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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Leeds’ most famous pub has announced the return of its annual FREE Beer Festival this summer
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Georgina Pellant -
8th July 2021 
