A grandad in East Leeds has built the ultimate garden 'super pub' behind his house - and it looks absolutely incredible.
What started out as a 'man cave' building project for Richard Spear 4 years ago has become so much more, with his backyard build taking on a whole new life during the past year's successive lockdowns.
Initially, the plan was just to find somewhere quiet to put him and his pizza oven - but then the pubs closed, so he kept on building.
Finally finished after four years of construction, today the back garden pub is seriously impressive and could give a lot of places in Leeds a good run for their money.
Richard Spear and his wife Maria inside their garden 'super pub', the Taverna Mexicana
Called the Taverna Mexicana, it has its very own pizza oven, bar, dance floor, and a karaoke machine for the family to crank out the tunes on after a few bevies.
It also has a pool table, darts board, and three TV screens - perfect for watching the football together on.
There's a good selection of spirits on the bar, as well as several taps pouring beers and bitters like Stella Artois and Tetley's Bitter.
It really looks the part - right down to the branded drip mats laid on the wooden bar and a stack of pint glasses behind it/. .
The pub has disco lights and beer barrels with stools, to really give it that 'going out' feel - and out back, there's a smoker that Richard has built from an old filing cabinet, dart board and a table football game.
The pub took him four years to complete, growing over the years into the epic garden 'super pub' it is today.
The family regularly get together in the pub to watch the football or just have some quality time together
According to his family, it's "way better" than the real thing and has become the perfect place for them all to come together. His daughter Fiona Lyons, who lives next door, also loves not having to bother with getting a taxi home at the end of the night.
Speaking to Leeds Live, she said that the garden 'super pub' has been great for bringing their family and friends together and that they often gather at the pub to watch football matches and celebrate special occasions.
We have to say, we're pretty jealous and wouldn't mind something like this in our backgarden. Especially for watching the final on Sunday.
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Tom Odell announces huge outdoor Leeds show as part of Sounds of the City
UK singer-songwriter Tom Odell is set to play a huge outdoor Leeds show this summer.
Sounds of the City is making a triumphant return this summer and we couldn't be more excited.
Being added to the already star-studded lineup is Tom Odell, a Chichester-born singer-songwriter known for his heartfelt piano ballads and distinctive tone.
You may also know him from a certain John Lewis advert which made sure there were no dry eyes in the house.
The announcement follows a huge year for Tom Odell, who released his latest album A Wonderful Life and completed a major UK arena tour.
Known for his emotionally charged, piano‑led anthems, Tom Odell first rose to prominence after winning the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award in 2013 and has since become one of the UK’s most successful contemporary artists, with massive global hits like “Another Love”, which has now surpassed three billion streams on Spotify.
The ‘Another Love’ singer will perform on Saturday 4 July and will be supported by Matt Maltese.
Already announced for Sounds of the City are Dylan Gossett, Alabama Shakes, Wet Leg, The Human League and The Cribs.
The Millennium Square gigs are always fantastic fun, with previous acts including Blossoms, McFly and Mika bringing huge audiences to the city.
Tickets go on sale this Friday 6 February at 10am and you can get your tickets here.
Pre-sale starts this Thursday 5 February which you can access by signing up to Millennium Square's mailing list here.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”
Georgina Pellant -
8th July 2021 
