SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

We used to call there in summer on our way back from a Sunday at Burnsall. It was always packed with coach trips from all over /west Yorkshire and beyond.If you look at the foot print of the land it is built on and the age of the property, maintenance and fuel bills must be very high. It makes good business sense to sell to some property developer. Watch out for some more apartment blocks. End of an era

I'm not surprised they've been going downhlll for years.There was an item somewhere last year saying they'd stopped cooking in beef dripping. All the top chefs inclduing Rick Stein recommend cooking chips in beef dripping.I've eaten in the restaurant at Guiseley but a long time ago.I used to go the takeaway up to about five years ago but they're not all they're cracked up to be. There's loads better in Leeds - the one down the road just outside Guiseley for starters.But Drakes, the one at Oakwood, Bretts, are just three that come to mind.I once had Harry Ramsden's fish and chips at Knutsford Services on the M6 - you got about 15 chips for an extortionate price They opened up a branch a few years ago near the Showcase in Birstall. There were vouchers in the paper so we went to give it a try. But the waitress said "they'd run out of fish" Turns out they'd run out of the special small fish for the voucher customers!

I've lived in Guiseley all my life and Harry's is and always has been the last place I would think of going for fish and chips. I think they have relied for years on the coach trippers business, a captive audience who pay through the nose to eat at what used to be billed as "The worlds largest fish and chip shop" Murgatroyd's in Yeadon is far better.

We went for my brother in law's birthday a couple of years ago, he's from Glasgow so wanted to try it out. It was like a ghost town.Then we were ordering the chocolate pudding and most places you have to order in advance as it can take 15 mins to prepare fresh, we asked if we should and the waitress said "it doesn't matter love, they just shove it in the microwave."! On top of that, the till monkey charged my dad wrong and was just going to throw the receipt (with his card number etc) in the bin, how very secure!I was massively dissapointed with the experience and I'd also prefer to go to Murgatroyd's or the Wetherby Whaler in Pudsey.

Sad about Harry Ramsdens I guess but only from a historical / cultural point of view, the food was foul for years as far as I recall. However I have some good memories of visiting this place on the way home from days out in the Dales and I guess many other people do too. It seems to have been ideally located for people in Leeds to go to after a day in the countryside. I cant believe nobody has mentioned Bryans of Headingley! (or have they?) anyway I would say their fish and chips have been quite good and are pretty good value too. If you are a Leeds Card holder then you can get a haddock fillet meal in the restaraunt - buy one get one FREE! Trojan said something about the Ingles Fisheries been run by an asian family who bought it a few years ago? Well I recall back in the 1980s my family used to get fish and chips from there every Friday (no I'm not catholic!), I used to go to school with the daughter of the Cornells who owned the place. Another nice fish and chip shop in Morley used to be Hilly Croft fisheries - when it used to be a little green shed at the bottom of a steep winding ginnel.

I too think that Harry Ramsden's has been unimpressive for years. I recall going there as a child in the late '80s and the portions were stingy and the taste not that good.Certainly Murgatroyds Yeadon (and, in my opinion, The Fountain) are better. Bryan's in Headingly I've found to be a bit inconsistent -- I've had great from them and also mediocre. I think Long Row in Horsforth are pretty good and Calverley had a decent place too -- though it may not be as good now and this was about 20 years ago (I knew the owner's daughter and we all used to get free chips at the end of the night).    

Ho ho! Funny that Barfly, years ago when I was a lad I went to college at what was then known as Airedale & Wharfedale college near Horsforth Roundabout. I started seeing a local girl who was also a student there and she worked at Long Row fisheries and I also used to get free grub from there as well as some stuff that wasnt on the menu too - mwah-ha-haa!! Yes you are right about Bryans, it can be a bit sketchy which is disappointing when you've been looking forward to a nice fish supper. Bretts in Headingley is first class fish and chips. Once in my years living in Headingley as a student at Leeds University my housemates and me went for a posh sit-down dinner there - special haddock and pints of Stella! Anyway as we were typical students and always up to all kinds of jolly japes one of us suggested at the end of the meal that we 'do-a-runner'...! So stifling the chuckles we filed out of the restaraunt via the adjacent takeaway section - but within a few yards of leaving the place we were all crippled with laughter about it and we couldnt run away cos we were howling so much - it was just like when you are trying to run away in a dream but you cant move...Anyway we'd got rumbled by the staff so we just said we were having a laugh and paid up. They werent impressed though! If I lived nearer I'd definetely go to Bretts for the takeaway fish and chips more though.

Update from YEPhttp://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/lat ... _1_4219073

They need to get in quick. The original Harry's wooden hut round the back has been broken into and messed up by local chavs.Good news though regarding Wetherby Whaler, and it's to be hoped they truly take the restaurant back to the good old days as far as atmosphere and decor is concerned.

don't want to sound thick, but what is IMO that I keep seeing? I know that LOL means lots of love.