Against The Grain: How this Leeds bar has been putting Bramley 'on the map' as it unveils winter terrace

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The manager behind a Leeds bar has shared how it has been putting Bramley “on the map” as it prepares for a new winter offering.

Tucked away in Swinnow Grange Mills, Stanningley Road, Against The Grain opened its doors in March 2022 serving craft ales and liquors, cocktails, spirits and wines from across the world.

At the time of its opening, it was lauded as “just what the suburb needed” by locals. Its success led to the opening of Against The Grain in Yeadon just a year later

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This cosy craft beer bar opened in Bramley's Swinnow Grange Mills in 2022, serving a wide range of local and European beers, ales, stouts and ciders. Bar snacks, pork pies and charcuterie boards are available too.This cosy craft beer bar opened in Bramley's Swinnow Grange Mills in 2022, serving a wide range of local and European beers, ales, stouts and ciders. Bar snacks, pork pies and charcuterie boards are available too.
This cosy craft beer bar opened in Bramley's Swinnow Grange Mills in 2022, serving a wide range of local and European beers, ales, stouts and ciders. Bar snacks, pork pies and charcuterie boards are available too.

As the bar looks ahead of the colder months and what it can do with it’s space, multi-site general manager Hannah Poulter tells the Yorkshire Evening Post what has made the bar such a hit in the area. 

Hannah: “I myself live in Bramley and I think this area was crying out for something like Against The Grain. 

“There's a lot of brilliant working men's clubs and pubs that everyone can go in, but there's not a lot in the way of craft beer. 

“And I think it's really sort of put Bramley on the map, coupled with Silver’s [Deli], of course. I think it is really starting to become an upcoming area. 

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“Having places like Against The Grain only improve the area and improve what people think of it. 

“Everyone in Bramley thinks it's really special. I know myself as a guest, I was a regular there before I started working for the owner Owen Wilson and I just thought, ‘wow, what a special bar’. And I felt super lucky to just have something of that standard in such a warm welcome in my local area.” 

Wanting to continue bringing that warm welcome as the temperature drops, Against The Grain is debuting a roofed winter terrace next week, kitted out with lights, foliage and heaters.

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Customers will be able to enjoy new cocktails as they are launched over the next few months, mulled wine and Hofmeister this festive season. 

The bar is also launching a weekly quiz at the venue from October 29. With paid entry to the mobile quiz, customers can get paid entry and pizza for the team.

This new addition comes after the business extended its opening hours due to demand and wanted to “offer an extra arm of the business to try and get a few new faces down” each Tuesday. 

Speaking about what the business has achieved in the last two and a half years, Hannah said: “We're absolutely over the moon. And to say we've managed to open a second bar.

“It's been Owen leading the ship for the past two years. 

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Founder Owen Wilson has a background in hospitality and spotted a gap in the market for a taproom in the west Leeds suburb. Tucked away in Swinnow Grange Mills, the pub serves craft ales and liquors, cocktails, spirits and wines from across the world.Founder Owen Wilson has a background in hospitality and spotted a gap in the market for a taproom in the west Leeds suburb. Tucked away in Swinnow Grange Mills, the pub serves craft ales and liquors, cocktails, spirits and wines from across the world.
Founder Owen Wilson has a background in hospitality and spotted a gap in the market for a taproom in the west Leeds suburb. Tucked away in Swinnow Grange Mills, the pub serves craft ales and liquors, cocktails, spirits and wines from across the world.

“And we're just absolutely overwhelmed with the lovely feedback that we get across both sites and we're just happy to have attracted such a lovely clientele over the two years and be able to provide a really safe community bar for everyone to enjoy. 

“I think bars now are few and far between where people will have a stand at the bar and have a chat, and you're not necessarily always with your mates and you’re sharing tables, and I think so we've been able to provide that to the Bramley community for the past two years has been massively important to all of us. 

“It’s made us think where can we branch out next because I think every little town wouldn't be too disappointed with an Against The Grain; it really does bring people together.

“We're really happy to have hit two years and excited to see where we can go with it.” 

Find out more information about Against the Grain via the official social media channels.

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