Every so often I visit a pub for the first time and take to it straight away. Some pubs are just OK, may go back again, some are, no way next time, but sometimes, but not that often one shines out and you say, will have to return there !
Recent examples on my travels have been the Black Horse in Wolsingham and the Bon Accord Glasgow ( see last post).
Last weekend Mrs Ken and I were on a coach trip with the local Wetherspoons to Harrogate. Not having boozed in the town before I picked out a handful of pubs in the Good Beer Guide and one of them was Major Toms Social.
Its located in a street called The Ginnel, we would have walked past if I had not looked it up first. Its a cafe bar located up some stairs in a former antiques emporium, co located with a vinyl record shop. The ground floor is occupied by a design studio.
The bar has 4 real ales, bottled beer , pizzas, art works and an excellent taste in background music.
The seating is mostly long tables with benches, which encourages you to share and converse with your near neighbours. Our bench was very wobbly when you moved. - It actually reminded me of the Berwick Beer Festival 2 years ago where if you sat on one end, then got up, the empty end would go flying, tipping the poor sods on the other end on the floor.- highly entertaining.
Anyhow, some young folk ( well everyone was younger than me when we were there !) sat on the other end...this is going to be interesting if we get up first.......
Looking round there was a great atmosphere with enthusiastic staff. Games were available to keep kids ( and adults) occupied.
Sipping a pint of Turning Point Stout ( brewed in Kirkymoorside) it was great to chat and just look around and listen to the music. Suddenly, bearing in mind the kids running the place were in their early twenties, one of my all time favourite Desert Island Disc songs came on....drum roll
The Free Electric Band by Albert Hammond ( 1973). Now you dont get any better than this I thought. Fantastic place ! - and as a bonus, just as we were leaving, Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard - Paul Simon.
Tentatively standing up so the bench wouldn't go flying ( it didnt) , we reluctantly had to leave to catch the coach back home
This cafe bar was so much different from your standard pub and all the better for it. Highly recommended- even the Mrs liked it !
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