SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

A friend of mine was singing the praises of the revitalised Myrtle Tavern at Parkside the other day.I found an excellent article about the new landlord on yorkshire post site reviews.The pub rang a bell and I remembered seeing it on here briefly.It was because of the "Murder Stone" in Meanwood Park commemorating the supposed suicide or murder of Hancock. The inquest being held at the pub.I wondered if anyone else has any interesting history about the place, as I plan to trek over for a pint soon as I'm assured it now has excellent real ale!

Hi Steve,My parents used to take me there when I was a child. My father was from Meanwood and was a cricket fan and there was a cricket club outside the pub, so clientelle (with kids) could sit outside in summer and watch the cricket.When the Capital Ballroom (later Cat's Whiskers) was in its prime, the Myrtle, the Bay Horse and the Becketts were all places where people would meet up before going dancing.I think that, to some extent, the pub lost a lot of custom when Parkside Road was blocked off and there was no access from the Ring Road, via Dunbar Hill. It was always a good 'local' though.Last time I went in he Myrtle was for lunch, about eight years ago, and the food was awful, the beer was awful and there was hardly anyone in the place - how times change. I just hope that it gets back to its former glory as I have a lot of happy memories of the Myrtle.Ian    

Thanks Ian.heres the story I read about it which made me want to look it up:http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/l ... 4023030the description sounded interesting as an old pub so I thought it must have history.Doesn't mention why it is called the Myrtle which is rather an unusual pub name.I don't know if it is after the flower (most likely) or a female!

Looks promising I haven't been for years and now the evenings are drawing out I need a destination for my evening constitutional walk.

The Doom Bar was what attracted me as well<LOL>. a great pint on draught,but the bottled version is not a patch on it.I came across it in Devon before it became widely available so always have a pint if it is on.

In the late 1950s the Myrtle used to stock draught scrumpy - quite a rarity round Leeds at the time.

The cricket ground's still there.

Dunno much about it. Allus seemed idyllic location.Mid 80's used to do a 'weird pub crawl' preferred to Otley Rd versions.Pint in the Bay Horse cant recall how we got there.Couple in the MyrtleBecketts Arms (no longer there, but don't dismiss the new "East of Arcadia" in it's place:- the parent group have good pubs including a good 'un Horsforth Town St http://www.markettowntaverns.co.uk/index.asp)Couple in the Meanwood Arms or was it the True Brit?then bus into Headingley and a nightcap in the Faversham listening to the most excellent DJ in there.He really was good. I really do mean that. Chrism.    

My maternal grandparents lived in Meanwood and on summer visits to them we'd often go to the Bay Horse for us kids to play in the big beer garden while the grown ups had a pint or two. Late 70's, possibly early 80's.At the time the Myrtle was a Whitbread pub (I think) and as neither my dad nor my granddad rated their bitter I can only recall going in once, when my dad drank lager rather than bitter - a rare occurrence in those days!They had the (at the time) very rare Stella Artois on draught, but this was deemed to be too expensive (how times change!) so a pint of something else was ordered.

lots of information on Leodis about how the pub was one of the few to serve real scrumpy from the 1950's and how it was only served in halves.Mention too of the landlord dropping dead whilst preparing to open the pub!