Rowena H.
Yelp
As I wandered through the swathes of party goers on Saturday night, I felt heady on the vibes. Some cool off-kilter electronica sounded out from the DJ, and I felt distinctly Gen Y - the lead in a scene from my own rave movie, or something. It's a place to be seen and scene. Perhaps I'm being overly poetic, I do that sometimes. This grand experience is Leeds' latest live music venue, and it's been a long time coming. Having opened briefly under the guise of simply 'The Belgrave', it was short-lived and you could tell there was potential in the space. Now, it's fully opened and raring to go, with so much going on.
The first thing that greets you as you ascend the stairs are the bright neon signs, proclaiming the 'slice bar' (Doughboys Pizza) and the now-infamous roof terrace. There's two areas of seating right in front of the large windows at the entrance, for the cool kids to show off, and great long beer hall style tables in the main ground floor room. It's rustic, it's got the too-cool-to-be-finished unfinished feel, and you'll spot more intriguing facial hair here than at the World Beard And Moustache Championships. Probably.
The menu of drinks offers up what I've come to expect from most new and hip venues in Leeds: a selection of craft beers and cocktails, all at a premium price, but (depending on your opinion) worth the spend for a decent drink. The staff have often been stressed and busy on my visits, but not unfriendly. They seem a solid bunch. Further to the excellent pizza, freshly made on sight, you've your choice of fish and chips from the fantastic Fish& as well - although I'm not sure about the hours they're open.
On the first floor is where the music happens, and for that, you'll have to wait until I've gone to see Múm on the 21st for some thoughts. (Or go to a gig yourself!) I've heard it's a fantastic space, though, so I expect good things.
The roof terrace is something of a marvel though. This is a fairly unheard of concept in Leeds, with only Sky Lounge, Angelica, and Crafthouse offering such delights elsewhere. (As far as I know.) However, this one has to be the coolest of the lot. It's got a distinctly festival vibe, and if I'm right in thinking the chaps that bring you Beacons fest are involved here, you'll see exactly why when you climb to the top - faux grass lawns, drinking sheds, deck chairs, and chimneys that seem to amplify the live music from the floor below. Now that's frackin' cool. But can you get a chilled beverage without having to go all the way back downstairs? Yes you can, from the Brooklyn Lager shed. It's pricey, but it's worth not having to go down and back up.
So, the conclusion: It's absolutely worth heading over and checking out. It's so damned cool. Even in this wintry weather, grabbing a can and reclining almost horizontally in the deck chairs, whilst looking over Leeds, has a charm of its own.