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Skyrack, Headingley

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user reviews of the Skyrack, Headingley

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Mike25 was a bit harsh - I've been in far worse pubs than this. There was a decent, competitively-priced real ale from Ilkley, and the food was reasonable value e.g. 3 sausages with mash and peas for £4.10. It's a bit characterless, but it was recommended by the stewards at a very wet and dispiriting Headingley. Perhaps it benefited from the absence of students when we visited. Not a lot of competition in the vicinity.

Number11 - 21 Aug 2015 22:14
The Skyrack of old might have been a bit rough and ready but it certainly wasn't this boring. I remember it had an alternative vibe and a good juke box. Since its refurb about 10 years ago the new skyrack is little more than a tacky and quite chavvy student bar showing sports. The average age is about 22. Easily the worst pub in Headingley, which by Headingley standards nowadays is extremely poor.
mike25 - 13 Jan 2013 22:49
Are you dressed up as a French Maid ? Do you have sexually suggestive (or even obscene) graffiti badly drawn on your outfit - or even your person -with a black marker pen ? Are you young, female and too drunk to know what you're doing ? You are ! Then why not come back to my place, instead of drinking fizzy electirc rubbish in one of the most pathetic excuses for a drinking establishment ever to disgrace the word 'pub' ?
DerekDrinkforbrains - 25 Jul 2010 02:51
Not ideal. Thought it was more like a pub you find by the seaside with an amusement machine and formica and smooth beers.

Like a million other average pubs.
willesden_seadog - 29 May 2009 21:50
The worst pub in Headingley.

This place can't decide whether it's a bar or a pub. Pretty expensive given what you get. Not worth a visit
helpinuglypeoplehavesex - 26 Sep 2008 17:31
Ten to fifteen years ago this pub was the busiest in headingly along with the oak. Since the Box/Arc/Trio have sprung up and students have gone from scruffy penny pinchers to over preened pretty boys they all have suffered. I wouldn't waste my time in most of Headingly these days. The kids have taken over much to the residents dismay. Go to Horsforth instead.
PaulShaneTributeAct - 13 Jun 2008 13:50
Good for a scrap. People were rolling around on the floor both of my last visits.
Cibalia - 12 Nov 2007 18:57
Had it's day and the food is just crap, didn't like the smelly wet floored loo's either!
Sunday_Refugee - 27 Nov 2006 22:40
Too expensive, awful decor since been done up. Terrible jukebox as well.

Visit only on Otley runs, otherwise leave them to it.
anonymous122 - 20 Jul 2006 13:04
Good to see the war between the rack and the oak goes on. Funny how all the bad reviews are from the same people who love the oak.
The Skyrack is a real (none pretty boy) pub were anyone can go student or local. The Guinness is the best in town and there is nowhere else other than the mother land I would be on ST Pat's
corbon - 23 Feb 2006 14:23
Used to be good, then they did a soul-removal operation, put lots of coloured lights in, painted everything in pastels, then needlessly put the prices up.
Go across the road instead.
Scarey_biscuits - 22 Aug 2005 13:32
Very expensive and full of the type of people who are the reason behind people hating students. Note to them - we're not all like this.
NoCoolNickname - 24 Jun 2005 01:25
dirty far too expensive for the service and atmosphere full of pissed dickheads looking for a fight
0chris0 - 24 Feb 2005 12:52
yeah its good that its got a late license till 12.30/1 most of the time so if the oaks closed and ur not going out on the town its a good place to get a few drinks in after hours. however, food not good although prob the cheapest in headingley. if drinks were cheaper id go more often

