Wetherspoons applies to remove pub's Otley Run ban

The pub was given permission to let Otley runners in on five consecutive Saturdays

JD Wetherspoon has applied for permission to let drinkers taking part in a famous pub crawl into one of its Leeds premises.

The Golden Beam in Headingley opened in 2021 with a strict condition banning anyone doing the Otley Run from being served.

Often completed in fancy dress, the crawl has been a rite of passage for Leeds students for decades, but has drawn criticism in recent years for anti-social behaviour linked to some drinkers and for the impact on local residents.

A JD Wetherspoon spokesperson said: "It is hoped that allowing well-behaved Otley Run participants to use the Golden Beam facilities will improve, rather than detract from, anti-social behaviour in the area."

The pub chain initially mooted plans to relax the ban last year, but later decided against the move following public criticism from locals.

However, the Golden Beam was given permission to let Otley Runners in across five consecutive Saturdays in September and early October, after which JD Wetherspoon said it would consider applying again for the permanent removal of the condition.

It also denied timing those Saturdays to coincide with the return of students back from summer break.

The popularity of the pub crawl has increased in recent years

The spokesperson for the pub chain said during this trial it had put measures in place to control queuing and maintain good behaviour.

It said The Golden Beam had highly-trained staff, extensive seating and toilet facilities within the pub, CCTV throughout, no music, and food available until 22:00 or 23:00 all week.

The spokesperson added: "The measures used to encourage good behaviour have been included in the variation application and will form conditions on the licence if it is granted.

"We will work with neighbours and other local stakeholders during the application's consultation period to answer any questions they may have."

The Otley Run stretches across around 19 pubs from Far Headingley, through Hyde Park and to the edge of the city centre.

In a post on Facebook, Headingley and Hyde Park's Labour councillors Abdul Hannan and Jonathan Pryor asked the community for feedback about the proposal.

They added: "For full transparency, when Wetherspoons held their five Saturday events allowing in Otley Runners through the use of Temporary Event Notices, we received a small number of complaints from local residents, fewer than you can count on one hand. And we received no contact from people in support.

"It's important to note that this application goes further than the temporary events, as it is a full removal of the condition, not just on Saturdays."

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