, but I’ll take a classy retro decor over in-your-face neon signs and a full rainbow of colours.
As impressive as the design is, it is not why people go to The Bankers Cat. It’s not why I went, anyway.
A joint venture between Thornbridge Brewery and national multi-site operator Pivovar Group, it serves up a range of delicious beers brewed by the former.
Among them is Crux, a boozy but drinkable hazy IPA bursting with fruity notes.
It went down a treat and while the £7.10 charge on my card prompted a grimace, it was pretty much what I expected in a stylish city centre bar.
Something particularly noteworthy about my visit was the atmosphere. Friday afternoon had not quite given way to Friday evening, yet the flow of punters was constant and the buzz was palpable.
The staff deserve plenty of credit for their warm and efficient service. It was absolutely jam-packed, yet I don’t think I ever waited more than 90 seconds at the bar to get served. I think the crowded nature may have actually helped with this, as it stopped people doing the daft single-file queuing that has attacked pubs and bars like a plague in recent years.
Predictably, it got busier as the night progressed. Many punters slipped off downstairs to the old bank vault, a handy and inviting space with a pool table.
City centres come in for criticism regarding their drinking scenes, with gentrification and a loss of soul a concern for many. At The Bankers Cat, there is plenty of soul.
It may have had a few incarnations in its time, but is undoubtedly better-suited to being a bar than a Ladbrokes.
Factfile
Address: 29 Boar Lane, Leeds, LS1 5DA
Telephone: 0113 440 7998
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday: 12-11pm, Friday and Saturday: 11am-12am
Website: https://www.bankerscat.co.uk/
Scores
Drinks: 9/10
Value: 6/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Total: 8.25/10