In the corner of my bar with your high heels on

A gay-friendly pub with a no music policy and vegan booze? Welcome to The Old Red Lion, friends.

**UPDATE BELOW**

Queer and vegan friendly pub

Tucked away in a dim corner of the Leeds city centre is a pub with charm, grime, unique characters and cruelty-free alcohol. The Old Red Lion is a well-worn drinking hole branded by the Samuel Smith Brewery. If you are up to date with your FGV reading, you will know Sam Smith are responsible for some of the most delicious vegan cider, lager, ale and cherry beer you will ever guzzle. Add to this scenario a distinct lack of music, wallpaper torn and drooping, rough but friendly punters and truly hilarious conversations and you have the wondrous world of The Old Red Lion. I get giddy whenever the burly bartender calls me love as he pulls another pint of vegan cider for me.All of this sounds marvelous, right? Well, you must really put your skates on if you wanna experience The Old Red Lion in all of its decaying beauty. The news is just out that the owners are moving south, leaving the establishment at the mercy of a makeover by the new landlords. The pub will be closing at the end of January to reopen in approximately March 2011.

Let’s hope they don’t gloss over what actually makes this place a touching, disarming and fabulous place to drink.

The Old Red Lion                                                                                                                                   Meadow Lane
Leeds

**UPDATE**

May 10, 2011

The Old Red Lion has reopened with new owners and a lick of fresh paint. It is still friendly to queers and still serves Samuel Smith vegan cider and cherry beer. I visited a few weeks ago and it still has that gritty, real world charm that I fell in love with. You should visit soon.