Old Ball

As a pub the Old Ball is pretty average and (to an old codger like me) pricey but what sets it apart is it’s fantastic pizza freshly made on the premises in their own authentic pizza oven I kid you not these pizzas put the national chains (and many local pizzeria) to shame.
I should mention that the staff seem very friendly and smiley.

I ended up in the Old Ball as a result of trying to find somewhere to watch an England match on, and it turns out this was a good place to come to.
In terms of the football, there’s a good few screens to watch on and plenty of seating, so we had no trouble finding a good spot to watch from. So with TVs found, it was time for food and drink. Drinks were pretty standard — normal and unspectacular in terms of both selection and pricing, so this was all fine.
But it was the food that really impressed me here. My friend had already said the pizzas were good here, so we both went for one of these (check them out in the pics). The menu pointed out that the pizza bases are all freshly made, and there was a small selection of crusts etc, but we both went for a half and half which only came with the normal base and crust. I went for a mexican pizzas, which was half fajita and half buerrito if I remember right, and it was absolutely lovely! Seriously — it takes a damn good pizza to impress me nowadays, and I’m tempted to go here again just for the pizza! Also I think it was Tuesdays that’s BOGOF on them, so definitely worth trying just for this.
Aside from this, the staff were all very friendly, and were quick to offer out their loyalty card, which doesn’t cost anything but immediately got us 20% off food, and has offers that change monthly, so bonus points for this! Also the toilets were clean and the general atmosphere was pretty friendly. There were more younger people than local looking types, and with the football on there was probably a bit more of a football fan type crowd than usual, but there were a couple of people who welcomed a bit of a chat at half time.
The only downside is that aside from the food it was just generally unspectacular, so there’s no chance of it getting that fifth star. However, definitely worth a look, even if it is just to try out those lovely pizzas!

It’s not all about the city centre. We’re spoilt for choice thanks to some of the nice suburbs around us. Horsforth is always an area that pleasantly surprises me too, so the Old Ball was a good starting point for me.
It’s a big pub with nice leather sofas, plenty of tables and is pretty nicely decked out inside. With a nice classy feel, it’s roomy without feeling soulless.
It’s all about what it has to offer though. You’ve got free Wi-​Fi for a start. They change the guest ale frequently. Plus the events they regularly hold go above and beyond a lot of other places in the area. Try out the quiz night or if you’re a bit of a dab hand at cards they sometimes have poker nights on.
Throw in a darts board, pool table and plasma screens for all the sporting action and it really does have mass appeal. DJs grace the not so wheels of steel too. It may not be Pete Tong but hey the option is there. Fantastic outdoor area is a real pleaser too.
Check out the food and drink promotions too because they have them on regularly.
What more can I say. Loads for your money here. Really is something for everyone.

The Old Ball was renovated to a higher standard and is now one of the places that i like to visit with my friends between lectures for a spot of lunch.
The place also offers a pool table and has screens available to watch sports (i’m not a fan…). The pub has also incorported a DJ every Friday and Saturday night throughout December to pump up the fesitve spirit and draw in more custom. Theyre also starting to bring in ‘party games’. Should we be worried? yes… probably!

The Old Ball is the most recent of the pubs in Horsforth to make the tentative step over to the wine bar side of the alcohol industry.
As I’m more of an old-​school-​pub than pretentious-​wine-​bar type, I would usually greet this shift with dismay, but in the case of the Old Ball, it is a welcome change. The Old Ball used to be full of rowdy sports lovers and slightly under-​aged lads looking for trouble on a Friday night, and so me and my friends started avoiding the place.
Since the renovation, however, the clientèle has changed slightly, as has the general feel of the place. It’s still a lively place to watch the Rhinos of United play, but there’s a more laid-​back, mature atmosphere about the place than there once was. There’s also now more choice for wine lovers, but luckily this hasn’t resulted in the lessening of the choice of beers, stouts and ciders. Generally a pretty cheap place to drink, and with a nice beer garden out front looking down onto busy Horsforth, the Old Ball is now the sort of place you make the effort to go to. It’s still the Old Ball, but it’s a whole new place.

the best thing about Horsforth! The Old Ball is a favourite with students and locals as it is big and spacious. THe bar is really well stocked and the seating is comfortable. Comfy sofas and table areas make the atmosphere really relaxed, and good quality grub at good prices keep people coming. They also have nice benches outside and a nice grassy bit, so a pint after work feels really good with the sun on your back. This is a favourite place for many and is usually busy.