Faversham, Kent.

In June 2017 I was shown a remarkable old pub in Faversham by an old friend, Johnny Greene.

The Bear Inn, Market Place, Faversham ME13 7AG

There is something exquisit about enjoying the first pint of the day, and the following sequence of Bean in The Bear expresses it perfectly.

Johnny Greene - A picture of happiness

Unfortunately John's usually impeccable taste deserted him later in the day. And I don't just mean the shirt.

In July 2019 Pam and I found ourselves back in Faversham. Naturally the first pub we visited was The Bear.

We also popped into another historic pub,The Sun Inn, for a couple of halves.

The Sun Inn. 10 West Street, Faversham, ME13 7JE

Faverham was established as a settlement before the Roman conquest, and has, over the centuries, developed into a wonderfully historic market town. In fact it now hosts the oldest street market in Kent, dating back over 900 years. Faversham is also home to Britain’s oldest brewery, Shepherd Neame.

Despite its many traditional pubs, Faversham also has some thriving new micropubs including Furlongs Ale House.

Furlongs Ale House,  6 Preston Street, Faversham, ME13 8NS

The Corner Tap is another micropub recommended by Bean.

The Corner Tap, 37 Preston Street, Faversham ME13 8PE

Our last pint of the night in Faversham was in The Railway Hotel. A real traditional pub.

The Railway Hotel, Preston Street, Faversham ME13 8PE

Inside the comfortable main bar of The Railway Hotel.

0246

Harrogate

February 2018 and I thought a rail trip from Alnmouth to Harrogate for a few pints of beer would be straightforward. However, as this involved changing trains in York and meeting Barfly in the York Tap, an unscheduled delay was inevitable.

On arriving at Harrogate’s Victorian station, Barfly and I called at the Harrogate Tap (sister pub of the York Tap) for a swift pint of ale.

Barfly enjoying the wonderful surroundings of the Harrogate Tap

Position vacant in the Harrogate Tap.

The Little Ale House. 7 Cheltenham Crescent, Harrogate HG1 1DH

En route to meet Bean and Jones the Beer we thought we would pop into this micropub for a stiffener. It was closed when we arrived - as you can see from the disappointment on Barfly’s face.

The Royal Baths, Parliament Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 2RR

Equilibrium was restored as we are about to enter Weatherspoon’s flagship pub, The Winter Gardens

Harrogate’s former Royal Baths included the Winter Gardens – built so that visitors could relax and stroll in any weather. Its name lives on in this Wetherspoon pub. During the 1920s, people could relax here, amid potted palms, listening to music from a grand piano.

Bean and Jones the Beer positioned adjacent to the bar in The Winter Gardens

No, it’s not a scene from a Busby Berkley film, but the Winter Gardens grand staircase. Not your everyday pub.

The Old Bell, 6 Royal Parade, Harrogate HG1 2SZ

We had now retired to The Old Bell for the final pint of the afternoon and it looks like the landlord of this grand little pub has just photobombed us. 

The Old Bell was first mentioned over 230 years ago in 1786, when the tenants of the original Bell said that they “provided a stock of the best wines and other liquors, and furnished the house in a manner of commodious for the reception of the genteleest families…”. Well we felt quite at home.

Newcastle II

I’m not sure why we decided to choose a wet and cold November day to meet in Newcastle,  but we did, and proved, once again, that it never rains in pubs!

38 Neville Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 5DF

Bean, Yozza, Jones the Beer and Barfly preparing to enter the Victoria Comet. This pub featured in an earlier post in 2013 when it was called O’Neill’s. It is now part of the Nicholson’s group of pubs and reverted to the name it had in 1970 when it featured in the film ‘Get Carter’. This building has been a pub since the 1800s – in fact, it once housed two pubs. The Victoria on the left and The Comet on the right eventually merged to become The Victoria and Comet Hotel. 

After a few jars we called in the Bridge Hotel, another Nicholson’s pub with wonderful views over the river Tyne. 

Nicholson’s own several pubs in the region and they are invariably well-run with excellent beer.

The Bridge Hotel. Castle Square Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 1RQ

There is more than one pub in Newcastle called ‘The Bridge’. Another is situated on the Quayside and is actually built between the stanchions of an iconic North East landmark - The Tyne Bridge.

There has been an ale house on this site for nearly two centuries, but the original building was demolished in 1925 to make way for the bridge.

The Bridge Tavern 7 Akenside Hill , Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3UF. 