namio1 - 7 Feb 2005 17:28
drink prices too expensive, food is cheap but quite shitty quality. lack of seats and ques for the bar. nothing special at all. id rather cross the road and go to the oak!!
anonymous - 7 Feb 2005 17:25
its full of Met lads but theyre the fittest and i mean it, im at the proper uni! place for trucker caps, blazers, grown out mullets and martial arts trainers! oh and rugby boys, but theyre the best! food is awful though and it could be cheaper! mostly Met and locals! god love em for generously sharing their town with us!
becks - 28 Oct 2004 20:00
I have to say that when you go into the Skyrack you find all the reasons why the locals don't like students, but if you're one then that comes as part of the territory. Wall-to-wall fanny make no mistake, and a good spot to kickstart a night on the town. If you're fussy about your beer, then I'd advise sticking to the bottles. Prices are a scandal as well it must be said.
Marce - 29 Apr 2004 15:09
I was an exchange student in the UK (hailing from Philadelphia, PA, USA) in the early nineties. The first pub I visited while in England was the Skyrack...it was only a short walk from my flat. The neared one lives to a pub the more frequently one will decide to get pissed. Anyway, the Skyrack had what one would expect in terms of beer - good variety, fair to goo quality, always the correct temperature, etc. They also had imports, such as Rolling Rock, a brew local to my home state of Pennsylvania. Mind you, Rolling Rock is not AWESOME beer, and not universally popular in the USA, but there it was inteh Skyrack to the astonishment of my friends and I. This pub is commonly packed with students on weekends and unless you arrive early you should expect to stand or linger in pissed anticpiation of an empty seat. Its fairly clean and tidy and otherwise a pleasant place. One time when I was there some jackass tried to goad "the American" into a fight, claiming he was a professional "street fighter", whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. I declined, and he got friendly and broke out some gear and we actually smoked a joint at the height of crowded Friday night without getting booted from teh place or arrested. I like the Skyrack, its a stand-up place where one can enjoy themselves provided the mission is to get pissed or get laid. Go elsewhere if you expect a prim, proper, upscale experience. This was also the last stop on my version of the Otley Run (crawl) from Leeds central to Headingly.
Daryl McCormick - [email protected] - 18 Feb 2004 18:36
You lot are just jealous that us sudents are having a very good time! This pub is easily one of the best locally, and you won't just find student's there, but locals too. Infact, there are more locals in the pub than students at the end of the working day, around 5 in the evening. The proximity of the rugby ground is in my opinion, a very good thing too, bringing atmosphere to the place. And to be fair, although it is hard to get a seat in the evenings, isn't atmosphere all part of British pub society? Sure, if you want a quiet pint and a sunday roast, then go across the road, that's what I do when I'm not in the mood for anything else. But if a good start to a good night out is what your after, then the Rack is the place to be. As to the pool tables, there are only 3, which is not much considering the size of this pub (some nightclubs are smaller). The quality of the beer is the same as what you'll find in most pubs seeming it is exactly the same beer you get in other pubs, including the one across the road. The only thing this place needs is a proper beer garden, but no where's perfect.
Nick - 27 Aug 2003 14:17
this pubs a bit of a nightmare. ever wanted to see every student sterotype that you know you'll just hate all in one place? come on down!

ive been in a few times, enjoyed it mildly once. this was about 5pm, and the happy hour was on. a few pints of stella and the price was decent. jump to sunday afternoon, and i fancied a lager. 'everythings off except stella and heineken premium. and cider.' ok, 2 heineken please. �5.10. i nearly dropped my wallet. the reason why they drinks cost that much i dont know, but the place is full of idiots ra ra ra-ing, the proximity to the rugby ground makes things worse. just go to the pub over the road.
Dave - 19 Aug 2003 15:49
The Skyrack has been on this spot for decades, but boy has it seen some changes. The best description I have heard of it today is 'Footy, pool, and lots of drunk students', and that really is just about all you'll find here - apart from a seat, if you're very, very lucky.

Frequented mainly by sport-nut students, it is part of the infamous 'Otley Run', and one to have a short in, in my opinion. Beer is smoothflow, and the quality reaches the dizzy heights of 'okay'. If the beer was better, the clientele different, and number of pool tables reduced, this would be quite a nice pub. But it's not.
Andy - 9 Jun 2003 12:20

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