Gaping Goose, Garforth

Revamped in 1935 by the Melbourne Brewery of Leeds (architects Pennington, Hustler & Taylor of Pontefract). It is worth a visit to see a fair amount of Art Deco survivals including (possibly unique?) glazed door panels. It has two small rooms, the Tap Room from the 1930s refit and Tudor Room, a 1950s addition (from private accommodation), but the large main bar of today is as a result of the opening-up two public rooms, plus a drinking lobby. In the entrance lobby there is a colourful floor mosaic depicting a goose with the words ‘Gaping Goose’ and the walls have 1930s tiles on them.

Most of the doors are dated from the 1930s and have unusual frosted glass panels in them (oblong with wide diagonal corners) with a central strip having the room name in red lettering on a silver background. The two 1930s inner doors have ‘Gaping Goose’ panels. They lead to the opened-up main bar with a modern bar counter and bar back, some of the fixed seating could be old, there is a reproduction Victorian tiled fireplace, and a modern baffle.

On the front right is a room with a 1930s door that has a ‘Tap Room’ glazed panel but has lost its number. The small room has a modern tiled and wood floor, the fixed seating around the front of the room is from the 1930s but a small piece of fixed seating at the rear is modern. There are two baffles by the door with tiny ‘Melbourne Ales’ windows in the top of them. however, it has lost its fireplace.

At the rear right is the ‘Tudor Room’ which has a 1930’s door (presumably original labeled ‘Private’ but amended to ‘Tudor Room’ in the 1950s) and also a figure ‘2’ at the top being a requirement of the licensing magistrates. The fixed seating looks like 1950s original and there is a good colourful leaded exterior window, but the room has lost its fireplace.

Another 1930s door to the left of the Tudor Room has a ‘Private Downstairs’ glazed panel and a figure ‘6’ at the top. Left of this is a 1930s door with a ‘Car Park & Ladies’ glazed panel which leads to a passage to the toilers - the door to the gents is another 1930s door with the wording ‘Gentlemen’ (Ladies has a modern door). Note also the very Art Deco three strips of wood added to the lower parts of walls and on doors around the right hand part of the pub.