Further North, Chapel Allerton: cosy neighbourhood gem for a laid-back pint

Sitting in a tight spot on Harrogate Road, Further North is a bar that works creatively with its limits on customer capacity.

Downstairs, the interior has an intimate vibe akin to a living room, with an array of lampshades hanging from the ceiling at varying heights and framed posters and knick-knacks adorning a row of shelves opposite the bar. As it was a warm August night when we arrived, the french doors at the front had been fully opened, turning the bar into a hybrid indoor-outdoor space.

Hugely popular with locals, the downstairs area was full even on a weekday night,, so we were seated upstairs instead.

Upstairs is a little more airy, though maintains the cosy, friendly feel of the downstairs bar, with plants, fairy lights and even a “book swap” bookshelf surrounding the tables and chairs.

Part of the Leeds-based North Brewing Company, Further North is stocked with all the delicious craft ales you’d expect from the top-quality beer brewers. Chalkboards outlined the keg and cask beers on offer that day, which ranged from fruity apricot and lychee flavoured pints to session pales, pilsners and IPAs.

For craft ales, prices were around what you’d expect, with the cheapest session pale coming in at £3.70 and the more expensive pints just over £5. The stronger beers were more expensive, advertised as half pints and costing around the £5 mark.

There are options for non-beer drinkers too, with a selection of spirits and wines on offer for similarly reasonable prices.

The bar is operating table service, and we were quickly directed to a table after arriving, in spite of the bar buzzing with customers. Our drinks - a gin and tonic and a pint of ale - arrived within ten minutes of ordering, and service was polite and friendly.

Upstairs, we were surrounded by people of all ages chatting quietly, lending the bar a relaxed atmosphere that refrained from being suffocating or overly loud.

We soon ordered another round of drinks and, had we not had work the next day, felt we could easily have stayed chatting until the bar closed. We paid the bill downstairs, which came to around £25, a price which felt reasonable given the quality of drinks and the warm atmosphere.

Overall, this felt like an excellent hidden gem in the trendy suburb of Chapel Allerton, and the perfect place for a laid-back pint and catch up with friends.

Factfile

Address: 194 Harrogate Rd, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 4NZ

Telephone: 0113 237 0962

Opening hours: Sunday-Wednesday 12pm-11pm, Thursday-Saturday 12pm-12am

Website: http://www.northbar.com/further-north/

Scores

Food/drinks 8/10

Value: 7/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 8/10