“It’s in a fantastic location, right next to City Park.”

Nicki Hanson loves being at the helm of one of Bradford’s most popular pubs, The Turls Green - our T&A Pub of the Week.

“It gets really busy on a weekend and it’s so close to the Alhambra so we get a lot of people coming over to eat and drink before the show,” she says. “It’s a really good atmosphere, we get people coming from all over the North.

“Whatever is on, we get to meet members of the cast, who often come in afterwards to relax. We are close to St George’s Hall too, so we get people heading off there as well.”

Manager Nicki has been with Wetherspoon for 16 years and at The Turls Green for five and a half.

This Centenary Square pub, which opened in 2004, takes its name from Turls Green which was, for centuries, the name of the area now covered by Centenary Square.

The site was once home to Bradford’s Central Baths. They were part of the King’s Hall, which opened with great ceremony in 1905. The complex, including the adjacent Queen’s Hall, completed ten years later, was briefly known by the German name Kursaal or ‘health rooms’. The facilities included Turkish, Roman, and slipper baths, while the large swimming pool was covered over in the winter for a dance floor.

Set across two floors, its spacious interior features print of Bradford landmarks and characters including nearby City Hall, Lister Mill, Bradford Cathedral and the Bronte sisters.

The wide selection of drinks on sale includes Abbott and IPA on tap as well as many permanent guest ales from West Yorkshire breweries including Tod’s Blonde from Little Valley Brewery in Hebden Bridge and 1872 Porter from Elland Brewery.

“Corona on tap is a big seller too,” says Nicki. “Cocktails are popular on weekends and with students - people like to take them outside and look out over the park.”

This summer there will be even more room to sit outside with an extension to the beer garden. “We extended it when we came out of lockdown but now we are getting a new extension with boundaries and hope to be able to accommodate around 200 covers - it will be great in warm weather - people will be able to sit under the umbrellas or get a nice tan.

“We have the app - which we were using prior to lockdown - so it is easy to sit outside and order. A lot of people like to sit outside no matter what the weather, even if it snows.”

The Turls Green is a popular dining destination with dishes including fish and chips, burgers, pizza, salads and pastas and curries.

Pub classics feature char-grilled lemon and herb half chicken, chips and peas and all day brunch - sausages, bacon, baked beans, fried egg and chips.

“We have a steak club on a Tuesday and a curry club on a Thursday,” says Nicki.

Thursday also sees an interactive quiz, with a traditional quiz on Mondays.

Nicki loves the variety of her job. “Every day is different. We have many regulars who we have got to know.”

Staff are looking forward to the opening of Bradford Live in the former Odeon. “There are a lot of good things going on in Bradford, it’s exciting. We like to be involved.

The hostelry is a member of Bradford BID (Business Improvement District) and Bradford City Centre Pubwatch, to provide a safe, secure and responsible social-drinking environment.

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