Socio Rehab’s offering of the night – very cute presentation and wonderfully sweet.
The last time I stepped foot into Leeds’ iconic town hall, I was 18 and about to sit on the lofty pews at the back of the main hall for school speech day. I managed not to fall over whilst collecting my “I made it through school” certificate and mimed my way through the Latin school song. Needless to say, I made my parents proud.
In March I descended upon the Town Hall again for Leeds’s Cocktails in the City event. I arrived speculating on how many drinks would be served in a vessel other than a glass (i.e jam jar, ridiculous wellington boot, bird’s skull), I was delighted to find out the answer was surprisingly few. Win number 1.
In March I descended upon the Town Hall again for Leeds’s Cocktails in the City event. I arrived speculating on how many drinks would be served in a vessel other than a glass (i.e jam jar, ridiculous wellington boot, bird’s skull), I was delighted to find out the answer was surprisingly few. Win number 1.
I think this was the Maven’s tipple of the eve – Made with the delicious Whitley Neill dry gin.
The event brings together the best bars and bartenders in town, all serving up their one special cocktail, competing for cocktail of the year. In short about 30 different stalls all touting for your vote and business. Ticket entry for CTC includes one cocktail and a token which you can use to vote for your favourite tipple of the night. Additional cocktail tokens can be purchased at £6 which is pretty good value bearing in mind you’d probably pay double that if you were in most of the event’s bars.
I sampled drinks from the Maven, Meat Liquor, Socio Rehab and PIT. My vote of the evening went to PIT- their sweet whiskey offering was the hit of the night for me.
I sampled drinks from the Maven, Meat Liquor, Socio Rehab and PIT. My vote of the evening went to PIT- their sweet whiskey offering was the hit of the night for me.
Downstairs had been transformed into a mini woodland area with a couple of food stalls; Bundobust selling it’s vegetarian street food and Patty Smith’s Burgers (arguably one of, if not the best, burger joints in Leeds) – who were in fact serving hot dogs that night…shock shock horror! Indeed, I wept for a second at the absence of my beloved burger and then pulled my sh*t together and munched one down. A much needed snack after several hours at CIC….6 drinks down and this little goblin was wobbling. The event was lacking somewhat in variety of food options however the point, I suppose, was not to distract from the flare and skill of the bartenders above.
Northern Goblin tucking into Patty Smith’s delectable dog – it put the stabilisers on me, thank goodness!
All in all, a really fab night and one I would go to again for sure. It pulled in a great crowd, a mix of ages and I met a lot of interesting people that evening. CTC are heading to Manchester next and if you are about, I highly recommend it: fabulous drinks and a naughty after-party later. Needless to say Friday was rough. Real Rough.
CTC were in Manchester on 14th and 15th May and are now moving onto London and Edinburgh in July and October respectively. Get your tickets now as these events, like the Leeds and Manchester ones, will be sure to sell out!
Written by Erin Goodall, FoodGoblin Northern Correspondent
