The Priory Wakefield
Polly Checkland Harding
Open for over two decades, The Priory bar has been keeping it classic in Wakefield city centre. This is not a place that’s interested in reinventing the wheel: simple signs on the outside of the curved building the bar occupies detail the drinks served inside, and the website includes a link to the company’s food hygiene rating (top marks at the time of writing). The bar serves a straightforward list of over 20 wines, numerous cask ales and a menu of classic, premium and sparkling cocktails, featuring all of the firm favourites you might expect. There are no bells and whistles here, just popular drinks served in a welcoming environment, with a suntrap out front and a marquee for the colder, wetter months.
The Priory is perhaps best known for its ‘Ladies bottomless afternoon tea’, served on Saturday afternoons with unlimited prosecco, porn star martinis and Aperol spritz as well as platters of sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of cakes, all served to the table. There are also mixology masterclasses on offer here on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays for minimum groups of eight, in which you’ll learn how to create and mix four different cocktails, all of which are for you to enjoy afterwards. As a combination of skill and indulgence, it’s pretty hard to beat – plus the techniques will stay with you should you wish to tackle a different mix in the future.
Situated diagonally opposite Estábulo Rodizio Bar and Grill, The Priory’s central Wakefield location makes it an ideal spot to wind up at after a day of exploring the city – or before taking in a show at the Theatre Royal, a two minute walk away. Visual arts charity The Art House is also just around the corner, and is home to a year-round programme of exhibitions, events, residencies and workshops, all of which are designed with accessibility being an absolute priority. Wakefield Museum can be found in the opposite direction, while the occasionally overlooked Gissing Centre is only a couple of streets away; this hidden gem was the childhood home of George Gissing, an author about whom George Orwell claimed, ‘I am ready to maintain that England has produced very few better novelists.’ Right in the heart of things, The Priory is a laid-back place in which to celebrate a day discovering Wakefield’s top venues.