This photograph was taken during January 2016. The pub was previously known as The Newcastle Arms and this name can still be seen in the stonework above the main windows.

I first visited this pub in January 2016 with Tony Doyle and Smudger Smith, seen here standing by the Bridge Tavern’s microbrewery. This pub has an association with Newcastle’s Wylam Brewery, one of the regions, if not the countries, leading craft brewers.

The Red House, 32 Sandhill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3JF

If you ever find yourselve on The Quayside then you might like to call into The Red House for a pie and a pint. When it comes to pies Johnny Greene knows his onions. He loves pies to such an extent that I have heard him say, on more than one occasion, that some pie crusts are so tasty he can enjoy a pie without any filling.

The Red House and the Jacobean Betty Surtees House with the High Level Bridge in the background.

The Red House is Tudor in origin although the front of the building was rebuilt in the early 18^th century. Inside it is a warren of small rooms where you can make yourself comfortable and order a pie.

A view of the Tyne Bridge from the Red House

The Split Chimp, Arch 7, Westgate Road. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 1SA

You can see the joy on these young lads’ faces as they are about to enjoy a pint in one of Newcastle’s newest pubs.  In 2017 The Split Chimp was voted by Times readers as one of the ten best micropubs in the country.

Leeds

A great city with many splendid pubs

13th March 2017 and the irrepressible Steve Barfly is well prepared for an afternoon session.

The Scarborough is ideally located for Leeds railway station. The building, which pre-dates the railway, was built in 1765. It became a pub in 1826 and, according to the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, was originally called the Kings Arms, but took the name of the first owner of the pub, Henry Scarborough.

Yozza, Bean, Jones the Beer and Barfly about to enjoy the first, but not the last, pint of the day in The Scarborough.

Pub decor inside The Scarborough

In 1969 this lot thought they were Born to be Wild. Now they are just Born to Drink Mild

The Victoria, situated on Great George Street, just behind Leeds town hall, was built by the Victoria Hotel Company in 1865. The interior is a wonderful display of polished wood, brass and ornate mirrors and the beer was in splendid condition.

One of the many ornate mirrors in The Victoria

Beer drinking, like football, is a game of two halves

York

Seconds of Pleasure

There is a little-known record album inner sleeve showing 4 blokes standing outside a pub waiting, in great anticipation, for opening time. The band was Rockpile and the album ‘Seconds of Pleasure’. This image and the caption records one of the many near-forgotten attractions of British pub culture. Waiting for the pub to open. In these times of all-day opening, the ritual of standing outside the pub waiting for the landlord to unbolt the door is far less common, but is still a fleeting pleasure that can be enjoyed on occasion.

In July I took the train to York to meet up with a few friends for a quiet pint. York is full of delights and they start even before you leave the railway station. Turn left on Platform 1 and you will find yourself in the York Tap. I did and on this occasion was met by Barfly who had already bought me a pint in anticipation of my arrival. What a gentleman! We then proceeded to The Maltings where we met Yozza, Jones the Beer, Degga and Bean, who had made the arduous trip from Kent just so he could enjoy a few jars of northern ale.

The next stop was The Ackhorne Inn. Apparently it was once known simply as The Acorn, but some marketing bod probably thought that Ackhorne sounded more rustic and might attract more customers. Nevertheless this is a splendid pub.

Young lads emerged from The Ackhorne on St Martin’s Lane, with Jones the Beer about to set the pace to the next pub. July 2017 

Too early for opening time. Sad faces of Degga, Yozza, Barfly, Bean and Jones the Beer outside
The Golden Ball

Happy faces enjoying a pint at the rear of The Ackhorne Inn. More of a beer yard than a beer garden.

York

If you like pubs, you will love York. Although this compact city may no longer have 365 – one for each day of the year – it still has several of outstanding quality.

Unlike many cities such as Liverpool, Leeds and London, which still boast some elaborate Victorian gin palaces, York’s best pubs are more of the street corner variety. This makes them more comfortable and cosy and less intimidating.

York currently has three pubs listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory and twelve more in Yorkshire’s Real Ale Heritage Pubs, also published by CAMRA

The Golden Ball, Cromwell Road. 1996

This small Victorian local was remodelled in 1929 by John Smiths of Tadcaster and features extensive glazed brick and tiles. This photograph shows my wife, Pam, waiting patiently outside for opening time.

