A new generation of drinkers are being drawn to craft beer and cocktail bars, sparking a decline in traditional pubs.
And while many of us love a good Negroni or an IPA, you can’t beat a good old fashioned British boozer.
Fortunately we are still blessed’ with some excellent ones in the Harrogate district.
We asked our readers for their favourites. Here are four of them:
Reputedly, the oldest pub in Harrogate has a history going back to the earliest days of the town’s emergence as a leading spa resort.
Originating as one of the first inns for spa visitors after sulphur wells were first established in the mid-18th century, sulphur springs still flow beneath the cellar and the distinctive odours occasionally percolate up to the bar area.
The premises were rebuilt circa 1827 and known as The Promenade Inn. At this time it was said to be a most successful coaching inn. It was enlarged in 1856 and known as Hodgson’s until 1882, when William Hales became the landlord.
The interior decor is reflective of the pub’s long history, with mirrors and fittings from the Victorian era, including traditional gas lighting and cigar lighters.
Stray Ferret reader Richard Dunston Brady said:
“Hales, is the best traditional pub for charm, atmosphere, friendly staff and a well pulled pint.”
Hales Bar, 1-3 Crescent Road, Harrogate, HG1 2RS
The One-Eyed Rat is a traditional pub, famous for its old fashioned charm.
It can be found on Allhallowgate, one of the oldest parts of Ripon.
A real ale destination over many decades, the One Eyed Rat was refurbished and re-opened under new management in the summer of 2020.
A Grade II listed building set within a terrace of 200-year-old houses, its narrow frontage leads to a warm and welcoming hostelry.
The pub has a long, narrow interior with traditional seating and an open fire, and there is a large garden at the rear, including a covered area.
You can also enjoy a traditional pie and a pint.
The historic building dates back to 1340 and goes back several centuries as an inn.
It was almost certainly known as the Ship in the 17th century, as there is a token copper coin in existence, dated 1671, which shows a ship in full sale with the inscription “John Briggs in Aldborough his half penny”.
Brian Rey and Elaine Howden, the owners of The Ship Inn, have been restoring the pub since January following a fire. They have served many high-profile guests, including Prince William and Harry.
The traditional country pub in the Roman town of Aldborough is well-known for Brian’s Yorkshire puddings and ‘real gravy’.
Low Rd, Aldborough, YO51 9ER
Members of Harrogate Pubwatch have said an app to keep bars informed on troublemakers is helping to keep the town centre safer.
Harrogate Pubwatch has approximately 40 bars and pubs registered. Together they can ban a person from all venues who’s behaviour is deemed inappropriate or dangerous for a set period.
Last month, the group imposed a lifetime ban on someone found carrying a knife in Mojo. It has recently added three more people to the banned list, two for violence and one for drug use.
The group also uses an app, sponsored by Harrogate BID, which gives details on all those banned but also provides live information on anyone causing trouble to give other bars the opportunity to refuse them entry before getting inside.
Simon Colgan, a member and owner of the Empress on the Stray and Blues Bar, praised the app. He said:
“If a person’s behaviour is deemed unsafe and dangerous we have a vote and decide the length of the ban. Bars working together like this is a real benefit for the town, it means we can keep venues safe for people to enjoy.”
Harrogate Pubwatch operates under the National Pubwatch guidelines and has set ban lengths for different offences. For example, drug dealing would mean someone is banned for 18 months and sexual harassment such as groping is nine months.
Hannah Ingram, supervisor at Hales Bar, agreed bars working together is hugely positive:
“We work within a really good system, we all support each other. At Hales Bar we, of course, have different customers to Mojo for example but if someone is stopped there it maybe they try come here. The app means we know who to look out for.
“Harrogate is safer for it because there are more eyes about.”
Gabrielle Marcinkeviciute, general manager at North Bar, said:
“In general I don’t want people to think they can act badly and then the next day it all be fine. People know that if they misbehave in a bar that’s part of Pubwatch they won’t be welcome, it makes them more well behaved because they know they could be banned from numerous places.”
