lost bars of leeds city centre

Top tips for great nights out in Leeds
Post Reply
sptb
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue 14 Aug, 2018 5:23 pm

Re:

Post by sptb »

russ wrote:now circus circus was called The Boulavard before that was a great pub as well (only downside was the bar area i found very small and when it was busy it was a prat to get served LOL)
Dragging up an old thread after googling for the boulevard and this is all I found really. I worked there for just over a year Jan/Feb 1990 - March 1991, Derek Haigh was the manager then, if any of my old work mates ever find this drop me a PM, I'm Simon was first glass collector, then bar staff from March 1990, then supervisor/cellarman from sometime over the summer of 90 with the refurb in september 90 and lots of new staff starting then, was another Simon as Asst Manager over that period too.

As for busy yes it sure was busy, I recall there being up to 18 on the bar though 14/15 was more usual and they'd still be 5 deep queuing at the bar from 8-11 (no late night opening back then), IIRC fire capacity was 800 and the 4 door staff used to count them in and out with those little hand held clickers and many a time there'd be a queue to get in, even in the rain, that went all the way up to Greggs on the corner (or was it a Thurstons back then lol).

Many will remember it on a Fri/Sat night (maybe even thursday), when it would be packed and full of relative youngsters, but Mon-Fri daytimes it was a different place, linen table clothes, barista coffee before anyone had heard of such a thing, catering to the professionals working in the surrounding area, Judge Pickles was in their fairly regularly, Richard Whitely too up from YTV, but mainly office workers from the surrounding streets.

Of course it was the Jubilee Hotel originally - will still say so in the brickwork on the corner where the entrance door used to be, not sure if it was something else inbetween. If memory serves it was something else after Circus Circus too - had massive comfy sofas I think and the bar had been moved from the centre to the left hand wall.

Learnt a lot about the trade there and how to do things properly, which has stood me well over the years, have never worked anywhere than can compare to that place either for daytime standards or night time buzz - the night LUFC got promoted stands out, the phone was ringing off the hook all night long from the pubwatch system as pub/bar after bar got trashed (don't you just love football fans), it didn't happen in the Boulevard but the tension in the air was palpable and we were releived to make it through unscathed but the buzz was amazing too.

Have still got the 12" single, "The Boulevard" that the place/house DJ (forget his name, sidekick was Jason maybe?) released somewhere, was a bit naff and just a publicity stunt but was novel as that.

I went to Oscars from there and later would work at Cosmo's/The Phoenix Nightspot up in Chapletown.

Bruno
Posts: 331
Joined: Fri 29 Jul, 2011 9:54 am

Re: lost bars of leeds city centre

Post by Bruno »

Thanks for that personal memory sptb, and welcome to Secret Leeds.
The older I get, the better I was.

Dawn2820
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun 27 Jan, 2019 10:00 pm

Re: Re:Circus Circus

Post by Dawn2820 »

sptb wrote:
Tue 14 Aug, 2018 5:45 pm
russ wrote:now circus circus was called The Boulavard before that was a great pub as well (only downside was the bar area i found very small and when it was busy it was a prat to get served LOL)
Dragging up an old thread after googling for the boulevard and this is all I found really. I worked there for just over a year Jan/Feb 1990 - March 1991, Derek Haigh was the manager then, if any of my old work mates ever find this drop me a PM, I'm Simon was first glass collector, then bar staff from March 1990, then supervisor/cellarman from sometime over the summer of 90 with the refurb in september 90 and lots of new staff starting then, was another Simon as Asst Manager over that period too.

As for busy yes it sure was busy, I recall there being up to 18 on the bar though 14/15 was more usual and they'd still be 5 deep queuing at the bar from 8-11 (no late night opening back then), IIRC fire capacity was 800 and the 4 door staff used to count them in and out with those little hand held clickers and many a time there'd be a queue to get in, even in the rain, that went all the way up to Greggs on the corner (or was it a Thurstons back then lol).

Many will remember it on a Fri/Sat night (maybe even thursday), when it would be packed and full of relative youngsters, but Mon-Fri daytimes it was a different place, linen table clothes, barista coffee before anyone had heard of such a thing, catering to the professionals working in the surrounding area, Judge Pickles was in their fairly regularly, Richard Whitely too up from YTV, but mainly office workers from the surrounding streets.

Of course it was the Jubilee Hotel originally - will still say so in the brickwork on the corner where the entrance door used to be, not sure if it was something else inbetween. If memory serves it was something else after Circus Circus too - had massive comfy sofas I think and the bar had been moved from the centre to the left hand wall.

Learnt a lot about the trade there and how to do things properly, which has stood me well over the years, have never worked anywhere than can compare to that place either for daytime standards or night time buzz - the night LUFC got promoted stands out, the phone was ringing off the hook all night long from the pubwatch system as pub/bar after bar got trashed (don't you just love football fans), it didn't happen in the Boulevard but the tension in the air was palpable and we were releived to make it through unscathed but the buzz was amazing too.

Have still got the 12" single, "The Boulevard" that the place/house DJ (forget his name, sidekick was Jason maybe?) released somewhere, was a bit naff and just a publicity stunt but was novel as that.

I went to Oscars from there and later would work at Cosmo's/The Phoenix Nightspot up in Chapletown.
Was reading your comments about Circus Circus and wondered if you remembered assistant manager Paul Atkinson? He was an ex of mine in 1991/1992. I stopped seeing him but then weiry came across him again when we were burgled!!! CiD brought round a book of pictures and he was in it!!!! (Very weird moment) apparently he had stolen the takings while the manager was away and he was caught at the airport trying to leave the country! It closed not long after that.
My earlier teens spent in Ritzys, Mr Craigs (Then uropa) then later. The Gallery and the pop up gigs at the poly like arc etc!
Also all the old haunts of Brown Cow, black bull, old ball etc in Horsforth!

User avatar
tilly
Posts: 2209
Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: lost bars of leeds city centre

Post by tilly »

Great post Dawn very interesting .
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

Post Reply