Leeds side streets

In the corner of my bar with your high heels on

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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.

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Shoes, shoes and shoes

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Look good, feel gorgeous in a shopping mall up north.

Vegan shoe display at The Third Estate

There is a shady looking shopping mall in Leeds called the Merrion Centre. Strolling through the front door you could be forgiven for thinking you had been transported back a few decades. Retro fittings and gaudy shop fronts showcase discount grocery stores and tacky accessory outlets. It’s stunning. Additionally, this mall of the fantastic and grotesque houses two of the best kept secrets in Leeds; a run down bowling alley with a full bar and Morrissey songs on the jukebox and; a clothing store called The Third Estate featuring one of the largest collection of vegan shoes I have seen in the UK.

The Third Estate is an ethically-minded retail outlet that is a dream come true for vegan shoe

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My name is FGV and I’m a Shake’a’holic

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Every vegan usually has a product, service or item of food they miss.

Vegan peanut butter milkshake from Shake'a'holic in Leeds

I don’t mean we aren’t committed to our cruelty-free stance, but sometimes you can find yourself daydreaming of more accessible foodstuff. How fantastic would it be to stumble out of a bar at 2am and devour a vegan kebab or a bag of chips? It is my dream to be able to walk into any pub in the world and order a pint of vegan cider. I am sure every vegan out there would have a different answer if poised with the question, but surely on demand milkshakes would rank favourably in a ‘what do you miss’ quiz.

Vegan milkshake lovers in the north of England, be prepared for this discovery. During a somewhat-hungover wander through Leeds city centre yesterday, my FGV eye was drawn to a colourful and cheery establishment known as Shake’a’holic. Being in a fragile state, I wholly intended to keep on until I spied the small print on the shop sign that sent my heart aflutter: “Ask us if you’d prefer vegan”.

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Vegan ice cream wars: brief update

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A short and sweet entry for sugar junkies.

Swedish Glace Neapolitan

My love affair with Swedish Glace has been mentioned previously and my recent purchase has only strengthened my emotional connection to the non-dairy dessert. These ice cream connoisseurs have done it again with their Neapolitan variety.  The strawberry, vanilla and chocolate delight is housed in a FGV-pleasing 1.3 litre tub and satisfies on every level. It is creamy, sweet and fluffy, with each of the flavours deserving of their place in the line up.

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