Harrogate BID initially sponsored the app for one year but after positive response from businesses and an increase in membership it has extended it for a further 12 months.
Harrogate Pubwatch Secretary Alan Huddart said:
Author on the hunt for Harrogate ghost stories“Pubwatch is making a real difference, and over the last 12 months we have seen our membership grow by 100 per cent. It’s helping alert participating venues in real time about any incidents, and helping identify troublemakers in the process.
“Harrogate is a great town with superb pubs, clubs and bars. It’s a safe town and Pubwatch is helping make it even safer.”
The man behind Harrogate’s first ghost walk is writing a book about spooky tales in the town — and he needs your help finding stories to include.
Paul Forster launched his ghost walk last year, offering an evening excursion around Harrogate’s most haunted locations.
The one-hour trail takes in The Alexandra pub, The Crown Hotel and Hales Bar, among other places.
One of his favourite stories is the time Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author behind the Sherlock Holmes novels, held a seance at The Harrogate Club on Victoria Avenue.
Mr Forster has now found a publisher for a book of Harrogate ghost stories and he wants people to submit their tales from the other side.
Since starting his ghost walk, Mr Forster said he’s encountered several unexplained phenomena, including what he believes was an apparition taunting him at the Turkish Baths.
He said:
“I saw a woman’s body peeking out from a cubicle, I went to the cubicle, but nobody was there. The door shut on its own then I heard a woman’s voice that went ‘ha!’ really loud. It freaked me out.
“There was a young member of staff there who said she had heard the same ‘ha!'”
Mr Forster is particularly interested in ghost stories about Windsor House, a large building that overlooks Valley Gardens. It used to be the Grand Hotel during Harrogate’s Victorian heyday.
He said:
“At Windsor House there was a woman who stepped into a lift but it wasn’t there, so she fell to her death in the lift shaft. She’s been seen lots of times. There is also ghost children running down the corridors there and unusual orbs of light. There must be more stories.”
Mr Forster said Harrogate is a hotbed of ghostly activity due to its Victorian past.
He added:
“People kept saying to me there are no ghosts in Harrogate, you need to go to York, but a lot of the ghosts came here from the Victorian era and World War One. Tourists from all over the world left an imprint behind with both fond or bad memories.
“There’s the ghost of a Victorian gent in the Pump Room museum. He’s dressed like a tourist in bowler hat and can be seen disappearing through the wall.”
Do you have any ghost stories? Email Paul Forster here or message him on Facebook.
Boozy Tour of Harrogate to launch next monthThe man behind the Free Walking Tour of Harrogate has launched a Boozy Tour in which people can enjoy alcohol whilst taking in the town’s history.
Harry Satloka grew up living in pubs with his landlord parents and said he had always been fascinated by their history, as well as by alcohol.
Over the past year, he has researched all types of alcohol including beer, champagne and gin to create a Boozy Tour which will take participants to four different venues for tastings.
The tour begins at the Old Bell where people will be offered three different beers and canapes. It then moves to Hales Bar where people will get the chance to taste champagne before heading to the Yorkshire Hotel for a gin tasting experience in the rooftop Sky Bar. Finally, they will go to North Bar for cocktails and charcuterie.
At each venue, Mr Satloka will tell the history of each type of alcohol as well as the venue. He said:
“It’s definitely not a booze cruise, it’s more of a cultural education experience with the benefit of getting a little tipsy.”
The tour, which costs £55 per person, takes about three hours, with 45 minutes scheduled at each bar.
The tours begin at the Old Bell at 6.30pm on Friday and Saturday from April 15. Each tour can only take eight people so booking is essential.
Fund set up in memory of Harrogate musician Aaron BertenshawThe mother of Harrogate singer-songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw, who died suddenly aged 26 last week, has set up a fundraising page to help people with diabetes overcome mental health problems.
Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, was a popular and well known figure on the Harrogate district music scene. He was a regular at the Blues Bar, where he first performed and at many other venues, such as Hales Bar.
