In a bittersweet turn of events, one of the North's most gorgeous pubs has been crowned as one of the best in the country – but the news came just as it closed for good.
The Moorcock Inn – located in Sowerby Bridge near Halifax – received a nod from the prestigious Top 50 Gastropubs awards, which took place on the same weekend that the pub sadly shut down.
The cosy Sowerby Bridge restaurant, famed for its local and wild ingredients, announced its closure with an emotional statement last spring but saw out the rest of 2022, reports The Manc.
Owners Aimee Turford and Alisdair Brooke-Taylor wrote that the decision to shut The Moorcock Inn was prompted by the end of their five-year lease, as well as the ‘unstable world’ of rising costs, supply issues and ‘looming recession’.
Image: The Moorcock
While the other winners on the list were celebrating their accolades, The Moorcock staff were throwing one final farewell party in their windswept corner of Norland Moor.
In the end, the raft of awards and critical acclaim it has earned over its years wasn’t enough to keep the business afloat.
The platform said: “Unfortunately the pub has had to close its doors just days before the list announcement, but read all about it below.
“The pub offers an ever-evolving seasonal menu alongside views over West Yorkshire’s Ryburn Valley and is an all-round charmer of a gastropub.”
Upon reviewing The Moorcock Inn, our food and drink editor found the venue to be full of surprises and warmth, from the outdoor barbecue where a chef cooked meat over coals in a blizzard to the snug bar itself showcasing an extensive drinks selection.
Image: The Manc Group
She wrote: “Let’s just say, the locals here are blessed.”
Our review of The Moorcock Inn’s food offering celebrated crispy potatoes served split in a heap of small dish of yeasty mayonnaise, a whole charcoaled flounder smeared in butter, and crispy pig tails with apple sauce and artichoke.
The restaurant was famed for its nose-to-tail ethos, from the butchering and dry-ageing taking place on site to the homegrown vegetables to the handmade crockery.
The Moorcock Inn was one of the greats and will be sorely missed – but at least it got to go out on a high.
Leeds is set to become a giant board game this summer as Trivial Pursiot arrives in the city centre to celebrate a landmark moment in its history.
To mark 400 years since Leeds was granted its royal charter, LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District) is transforming the city into a live interactive version of Hasbro’s iconic Trivial Pursuit board game, inviting residents and visitors to test their knowledge of all things Leeds.
It follows the huge success of the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover back in summer 2024 and this year, LeedsBID is once again working with leading game, IP and toy company Hasbro to bring another of its iconic games to life.
This time, the focus is on the stories, achievements and surprising facts that have shaped Leeds over four centuries.
Running from 25 July to 30 August 2026, the free experience will see participants journey across the city centre answering questions and collecting wedges, just like the classic trivia game.
Key locations will represent the six traditional Trivial Pursuit categories: Entertainment, Geography, Sports & Leisure, Science and Nature, History, and Art & Literature.
Matt Proulx, Senior Vice President of Global Experiences, Partnerships and Music at Hasbro said: “After the incredible response to the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover in 2024, we’re proud to collaborate with LeedsBID once again to reimagine another iconic brand in a bold new way.
"This is exactly how we think about Global Experiences at Hasbro - taking our brands beyond the table and creating experiences that are social, shareable and deeply connected to the communities they celebrate."
Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive of LeedsBID, said: “TRIVIAL PURSUIT Leeds is about celebrating everything about this great city, from those headline facts and figures people know to the lesser-known surprising details and discoveries.
“LeedsBID’s raison d’etre is to put Leeds on the map and tell the stories and successes of the city. Trivial Pursuit Leeds is doing just that, providing a free, fun and entertaining activity for all ages while sharing new and interesting achievements of this amazing place.”
Iconic Leeds venue The Reliance to be brought back to life under new name ‘The Smithfield’
Clementine Hall
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Daisy Jackson -
30th January 2023 
