If you're watching the 12.30pm Leeds vs Liverpool match on Boxing Day and you want to escape the house, we've got the best sports bars to head over to.
With 90 players across the Premier League currently isolating with Covid-19 in the last week alone, the talk of Boxing Day matches have been proceeding with caution: at present, we know at least Leeds and Liverpool will be taking to the Anfield pitch on the 26th, as long as both teams have 13 fit-to-play players on the day.
Whether you're team Leeds or Liverpool or actually want to watch the Boxing Day Test Match taking place down under, there's plenty of places that will be opening their doors just 24 hours after Christmas for punters to enjoy a pre and post-match pint.
The Box
Image: The Box
The Box have locations in the city centre and Headingley, so you're never far from a cold pint of Budweiser or a bottle of wine. Across their three locations (they have a spot on Deansgate in Manchester too if you're heading that way this Christmas), you can grab 2-for-1 cocktails, a 20% student discount and a pornstar martinis, served by the stein.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Walkabout will be saying G'day this Boxing Day and serving up a feast whilst the Boxing Day matches play out. The Australian-themed sports bar boast space indoors and outdoors, as well as in their dedicated live sports areas, but booking is recommended to make sure you get a spot at the table before kickoff.
The Tap Room is the Beck & Call's dedicated sports room. Complete with pool table, darts and huge TV screens for all the live games, the popular watering hole have stated they will be showing the Leeds vs Liverpool game, as well Aston Villa vs Chelsea at 5.30pm an Brighton vs Brentford, but as the games continue to alter according to Covid-19 cases, it is likely this is subject to change.
The Greene King pub boast that they will be showing every premier league game live over the festive period, as well as games on Sky Sports and BT Sport. On Boxing Day, the pub will be open 11am - 11pm and serving food into the night until 9pm. Grab yourself a Boxing Day treat and kick back on Boar Lane.
The Original Oak in Headingley is a favourite for all ages, but if you're a student looking for some Boxing Day action, you'll feel quite at home at this Otley Run stop. The pub will be showing all the football over Boxing Day, including (provisionally) the Scottish Premiership, Premier League and Sky Bet Championship games.
Leeds Rhinos face Wakefield Trinity in the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge, but this year, you can watch live from Headingley Stadium from kickoff at 11.30am. Leeds Rhinos have teamed up with Our League to offer Rugby League fans around the world the chance to watch the traditional Boxing Day clash for just £4.95 from anywhere in the world- a great solution if you're isolating this Christmas or don't want to head over to the pub.
If you want to get out and about on Boxing Day but can't stand the thought of being packed into a sports bar and watching match after match, the Canary bar: a new bar and kitchen made entirely out of shipping containers, are offering an ideal alternative. Get your team maters ready for their Boxing Day pub quiz at 5pm, before singing your favourite tunes at their karaoke evening. Locally brewed beers, spirits, and signature cocktails are all part of the experience here- and the management is proud of their ability to support other local businesses, whilst providing excellent hospitality. So go on, support the new kid on the block and let out the last of that Christmas cheer in good company.
A renowned brewery have announced that they will be taking over the reigns of a popular craft beer bottle shop in Ilkley.
Fuggle & Golding opened in 2015 on Leeds road in Ilkley and quickly grew a loyal following with locals and visitors alike.
Sadly they announced last month that their last day of trading would be Saturday 28 February, news which was met with huge disappointment.
However this is no longer the case, as Horsforth Brewery is set to reopen the venue on Wednesday. Hooray!
Announcing the welcomed news to Instagram, Horsforth Brewery wrote: "When we saw they were going to close we were determined to not lose another great venue from the local beer scene.
"We owe a massive thank you to George and the landlord for getting a deal across the line in quick order.
"We’re going to take a few days to put our stamp on the place and then we will be open on Wednesday!"
"Obviously we will be stocking our beers here but as anyone who knows will know, we love the beer scene so we will continue to have a good amount of guest beer on as well. We’ll even been joining in with the biggest beer launches from around the country.
"Want to know the best news? We’re doing this solo. No outside interests, no investors, no debt. In the current climate being able to organically grow like this is so so hard and it’s thanks to all our team that we’ve been able to do this.
"We’ve always been determined to grow our business in a healthy and sustainable way; it may have (absolutely has) been tough over the years but we’ve got ourselves in a position to take us to the next level in a sustainable way."
British Pie Week 2026 – all the best places to find a pie in and around Leeds
Clementine Hall
Sweet, savoury, filled or plain: pies are a staple in the British diet.
It's the best week of the year...it's British Pie Week, not that we need much of an excuse to celebrate that flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pastry, but we're taking all the excuses we can this week to embrace all things pie related.
We've rounded up al our favourite spots to grab a pie, as a lunchtime snack or on the go in the city centre - so take your pick, whatever the occasion.
Dave's Pies and Ales
Kirkstall Road, Burley | Open from 5pm
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Dave's Pies and Ales is locally known as the smallest pub in Leeds - and whilst the menu and seating area might be teeny, what it does do, it does well.
Choose from a range of pies and peas with classic ales on tap to choose from inside this micropub 12-11pm every day of the week.
Whitelocks Ale House
Turk's Head Yard, just off Briggate | Kitchen open from 12pm
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Whitelocks is known in Leeds for its Sunday Roasts, warm fire and homely pub ambience- but their pies are the unsung heroes on the menu.
The beef and ale pie is made from Yorkshire Meat Co. beef, a Wetherby-based supplier that brings beef from the likes of Tancred Grange Farm in Richmond to Leeds. This one is served with chunky chips and sautéed seasonal veg, seat by the fireplace optional.
Pieminister
Duncan Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Available as a Sunday roast, bottomless brunch or just a plain old (but beautifully presented) pie and mash, Pieminister is famous for its pies for all the right reasons. On the shelves in your local supermarkets and available as a sit-down scran on Boar Lane, Pieminister is a place where pies are guaranteed to make up the majority of the menu options.
Finer Pleasures
Multiple locations
If you don't know about Josh at Finer Pleasures, then you're seriously missing out. Josh is somewhat of a pie-oneer (sorry), and is the master of creating weird and wonderful pie creations from lasagna pies to gammon, egg and pineapple pork pies.
You can find him over in Crossgates most Wednesdays, but you're best bet is to keep an eye on his socials for the best chance on bagging one of his pies. Trust us, they're like gold dust.
Wilsons Butchers
Austhorpe Road, Cross Gates | Open from 7.30am
Image: Wilsons Butchers
Located in Armley, Morley and Pontfract - Wilsons Pies and Pasties is a small indie chain from Wilsons Butchers and crowned champions of the Yorkshire Small Pork Pie Championships.
At lunch time, the shops offer a true Yorkshire delicacy of pie and mushy pies with optional (but essential) mint sauce. All Wilsons pies and pasties are made using locally sourced produce in Garforth, so these a true Leeds pies, and well worth sampling.
Sophie Smith -
21st December 2021 
