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I visited Cardiff recently and, while there, visited Lab 22 – renowned by many as Britain's best cocktail bar – where I drank with an an east Leeds native.

"This place isn't that great," she said with a rye smile. "I know a cocktail bar in Cross Gates that's just as good."

Cross Gates is a place I often report on, but seldom spend time enjoying its hive of nightlife. With this in mind, I decided to take her up on this. After all, how could I refuse such a guarantee of quality that this would be "the best in Cross Gates"?

The place itself sits above a row of shops in what was once a fish and chip restaurant. A friendly bouncer asks you how it's going, before you're beckoned upstairs by the golden lighting and the mega-mix of ITV2-flavoured dance-pop bops.

The Jamaican Me Crazy and Italian Surfer - together at last.

On entering, you're met with an artful mix of deep-hued walls, pink neon signage and plastic leaves. The clientele appeared to be a mix of young people who look to have a bit of brass behind them, and older couples eager for a night away from the sofa.

We had a look at the menu, and it was refreshingly ambitious. Strawberry Basil Sip (£8.50) and the Creole (£9) were both eye-catching options, but my childlike love of tropical fruits made me opt for the Jamaican Me Crazy.(£8.50), a calypso of rum, Malibu, pineapple and banana liqueur. While my companion chose the rather more sedate Italian Surfer (£8) - Amaretto, pineapple and Malibu.

The menu also features two for one on other cocktail classics.

The excessive volume of the music was quite a sticking point, so conversation was limited, and there's also not really any room to have a dance, so it's difficult to know what they're going for. Maybe it’s the kind of place that's perfect for a couple of pre-going out-out drinks.

The unassuming entrance from a side street off the main shopping street.

These are clearly no longer the days of getting £2 Sex on the Beaches at Strawbs, but the place does have a strange sense of refinement to it - and it seems incongruous that this would be hidden above a barbers and computer repair shop.

But it's those kind of unique gems you can find if you stay local, rather than the guaranteed Ferrari-standards of bar you can be guaranteed in the city centre.

FACTFILE

Address: 1st floor, 4 Austhorpe Rd, Cross Gates, Crossgate, Leeds LS15 8DX

Opening Hours: Monday Closed

Tuesday 4:00 PM - 11:00 PMWednesday 4:00 PM - 11:00 PMThursday 4:00 PM - 12:00 AMFriday 3:00 PM - 12:00 AMSaturday 3:00 PM - 12:00 AMSunday 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Website

SCORES

Drinks: 9/10

Value: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Service: 9/10

Locus, Cross Gates review: Cocktails and bops above a barber's shop