The unusual tiled bar front in The Golden Ball 1996

The Black Swan, Peaseholme Green. 2006

Not always a pub, this mediaeval timber-framed building, dating back to 1417, was originally a private house. Reputedly haunted by several ghosts. During the 18th century, this house was occupied by the parents of General Wolfe, one-time commander of the British army in Canada. 

The Blue Bell, Fossgate. 2006

Easy to pass by, this genuine Edwardian pub is one of York’s great hidden treasures. Unassuming from the street, the splendid Edwardian interior enabled this pub to be awarded Grade II* listed status.

Glazed serving hatch in The Blue Bell. January 2015 

The York Tap, York Station. January 2015

This pub is proof that some things do get better with age. This fine Victorian building at York station was originally the station tea room, but opened as the York Tap in 2010. Considerable restoration was required, but this pub now boasts Art Deco stained glass windows, original terrazzo floor tiling and an ornate ceiling. An extensive range of beers is always on offer, many from local micro-breweries.

One of The York Tap’s individual hand pulls. January 2015

The York Tap, June. 2015 - The irrepressible Steve Barnett in his natural environment.

Tony Doyle, outside The York Tap in January 2016, celebrating the fact that he has never been ejected from this pub.

The Snickleway Inn, Goodramgate. January 2015

This 15th century pub is reputedly the most haunted in York. There are certainly some strange stories associated with this building. Occasionally the smell of lavender is noticed throughout the pub. This is said to relate to the practice, many centuries ago, of keeping plague victims in an upstairs room. Lavender was used to mask the smell of the deceased. I know from my own experience that lavender does, in fact, have a persistent aroma. Several years ago I was walking home having partaken of a few sherbets when I stumbled and fell into a lavender bush. I finally made my way home, and to bed. In the morning I had all but forgotten about this little mishap – until the smell of this plant returned to haunt me. Other spirits at The Snickleway include Mrs Tulliver and her car, Seamus and the ghost of a young girl, believed to be the daughter of a previous landlord, who was killed outside the pub by the brewer’s dray. The most malicious ghost is said to be that of an old chap who sits on a barrel in the cellar and throws objects at the staff when they go down there.

For those of you wondering, ‘snickelways’ is a York expression for small paths between buildings. It is a relatively new word coined in 1983 by the author Mark Jones from three words, snicket, ginnel and alleyway.

The Golden Slipper, Goodramgate. January 2015

During alterations in 1984, workmen found a mediaeval leather slipper which is believed to have been built into the 14th century building to ward off evil spirits.

The Punchbowl, Blossom Street. June 2015

Alfresco drinking with Steve Barnett, Jones the Beer, myself and Tony Parry.

A few late afternoon bevvies in The Punchbowl, and Steve’s expression says it all.

The Maltings, Tanner's Moat. January 2016

Jones the Beer and Tony Parry enjoying a pint in The Maltings.

Tony Parry, Barfly, Bill Chilton and Jones the Beer in The Maltings.

A congenial team photograph – unexpectantly photobombed by the pub landlord.

Barfly, Yozza Hughes and Jones the Beer enjoying a quiet pint in The Maltings. The following three pints were considerably noisier.

The Swan, Bishopsgate. January 2016

This unpretentious street corner pub was built in Victorian times but it is the remodelling performed in 1936 which gives this building its listing as a heritage pub. Little has changed from this time. Rare features include the unaltered room layout, serving hatch, bell pushes, leaded and glazed screens and terrazzo flooring. This is one of three York pubs listed in the CAMRA National Inventory.

Glazed panel above the main entrance to The Swan.

The Kings Arms, King’s Staith. January 2016

Situated on the banks of the River Ouse, this pub is known nationally as ‘The Pub that Floods’. There is a plaque inside the front door which shows the height of the water on past occasions.

The Roman Bath, St Sampson’s Square. January 2016 

In 1930, renovations to this pub revealed the remains of a caldarium, or steam bath, from the Roman city of Eboracum. The caldarium and a neighbouring plunge bath have been excavated and can and visited from inside the pub. 

The Three Cranes, St Sampson’s Square. January 2016

I remember visiting this pub in the 1980s when it was run by the redoubtable Mrs. Barnett,
mother of Steve.

Ye Olde Starre Inn, Stonegate. January 2016

Believed to be one of York’s oldest pubs, this pub has undergone several changes over the centuries. There is some interesting late 19th century decorative leaded glass in the main bar.

Main bar of Ye Olde Starre Inn.