A pub in Knaresborough Market Place has been recognised for serving high quality real ale for three decades.

Blind Jack’s was awarded a certificate by the Campaign for Real Ale last night for 30 years’ continuous appearance in the Good Beer Guide.

The guide, produced annually by CAMRA, is the UK’s premier guide to the best beer in the country.

A total of 24 local pubs feature in the recently published 2023 edition. But it is not believed any can match Blind Jack’s record of being included every year in the last 30.

Christian Ogley and his wife Alice bought Blind Jack’s five years ago from Ian Fozard, the owner of Harrogate brewers Roosters.

Blind Jack’s on Market Place

Mr Ogley said only a handful of pubs in the country could match Blind Jack’s long-term record for consecutive appearances in the ale drinkers’ bible.

He said conditions in the 400-year-old building were ideal for maintaining ale at the right temperature and the pub also kept the quality high by ensuring a high turnover of live cask ales.

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Alun Gauld, chairman of the Harrogate and Ripon branch of CAMRA, presented a certificate to the owners last night. He said:

“Christian and Alice were overjoyed to have their hard work at the pub recognised by CAMRA and the certificate will join the other awards on the pub’s trophy display wall.

“In the pub’s first Good Beer Guide entry back in 1993 it was described as an intimate gem and it remains a gem to this day. “

The certificate presented last night

Mr Gauld said two other Harrogate district pubs had been in the Good Beer Guide regularly for many years — the White Bear in Masham and the One Eyed Rat in Ripon.

But he said he was only sure Blind Jack’s had been listed in the publication every year for the last three decades.

An arsonist set fire to an historic Grade II listed Knaresborough pub where the owners live.

Blind Jack’s, on Market Place, was damaged in the blaze which was started at around 4am on Sunday morning.

Owners Christian and Alice Ogley were away at the time of the fire so nobody was injured.

The fire service managed to put out the blaze and police officers tracked down a suspect and arrested him.

However, it will take a highly-skilled craftsman to replace the badly damaged entrance as the windows and door is around 200-years-old. There is also smoke damage inside.

The pub is named after Knaresborough’s John Metcalf, the first professional road builder to emerge in the Industrial Revolution.

Mr Ogley told the Stray Ferret:

“Luckily a local had just gotten back from a stag do in Leeds. He had decided to cut through Market Place where he saw the fire.

“He banged on the door because he knew we lived there and then called 999. Without him it would have been much worse.”

Since news of the fire got out, Christian and Alice have been inundated with messages and offers of support. He added:

“That is the best thing to come out of this. We have had so many kind messages and treats from local people and businesses.

“We managed to open last night. So many people came to offer their support. All of this positivity has really outweighed the negativity.”

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While the pub will get a temporary replacement, the owners will need to get in experts to fix entrance which may force it to close for a few days in the near future.

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said:

“Crews were called to a report of a door of a building on fire. Crews extinguished this using a hose reel jet. This was believed to have been deliberate.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Police were called to Blind Jack’s pub in Knaresborough after reports that a man had set fire to the front door.

“Officers arrested a 44 year old man on suspicion of arson and he was later released under investigation.”