When Mrs Mcnab announced that "we would be going to the new Wheatley" I was deeply unsettled.

a Friday night for those of us of a certain age should flow South from The Yard to the Taxi rank via the wine shop. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, The Wheatley poses certain logistical problems, that can ruin that TFIF feeling.

So it was with gritted teeth rather than baited breath that I crossed the threshold of The Wheatley. I wanted to hate the place, so I concentrated on the decor and found it tasteful. I wanted to find the two million pounds they spent on the place to be wasted, but other than slots in screws not lining up on the hinges of the toilet doors, everything looked very well built, with pleasing touches like big skirting boards and chunky architraves befitting and old Victorian building. The staff were a mixure of old faces and new, the service red hot. I was dissappointed to see only Warsteiner and San Migeul premium lagers, but the prices were cheaper than The Yard.

I'm guessing The yard may have been quiet tonight, because all their clients plus many old faces seldom seen were checking out the new place.

Gripes; For those who like to stand or mingle, one was always in the way of members of staff carrying plates of delicious looking hot food or dirty but empty crockery, there are all manner of nooks and crannies for drinkers to sit, but little room to stand. I'm a non smoker, but it would seem those that do are not welcome, no dedicated area, no shelter and no ashtrays......an oversight or a policy?

So anyway, i liked it, I think it will do very well and it sets a very high standard indeed for the rest of the Ilkley pubs to follow!

Hope Mrs McNab enjoyed her night out..... and that you treated her to the fine dining experience to be had there..........

We did a drive past the illuminated facade and decided our dress was not quite up to the standard of the guys and molls milling around the exterior, but we shall return soon when things are quieter and we look forward to trying the drinks and food on offer. The Wheatley should do well since the hotel and drinking trade in Ilkley veers between highly over-priced optimism on the one hand and complete disregard for customer convenience and comfort on the other.

Thanks for your review, McNab. Did you happen to notice whether there were any hand-pumps and, if so, what was on them?

I don't think there is a dress code jasper, I was in Jeans and a shirt and didn't feel out of place. I can't see myself trailing in in my work clothes for early doors though. As an aside, The Dalesway have banned work clothes from both bars, which has alianated a good deal of their clientel who are protesting by drinking at the crescent.

Oggit, They have a wonderful sort of wine pantry off the bar, very swish and a good wine list, there were a good many hand pumps and I have vague feeling there might have been Taylors and or Black sheep, but I didn't take much notice.

weirdly, the land corralled by the beer garden to the west,carpark North, house east and a newly planted screen of trees is dug over but left like some no-mans land, I seem to remeber part of the plan was to build houses on this? Where will the access be one wonders?

I gather Bar t'at was a little quieter, but not sure whether that was the weather, short arms and deep pockets, or re-opening of The Wheatley.

Imor is enjoying roise with cider.....er, cider with Rosie.

mcnab wrote:
Oggit, They have a wonderful sort of wine pantry off the bar, very swish and a good wine list, there were a good many hand pumps and I have vague feeling there might have been Taylors and or Black sheep, but I didn't take much notice.


McNab, your praise encouraged us to pay a visit for a late lunch. Wickets: Moorview (good), Taylor's Landlord & Black Sheep. No Chardonnay but a perfectly acceptable alternative.

Decor superb and plenty of tables. Weekends may well require table shiftage to accommodate vertical drinking, but it isn't the Yard or Bar T'at, more the Dyneley done properly.

Staff all friendly and eager to please. It was so busy last night that the bar staff ran out of glasses!

Nosh: we started with olives & bread, then followed with the chilled fish plank: poached salmon, crayfish tails, smoked salmon, prawns, anchovies and a very small lightly-dressed salad served with lemon and chive dips and thick-cut brown bread. All simple and delcious. We had a bowl of chips on the side and they were absolutely the best I've ever tasted, but obviously that's highly subjective!

Plenty of space out back for fine-weather eating. No covered space for smoking.

Will we go back? Definitely.

Yep, the only reason Black sheep rang a bell was because my 4th pint of warsteiner arrived in a black sheep glass!

Can't get my head around the no ashtray policy though, thats weird.

They do have a pro dog policy, handy for the dogging fraternity!

mcnab wrote:
Can't get my head around the no ashtray policy though, thats weird.

Ashtrays sighted on the outside tables this lunchtime. There is also a stubbage / tab end recepticle mounted on the folly.

Sounds good so far.
What ciders do the have,
also any idea if they stock
gluten free beers?

Imor wrote:
Sounds good so far. What ciders do the have, also any idea if they stock gluten free beers?

No idea on either, I'm afraid, although probably the usual bottled suspects as far as cider is concerned.

Paid a visit last night. Very busy for a Wednesday evening. We had the Ploughmans plank alongside a couple of pints of Black Sheep - great food and beer. Only downside was smell of fags wafting in from outside tables - not much they can do about this on a hot evening with all windows open.
Staff very friendly although a little disorganised but will improve with time.

How about an outside sprinkler system? It could be used for watering flowers when the smokers have been dispersed.

It was so hot last evening that we would have put up with a bit of passive smoking and joined the smokers under the sprinklers.

deepblue wrote:
Paid a visit last night. Very busy for a Wednesday evening. We had the Ploughmans plank alongside a couple of pints of Black Sheep - great food and beer. Only downside was smell of fags wafting in from outside tables - not much they can do about this on a hot evening with all windows open.
Staff very friendly although a little disorganised but will improve with time.

I say that's very agricultural - Ploughman's Plank and a couple of black sheep. Will they have dwile flonking and wellie wanging in the carpark for the Summer Festival?

I agree with deepblue, nice food & surroundings but disorganised. We waited a while for our food, which was nice but we did notice people were waiting ages & a few complaining punters.
It seemed the kitchen & waiting staff were not communicating. A waitress did go round checking which tables had actually had their food. Very Busy at the bar mr nipper's starter was going cold whilst he was waiting to be served at the bar. No drinks forthcoming for ages, we had to choose 3 different bottles of wine to get 1 that was chilled.
Would go back when it has settled down & maybe have more staff on!