The Regent

Can’t say much more than previous reviewer, staff are cheerfully and so are the clientele, been in a few times and the karaōke is great, no wannabe pop idols here just off tune singers who may or not be aware how bad they are…

Here this place… some much to say about it!
Have you ever watched that Star Wars? The first one… not the first one in Star Wars chronological order, The Phantom Menace, that was rubbish, but the first one in proper real life chronological order. There’s a scene in a spaceport pub called the Cantina bar, its a seedy space boozer were men regulary have their arms cut off just below the elbow and sometimes get shot in the face. Well this place reminds me of that.
But rather than being filled with mysterious sci-​fi villians The Regent is probably more home to characters who have been done for working whilst signing on, drunk & disorderly or even washing line theft.
Ive been in there a few times, one time with two of my mates and we got chatting to a genuinely lovely couple (not many teeth between them) who invited themselves out on our christmas do, they never came. And on another occasion I took my boss in their and within a minute of being at the bar a local tried to stare the back of his head off from about 6 inches away, uncomfortable… later on the same guy walked passed me and my mate whilst we were having a fag outside Iguana’s and asked if we knew were the ‘gay area’ was, bizarre.
Anyway, we should all make the most of these sorts of pubs before they disappear, and they will disappear… to be replaced with horrific 2 for 1 family eateries packed with blank faced families.
PS its the only place what I know of that does karaōke mid afternoon and everyone is hammered before 5 o’ clock!

I love traditional pubs. The smell, the range of local ales, the distinguishing characters propping up the bar, regaling the masses with hilarious anecdotes — these factors always combine to create a stunning atmosphere, worthy of praise. Located on Kirkgate, The Regent is the direct antithesis of this.
Normally I do not take such a defamatory stance, I can usually glean some optimistic details from a place, but The Regent is unlike the other more traditional pubs in the city centre. Although the drink prices cannot be quibbled with, the overall experience is severely lacking.
The locals are more intimidating than endearing, the windows are broken more often than not, and the regular police presence makes for an altogether hideous ambiance. With the plethora of high quality traditional pubs in the vicinity, I have no idea why anyone would prefer to frequent The Regent.

A big, echoey one-​room affair, the Regent always seems to draw a steady crowd and is packed to the rafters once the market traders close for the day and every single one of them seems to head across the road for a pint. You won’t find any gastropub food or cocktails here, but if you’re after a traditional Yorkshire boozer the Regent has got it covered. Drink prices are reasonable, and will pleasantly surprise you if you’re used to the high-​end bar prices in this part of town, but the clientele are certainly a bit different from your usual students and young professionals mix. Expect flat caps, dodgy dealings and rough and ready locals, but if you don’t mind a spot of banter and some funny looks at first its a good, cheap and central spot for a pint.