Moot Hall Arms: Why this Leeds United pub was named by residents among best in city - and what I think makes it stand out

Situated unassumingly on Mill Hill around the corner from Leeds train station, the navy blue exterior belies the explosion of colour that awaits inside this much-loved sports pub.

The walls are adorned with memorabilia celebrating every Leeds sporting institution and the constant streaming of matches and news, the remarkably priced pints and excellent selection of tunes make this a must-visit for fans, athletes and commentators alike.

We decided to pay a visit this week to learn more about what makes it so special after it was picked by our readers among their favourite pubs in the city.

The pub itself has been operating for decades and became notorious in the 1970s as a hangout for the Leeds United football firm ‘the Service Crew’ when it was known as The Prince of Wales.

It now has a much friendlier reputation though, which is much down to the work of the landlady who has become affectionately known as ‘Boss Lady’ since she took over four years ago.

She said: “We still get Service Crew members coming in but now they bring their kids and their grandkids!”

The landlady, herself a huge Leeds United fan, set about redecorating the boozer after taking over and has now turned it into a treasure trove of sports memorabilia

The walls are decorated head-to-toe with flags, scarves, emblems, statues and pictures celebrating the city’s sporting greats; whether they’ve played for Leeds United, Leeds Rhinos, Leeds Knights or Yorkshire Cricket Club.

The landlady, who asked not to be named, said: “From the outside you wouldn’t know what it’s like because it’s quite dark but when you come in it’s a little gem.”

The venue is as popular as it’s ever been with Leeds United fans and is guaranteed to have an “electric atmosphere whether we win or lose” on matchdays.

The landlady said: “It lost its identity as a Leeds United pub so I looked into the history of what it used to be and tried to bring that back.

“When I took over it wasn’t doing well and now we’ve broken the company record for sales last season.”

The pub is a magnet for Leeds United fans the world over, with supporter groups from the likes of Norway, Australia, and New York all having stopped by, and the landlady said that there is “never any trouble on a match day”.

Boss Lady said: “I can hand-on-heart say it’s an amazing atmosphere on matchdays.

“The Moot Hall Arms is not just a pub, we’re a brand. We’re known all over the world!

“You can find our flags up in Jamaica and Canada and we have a huge social media following.”

The pub has also welcomed those associated with the club for shirt signings and fundraisers, with former players Luciano Becchio and Jack Harrison, Marcelo Bielsa’s translator Andres Clavijo and legendary player liaison officer Peter ‘Stix’ Lockwood all being close associates.

The pub has also been a go-to spot for others in the sporting world. The landlady said that in recent years they’ve welcomed the Papa New Guinea women’s rugby team, the Australian men’s rugby league team and cricket commentators Mike Atherton and Stewart Broad, who swung by last week.

She said: “We’re big on all sport. We’re about to start preparations for the Women’s Euros so we’ll be putting England flags everywhere for that.

“We were packed for the last two women’s finals. Obviously we’re big with Leeds United fans but we also get a lot of Rhinos followers and a big contingent in for the cricket.”

The Moot Hall Arms has also strived to do its bit for wider issues, which further adds to its feeling of a community pub. Whether it’s supporting the LGBTQ+ community or raising tens of thousands of pounds for all manner of causes - including Women’s Aid, Motor Neurone Disease and St Gemma’s Hospice - the pub goes above and beyond to do its bit.

The landlady said: “Every matchday we do some sort of raffle action. We usually sell Leeds United memorabilia.

“People are more likely to get involved if it’s something they can relate to.”

Just recently the landlady was part of a group of 10 that travelled to Uganda where, as well as taking three quarters of a tonne of aid and building a home for the community, she handed out Moot Hall Arms-emblazoned football shirts, taught the kids Leeds United chants and bought 22 chickens for the village that were then named after players in the recent Championship-conquering squad.

She said: “It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done in my life. It makes you appreciate how much we take for granted.”

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Closer to home as well their regulars are looked after with remarkably cheap pints in today’s climate and frequent events such as an interactive pub quiz and karaoke nights.

The pub’s immense work hasn’t gone unnoticed either as they have won multiple awards in recent years, including a coveted Oliver Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Leeds’.

The landlady said: “We are all about community and value. Though the football season does us well we are still very much a local and have a lot of regular customers. We remember their names and are always friendly and welcoming.

“Everyone thinks when you run a pub you just run a pub but we are so much more than that.”