The Needless Inn Outside Morley Is to Reopen Following a Major Upgrade

Building work starts today 3rd October on a major £250,000 transformation of The Needless Inn, Morley by Heineken owned, Star Pubs & Bars1 and Leeds based events, food and drink operators, Kai Man, Ray Chan and Theo Jefferson-Brown.  They’re known for the popular Chinese concept Mans Market in Leeds and a food truck under the same brand.

Closed since October 2021, the pub will reopen in early November as The Greedy Duck, in time for the World Cup.  It will be a top-quality family and dog friendly country pub serving traditional home-cooked pub classics.  15 jobs are being created on the back of the investment.

Funds are being spent on a complete upgrade of the interior and exterior giving The Greedy Duck a lighter more modern look and feel whilst retaining its traditional character.  Inside, this will include Herringbone parquet and tiled flooring, an eclectic mix of seating, bamboo light shades and geometric and botanical wallpaper.   New bi-fold doors will be installed to create an indoor-outdoor atmosphere and frame the stunning valley views.  There will also be a flexible dining area which will be used for events and can be hired for private functions.

Outside the pub will be redecorated in a smart blue and grey colour scheme with new lighting and signage.  The large beer garden will have seating for 94 at sharing garden tables with armchair style seats as well as painted wooden tables and benches, ideal for alfresco drinking and dining.  Colourful planters and festoon lighting will add to the ambience.   Next year the team intends to add a pizza oven, barbecue and outdoor bar to make the most of the fantastic views.

Food will be a major attraction at The Greedy Duck.  To celebrate the ingredients sourced from local suppliers there will be Yorkshire TAPAS such as Otley reared Pork sausages served with a Henderson relish, and Swaledale Pork Crackling with Rhubarb & Ginger compote. And on Sunday there will be a classic Sunday Roast selection with all the trimmings including Gressingham Duck.

Drinks wise, there will be barista style coffee, hand pull ales, a selection of premium lagers, wines and spirits and made-to-order cocktails.

The trio plan for The Greedy Duck to include Saturday evening live music, Sunday acoustic music and from January a weekly pub quiz.  There will be Sky TV in the bar area with four HDTVs for watching live sports.

Says Theo: “When we saw the views of The Greedy Duck we leapt at the chance to take it on.  We want it to be a hub of the community whilst also attracting people from further afield including walkers, cyclists and families enjoying days out.  We have lots of plans for the pub which will be put in place in the months after we open. These include hosting regular Sports Legends evenings to meet and greet well known sports people. We also intend to open from 12-3pm on Christmas Day raising money for a local charity from donations for the food we’ll be serving and the Christmas quiz.  Once we’re established, we’ll be adding more to our events list and hope to see a mixture of regulars and newcomers from the local area.”

Pub Manager Kevan Miley adds: “I will be moving to the pub, so am looking forward to getting to know residents and becoming part of the community.”

Says Jay Weir, Star Pubs & Bars area manager: “We are delighted that Kai, Ray and Theo have taken on The Greedy Duck. They know the area well and have a real vision for the pub.  They have a great attention to detail and loads of experience hosting events and serving fantastic food not just in Leeds but around the country.   I wish them well with their exciting plans.”

The Greedy Duck will open Wednesday to Sunday from 12noon till late, and also open seven days a week during the World Cup.