Leeds Council Blocks Wetherspoon Golden Beam Otley Run Licence Bid

Key points

• Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee has refused an application by JD Wetherspoon’s Golden Beam pub in Headingley to amend its licence so it can routinely serve participants in the Otley Run pub crawl.​
• The Golden Beam opened in 2021 with a specific licence condition banning service to anyone taking part in the Otley Run, a 19-stop fancy-dress pub crawl that runs through Headingley into Leeds city centre.​
• JD Wetherspoon argued that allowing Otley Run participants into the Golden Beam would “improve, rather than detract from, anti-social behaviour” on Otley Road and in the surrounding area.​
• The pub was previously allowed to welcome Otley Runners across five consecutive Saturdays in September and October under a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), which Wetherspoon viewed as a successful trial.​
• Headingley and Hyde Park councillor Abdul Hannan told the licensing sub-committee that allowing the pub to join the Otley Run would be “a very difficult thing for the area”, citing pressures on residents and local services.​
• Local councillors and campaigners have repeatedly raised concerns about noise, anti-social behaviour, street drinking and congestion linked to large Otley Run crowds on Otley Road.​
• In April, two women were seriously injured in an attack involving a crossbow and a firearm on Otley Road, on a Saturday afternoon when the route was busy with Otley Run drinkers; the suspect later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.​
• An inquest heard that the suspect, 38‑year‑old Owen Lawrence, died in hospital two days after the incident, which intensified scrutiny of safety and public order along the Otley Run route.​
• Community newsletter and campaign outlet Weetwood Rose backed an objection to the Golden Beam’s application, warning the change would amount to a “7,200% increase” in days when Otley Runners could be admitted, compared with the short TEN trial.​
• Headingley councillors said the decision to refuse the application was necessary to protect what they described as a “vibrant, diverse neighbourhood” that is already “overwhelmed” by the Otley Run.​
• JD Wetherspoon has suggested it may review its options after the refusal but has not announced any immediate appeal or revised application.​

Why did councillors refuse the Golden Beam’s bid to join the Otley Run?

The licence application was rejected after councillors concluded that routinely allowing Otley Run participants into the Golden Beam risked worsening the cumulative impact of heavy drinking and large groups on Headingley, despite assurances from JD Wetherspoon that its involvement would improve behaviour.​

As reported by the BBC’s local democracy coverage on BBC News, Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee considered an application from JD Wetherspoon to remove a condition preventing the Golden Beam from serving Otley Run participants, but ultimately voted to refuse it. The panel heard that the Golden Beam, which opened in 2021, had been deliberately licensed with a ban on Otley Runners in an effort to create a calmer venue distinct from the pub crawl circuit.​

Before the refusal, BBC News reported that Councillor Abdul Hannan, Labour member for Headingley and Hyde Park, told the sub-committee that granting the request would be “a very difficult thing for the area” because the Otley Run already placed significant strain on residents, transport and policing. As carried in local councillor communications on social media, Headingley representatives later confirmed that “the Council’s licensing sub-committee have today refused the application from the Golden Beam to allow in Otley Runners”.​

What exactly did JD Wetherspoon ask for, and how did it defend its case?

As reported by BBC News, JD Wetherspoon applied to amend the Golden Beam’s licence by removing the condition that bars service to anyone “taking part in, or appearing to be taking part in, the Otley Run.” The change would have placed the Wetherspoon outlet on the established 19‑stop route used by fancy-dress bar crawlers moving from Headingley towards Leeds city centre.​

According to BBC News’ report on the October application, a representative for JD Wetherspoon argued that bringing Otley Run drinkers into the Golden Beam would “enhance, rather than worsen, anti-social behaviour in the vicinity,” contending that the company’s operational standards and security arrangements could help moderate conduct at this stage of the crawl. The chain indicated it believed the pub offered a controlled environment that might reduce street drinking and disperse crowds more safely along Otley Road.​

How did the Temporary Event Notice trial influence the decision?

As reported by BBC News, the Golden Beam was allowed to welcome Otley Run participants across five consecutive Saturdays in September and October using a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), effectively permitting a limited pilot period. JD Wetherspoon pointed to this run of events as evidence that Otley Run custom could be managed without serious incident and used it to support its push for a permanent licence change.​

However, local campaign platform Weetwood Rose, in a detailed newsletter on the application, stressed that even if evidence from those five days was considered positive, it only represented a small snapshot compared with a year-round effect. Writing in support of objections lodged by Headingley councillors Jonathan Pryor and Abdul Hannan, and backed by Leeds North West Labour MP Alex Sobel, Weetwood Rose argued that moving from five TEN days to regular permission “represents a 7,200% increase in the number of days Otley Runners would be permitted annually,” and stated that “such a limited trial can reasonably not be used to justify a permanent change”.​

What is the Otley Run, and why is it so contentious in Headingley?

