Explore The Myrtle Tavern in Meanwood: Leeds pub wins Best Pub Garden Award 2024

The Myrtle Tavern in Meanwood has claimed the prestigious title of ‘Best Pub Garden’ at the Great British Pub Awards 2024.

Transcript

00:00I'd probably say we do have the best flowers, plants, trees, all natural as well and all

00:05done by us.

00:07Scott Westlake is the publican of the Myrtle Tavern in Meanwood, which has claimed the

00:11prestigious title of Best Pub Garden at the Great British Pub Awards 2024.

00:17Owned by Stonegate Group and leased by Scott, the venue's garden has been a labour of love

00:21for the team who are delighted with the win.

00:23I've been here nearly 14 years now, 2011 when we first took it, it was one of the world's

00:29first pubs that was nearly shut.

00:30So there was a lot of work to do, especially the first four or five years of hard work

00:33trying to build it, refurbished inside, added a new kitchen, we then attacked the garden.

00:39So the garden's probably been a work in progress since about 2020, did a lot of it during the

00:43lockdown, so that was what kind of kept us busy whilst we were forced to shut.

00:47We started up here with these rockers, put the rabbits in, and then the past two years

00:52the main garden down there, which holds about 420 people sat down, you've probably got 800

00:56people on it.

00:57I've added a marquee to it, building a pagoda at the moment, and it's just a work in progress

01:02really.

01:03But I'd probably say 99% there now.

01:04So when we found out we'd been nominated through, we didn't even expect to become finalists

01:07because there was a final six out of however many were in there.

01:11So once we got the finalists in, we were just buzzing with that.

01:13And then when we went to the awards, the competition is big, like there was a place in Salford

01:17which was just unreal, we looked a bit different to ours, and then when we got there, we kind

01:22of went expecting to just go for a party and be a finalist.

01:26And then when we got announced, we were all very shocked, but pleased at the same time.

01:30There's myself, there's my dad, there's his brother Mick, and then there's a girl called

01:33Helen that works here, Heather, like Charlie, who put things in.

01:36So our own bar staff or kitchen staff will come out and spend like one day, maybe two

01:42days a month doing all the gardening that requires doing, so there's a lot of love that's

01:46in it.

01:47The garden will be done for Christmas as well, so we try and use it all year round.

01:52We've got like three big December events utilising the outdoor space, it's a shame for it not

01:56to be seen all year round.