The Three Legs: Inside the notorious Leeds pub that customers campaigned to save after violent incidents

The infamous pub on The Headrow has developed something of a rough and ready reputation and a string of fights and violent incidents led to it nearly having its license revoked last year.

But after some hard work by licensees Debbie and Shaun Fountain and collaboration with the authorities, they feel they have now turned the tide and made The Three Legs the fun, feel-good community pub they’d always hoped for.

And if the Yorkshire Evening Post readership is anything to go by, it’s as loved now as it ever was.

The pub was the most selected after we asked readers to pick their favourite pubs in the city, so we paid a visit this week to find out more.

With a striking terracotta exterior that jumps out from The Headrow, the inside of the pub is as old school as it gets, which is fitting considering the pub dates back centuries. A selection of Leeds United murals colour the walls and crowd pleasing tunes serenade the pint-drinking punters ahead of karaoke at 2pm.

Debbie and Shaun took over 15 years ago, when a lot of boozers in the city centre were facing trouble, and have had their hands full with changing the perception of The Three Legs over the last 18 or so months.

Debbie said that it developed a “really bad reputation”, which culminated in it nearly having its license revoked last year after a violent incident in February.

Debbie said: “We had 700 signatures from the customers wanting to keep it open which showed the authorities how much people love this pub.

“We’ve taken a more hands-on approach since and have built a really good relationship with the police and licensing committee.”

She continued: “We’ve worked really hard to get rid of that reputation and the clientele it brought in with it.

“We’ve now got completely new staff who are fantastic.”

She said that the customers are “like family” and that they have welcomed the newer, younger staff with open arms and shown them what an old school drinking establishment feels like.

One of those who has stuck about though is Eric Denton, who has worked at The Three Legs for eight years and been drinking in it for four decades before that.

He said that it has “hardly changed” in that time, adding: “A lot of pubs have been done up or changed into wine bars but this is still as original as it’s ever been.

“I’ve only got a year until I retire and then I’ll be coming in afterwards.”

Debbie said that the charity raffles and daily karaoke sessions have also softened the pub’s reputation and defined it in recent years as it has become a familiar spot for many across Leeds and beyond. The affordable drinks and daily offers also help keep people coming back during hard times for the industry.

Shaun said: “During the week there’s a lot of locals that come in but it’s a meeting place for people all over.

“It’s the craic that people come in for. Some pubs you walk in and there’s a clique but here you can walk in and not know anybody and have a good time.”

Shaun said that you can expect to walk in on a Tuesday afternoon and see a conga line through the pub or a rendition of Oops Upside Your Head.

“A lot of the fun of going to pubs has gone”, he said. “You’re not allowed to use your phone or you have to stick to certain rules but it’s not like that here.

“If you ask anybody what they know about The Three Legs they’ll say the karaoke and it’s busy.”

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They said they have tried to keep it as “one of the only proper old school pubs in Leeds” by keeping it simple and not changing it up.

“You don’t try and fix something that isn’t broken”, said Debbie. “If we started putting live bands on or doing food it wouldn’t be the same.”

One of the regulars, Graham Hodgson, who has been coming in for 12 years said it is a “very down to earth pub” where “what you see is what you get”.

The pub is also a frequent meeting spot for Leeds United fans, with coaches leaving from outside to go to away games. It’s likely that the match days and subsequent karaoke sessions will be even entertaining if The Whites perform this season.