Meandering Bear

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

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Meandering Bear

21-23 Union Street, Halifax, HX1 1PR
07807 136520
  • Tuesday4:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Wednesday4:00pm - 10:00pm
  • Thursday1:00pm - 11:00pm
  • Friday1:00pm - 12:00am
  • Saturday12:00pm - 12:00am
  • Sunday1:00pm - 9:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Meandering Bear
Meandering Bear
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The Meandering Bear is one of the newest independent bars on Halifax’s expanding food and drink scene. Owned by the folks who run the award-winning Grayston Unity, the Meandering Bear is a great little independent bar and eatery.

Situated close to Westgate Arcade and The Piece Hall, the Meandering Bear offers an impressive range of cask and keg ales and lagers, cocktails and spirits. Locally sourced wholesome food is on the menu here – informal and honest – expect meat and cheese boards, loaded toasties and ploughman’s lunches, with a pleasant alternative for veggies too.

The Meandering Bear takes its name from a grizzly tale in Halifax’s history. It may come as a surprise to some, but at the beginning of the twentieth century, the town had its own zoo and amusement park. Around this time there were many reports of animals breaking free from the confines of the zoo – a boar leaping over the railings and an elephant setting loose from her chains. Most interestingly, it is well documented that in 1913, a grizzly bear and a Russian bear escaped from Halifax Zoo. The Russian bear was captured almost straight away, but the grizzly beer made a dash for freedom and spent an hour and a half meandering around before it was eventually found and returned to the zoo.

The Meandering Beer hosts a live jazz band on the last Sunday afternoon of every month and occasional Saturday DJ sets, as well as being one of the primary venues for the annual event, Halifax Festival of Words too.

What's on near Meandering Bear

LiteratureWest Yorkshire
Poetry at the Dusty Miller

Poetry at the Dusty Miller is a now regular night with invited readers, organised by poets Carola Luther and Ian Humphreys in the Coiners’ Room in the Mytholmroyd pub.

Free entry
Saltaire Brewery - 58
Until
TourSaltaire
Saltaire Brewery Tour

The guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse and state-of-the-art packaging plant, giving visitors a full sense of what “real Yorkshire beer” means today.

From £15.00

Where to go near Meandering Bear

Revo Records, Halifax
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The bar itself is small but you’ll find it a friendly place where you can get a lovely drink in a unique setting.

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