As outlined by BBC News and follow‑up reporting on the attack in April, the Otley Run is a long‑established pub crawl route running from pubs near Otley into Leeds city centre, taking in around 19 venues along and around Otley Road. The crawl is popular with students, stag and hen parties and groups in elaborate fancy dress, and local councillors have estimated that it attracts thousands of participants on busy weekends.​

BBC News reporting and community commentary describe a sharply divided local view: some businesses benefit from the trade and appreciate the colourful atmosphere, while many residents complain about noise, public drunkenness, street urination and congestion caused by large groups moving between pubs. Weetwood Rose wrote that “the Otley Run has overwhelmed our area” and emphasised that Headingley is “a vibrant, diverse neighbourhood, home to families, students, older residents, and vulnerable groups” that already bears significant pressure from the crawl.​

How did safety concerns and the crossbow attack on Otley Road feed into the debate?

Although the licensing hearing focused on the Golden Beam’s specific application, the wider conversation in Headingley has been coloured by recent serious incidents, notably an attack on Otley Road earlier this year. BBC News and other outlets reported that on a Saturday afternoon in April, two women aged 19 and 31 were seriously injured in an attack involving a crossbow and a firearm on Otley Road, along a stretch popular with Otley Run drinkers.​

Coverage from BBC News and security publication Counter Terror Business stated that 38‑year‑old Owen Lawrence was identified as the suspect and later died in hospital after what an inquest heard was a “self‑inflicted gunshot wound to the head.” The inquest was told that one of the women required surgery for life‑threatening injuries but both were eventually discharged from hospital, and police said they were not seeking any other suspects.​

What are councillors and campaigners saying about the refusal decision?

As set out in the BBC News article on the refusal, Councillor Abdul Hannan argued that allowing the Golden Beam to admit Otley Runners would add to an already heavy burden, warning that the expansion “would be a very difficult thing for the area.” He and fellow Headingley councillors have consistently highlighted residents’ complaints about anti-social behaviour, late‑night disturbance and the cumulative impact of multiple licensed premises geared towards the crawl.​

Weetwood Rose, reflecting the position of local objectors, stated that “this is not just about one pub – it is about the kind of community we want to be,” and urged the sub‑committee “to uphold the original licensing condition and reject this application in full.” The newsletter also stressed fears that if the Golden Beam joined the Otley Run, other venues might follow suit or expand their Otley Run offer, deepening what critics see as an unsustainable concentration of alcohol‑led activity.​

How has JD Wetherspoon positioned the Golden Beam within the community?

According to BBC News’ coverage of the earlier application, JD Wetherspoon initially chose to step back from plans to allow Otley Run drinkers into the Golden Beam in 2024 after encountering significant community resistance, before later revisiting the idea with the 2025 licence proposal. The company has repeatedly argued that its pubs operate under strict management, with door staff, CCTV and established procedures which, it contends, can help to moderate customer behaviour.​

Weetwood Rose’s submission, referencing Wetherspoon’s own positioning, said that many residents valued the Golden Beam as a “safe, inclusive venue” that is not dominated by stag and hen parties or large pub‑crawl groups, and warned that changing the licence condition could threaten that character. In the wake of the sub‑committee’s refusal, BBC News reported that JD Wetherspoon maintained the view that admitting “responsible” Otley Run participants could be managed effectively, but it has not yet confirmed whether it will lodge an appeal or bring forward a revised proposal.​

What happens next for the Golden Beam and the Otley Run?

Under licensing law, JD Wetherspoon has the option to appeal the decision or to submit a modified application at a later date, though no such steps have been publicly announced. In the short term, the original licence condition remains in place, meaning staff at the Golden Beam are still required to refuse service to customers who are taking part in, or appear to be taking part in, the Otley Run.​

For the wider Otley Run, the refusal ensures that the crawl’s list of regular stops does not expand to include the Golden Beam, at least for now, and the debate over its future continues. Local councillors have signalled that they will keep pushing for tighter controls and better management across the route, while businesses and some drinkers are expected to continue arguing that, with the right safeguards, the pub crawl can remain a major part of Leeds’ night‑time economy.