Sammy Oates, his mother, told the Stray Ferret she was in “complete shock” at the loss of her son “who had the most infectious smile”.
Sammy said she believed Aaron went into a diabetic coma but a post mortem would be held to ascertain Thursday’s cause of death.
She added he had struggled massively to cope with being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic at the age of 18 and had recently been treated for ketoacidosis, which affects people whose bodies don’t produce enough insulin.
“Aaron touched a lot of lives. He was only 26 but packed a lot in. He also worked as a barber and played rugby for Otley when he was young.
“He was such a bright shining star and an absolute social butterfly. Everyone knew him and he never had a bad word to say about anybody.
“What I remember most is his smile. He had the most infectious smile. There was always a twinkle in the eyes.
“He had a heart of gold. We lost the family dog as well last week and we were all devastated about that.”
A gofundme page set up by Sammy has already raised over £3,000. Donations can be made here.
She said the money would be used to provide mental health support to people with diabetes. Mental health and diabetes are usually treated separately and there was a need to provide a service that addressed the two issues together, said Sammy.
“Aaron hated being diabetic. He couldn’t handle it and he didn’t take his insulin.
“Because he was a musician he was in the party scene a lot. So at 18 when all his friends were out partying he was at home injecting himself.
“It’s a bit of a vicious circle. Diabetes is massively life changing so he’d get down about it and then not want to deal with it.”
Sammy said a memorial service would be held at St John’s Church in Bilton where he and his family were christened. She also plans to stage a memorial show next year.
Aaron, who was due to perform in Wakefield this weekend, started gigging at 15 and shortly afterwards released an EP record. His mum was a singer and he regularly watched bands with his dad, Sam Bertenshaw.
He played the guitar and his vast musical influences included Ed Sheeran and Leonard Cohen. Besides playing in venues, he busked for cancer charities when the disease claimed the life of his uncle at the age of 42. Sammy said:
“If we can just help one person it will all be worthwhile. Perhaps we could find a counsellor who could advise on living with diabetes rather than just the medical side of things. Maybe set up a charity. I just know I need to do something and I need to do it in his name and now while everyone is aware.”
Aaron leaves Sammy and her partner, Jonathan, dad Sam and his partner Fiona and a sister, Ruth.
Sammy described the Blues Bar as “a huge part of Aaron’s life “.
Simon and Sharon Colgan, the owners of the Blues Bar, paid a joint tribute to Aaron. They said:
“We want to get it right” – district pubs delay reopening“Aaron sang in the Blues Bar from the beginning of his career. He inspired other young musicians and was never demanding of attention
“He was a warm, intelligent and gifted young man who was giving and thoughtful towards others
“He is a part of our blues family, known and loved by everyone We will always have fond memories of Aaron. It is such a tragic loss to us all.”
A number of pubs in Harrogate and Knaresborough have taken the decision to not open their doors on Saturday, despite being given the green light to reopen.
This decision comes as many pub owners argue that it is too soon to reopen. They would rather “watch what everyone else does” this weekend. Many pubs said they were too small to open or not financially stable enough.
Blind Jacks in Knaresborough is one pub which has taken the decision not to open on Super Saturday. Owners Christian and Alice Ogley told The Stray Ferret that they do not want to rush into anything.
They said:
“We have ever precaution in place in order to keep it as safe as possible, but we have one chance to get this right from the beginning. We want to make sure we are completely ready.”
North Bar in Harrogate has been running a pop-up beer shop during lockdown but realised that reopening fully on 4 July was going to be a difficult task.
North Bar in Harrogate
Debra Przychodna, general manager of North Bar told The Stray Ferret:
“We decided to delay our reopening because we want to avoid risk, people are going to get very excited this weekend. We have had so much support from customers and we are really looking forward to when we can finally reopen.”
Similarly Hales Bar on Crescent Road in Harrogate has taken the decision not to open due to the size and layout of the bar. Manager Amanda Wilkson hopes to reopen next weekend but only from Thursday to Sunday.