'There's a bit of Jackie in all of us': Inside Leeds' new Irish music and games bar Love, Jackie

Merrion Street is quickly becoming one of Leeds’ best party streets. Its latest addition, a Cork-inspired bar promising “a little Irish mischief”, looks set to fit right in.

Love, Jackie, the latest concept from Professionals at Play, the team behind Roxy Ball Room and King Pins, promises a fresh take on the traditional Irish pub.

The name is an eye-catching feature, and that is intentional, according to Professionals at Play commercial director Ben Warren. Who Jackie is, he says, is up to the punters themselves.

“She’s your mate. She’s the first person to invite you out on a night out, and the last person to leave,” Warren told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “There’s a bit of Jackie in all of us.”

The idea is to capture the friend who gets the group together, orders the shots and keeps the night going. Jackie is not based on one particular person, Warren said, but on the lively character who can be found in any group of friends.

Those familiar with Roxy Ball Room and its variety of games can rest easy. Games remain central to Love, Jackie, with crazy pool, pool, interactive darts, shuffleboard and two karaoke rooms among the attractions.

The venue also has live music from Thursday to Saturday, with local acts playing singalong favourites, Irish and country folk songs and indie classics.

“I don’t think there are any Irish bars that are doing gaming as such,” Warren said. “It felt like an opportunity to be a bit niche.”

The offer is designed to give customers more to do than simply have a drink, while making the venue somewhere they can settle in for the evening. Pool is free to play and cannot be booked, so customers can join in when a table becomes available.

The Irish influence is rooted in Cork, where Warren said the team found inspiration in the county’s pubs and welcoming communities. The drinks list includes Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish – described by Warren as the “Holy Trinity” of stouts – as well as Irish cider and a range of cocktails.

Among the drinks are Jackie's Coffee, a twist on an Irish coffee, and the Irish Mule. The menu also features classics such as espresso martinis, margaritas and Long Island iced teas. Whiskey fans can choose from seven Jameson varieties, including options for tasting flights.

The design aims to create a warm, tucked-away atmosphere. Refurbishment work opened up the space, with walls removed and snug areas added.

“I love the building for the iron, the wood, the floors, the brick,” he said. “Everything about it, with all different materials that come together. It feels like it’s got some history to it.”

He hopes the entrance will also make an impression. Customers walk downstairs into the venue, where the rooms and snug areas reveal a larger space than some may remember from its time as Roxy.

Love, Jackie is the latest change for the company on Merrion Street. Warren said the former space had reached the limit of what it could offer as a Roxy venue, while the street presented an opportunity to bring something different to the area.

“The Roxy venues that we look for now around the UK are a lot bigger than this space,” he explained. “So it provided an opportunity to do something different.

“There is not an Irish bar up this end of town. It felt like it was a natural gap to fill.”

The business has its roots in Leeds, with Warren describing the company and its staff as locally connected, although it operates venues elsewhere in the UK. He said the new concept had been created out of a love of hospitality, with the possibility of expanding it dependent on how it performs.

For now, success is about giving people a reason to choose Love, Jackie for a night out.

“If I heard one person say, ‘Come on, let’s go to Jackie’s,’ in the mindset that they knew they were coming to have a good time, that would be success,” Warren said.

Love, Jackie officially opens on Merrion Street on Thursday, November 12.