Nightlife in Wakefield

We’ve got four bars to tell you about in Wakefield city centre, all well within stumbling distance of one another. So, if you like, think of this as your handy guide to a mini bar crawl in wonderful ‘Wakey’. We may as well get things started at Harry’s Bar on Westgate. It’s not pretentious in the slightest, just a top quality drinking den with great real ales, and a great atmosphere, particularly when it’s hosting live music. In the winter there’s a wood fire to add to the bar’s charm, and an outside seating area for when the weather’s warmer.

From one ale emporium to another, the Wakefield Beer Exchange on the Bull Ring is one of our absolute favourite spots in the city. It’s part bar, part bottle shop, part café, part exhibition space, and welcomes brewery takeovers. Behind the bar you’ll find friendly, knowledgeable staff, on tap there’s a proclivity for British beers, while the fridges are jam-packed with offerings from around the world. It’s not just for ale enthusiasts; the Wakefield Beer Exchange also has a great selection of spirits – particularly gin – as well as organic wines.

Speaking of wine, just around the corner on Wood Street you’ll find one of Wakefield’s top wine bars, Damelio. It’s never too busy, but always boasts a good atmosphere, making it an excellent option if you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy an evening’s drink. The wine list has options for every budget including a beauty of a Barolo that’ll break the bank. You can also pop into Damelio for perfectly mixed cocktails, or for an evening’s meal – the tapas is good, so too the steaks off the Argentinian grill.

Last but by no means least let’s finish the night in style by paying a visit to Fanny & Bacardi, Wakefield’s iconic nightclub on Bank Street. The music’s great, the staff and management are switched on, and the drag queen hosts will give you a night you’ll never forget. On Friday’s Fanny & Bacardi stays open until 3am. So you can have your fill of dancing, before catching a cab back to one of our hotels in Wakefield.

There are plenty of great pubs for you to choose from in Wakefield city centre – particularly The Jolly Tap on Northgate – but we want to use this opportunity to tell you about a couple of excellent Wakefield pubs that are a little further afield. Take The Castle for example. It’s a stylish village pub and restaurant in Sandal Magna, just down the road from The Hepworth Wakefield. It boasts a good selection of drinks and cocktails, lovely wood burning fires, and some of the friendliest staff in the business.

If you’re staying at our Wakefield South hotel, you’ll probably have already spotted The Red Kite. It’s literally next door. Set in Calder Park, it’s surrounded by 100 acres of green space bisected by the River Calder, so there’s a good chance you’ll catch a glimpse of all kinds of birdlife, as you’d expect from the name. Inside, The Red Kite is a stylish inn with a decent food menu and wide drinks selection.