Mowbray Arms, Thirsk

I cant add to the fulsome description of the building below. Beers from black sheep, smith's and timothy taylor.

In an area of relatively poor pubs, one could be forgiven for giving the Pickwick a wide berth. The rather cavernous interior has been knocked into 1 large room with high ceilings propped up by a couple of large pillars but little in the way of aesthetic value. Whilst it is very much a rough and ready local's pub, it has always been very accommodating to our small group and, when the other pubs are packed, the Pickwick is a welcome relief from the crowds. The Big Screen & well positioned plasmas are ideal for catching up with the post match results and stories. A pool table dominates one end (they appear to run a pretty successful pool team) and there is a raised darts area in one corner plus the usual run of quiz and fruit machines dotted about. The drinks are fairly mainstream and, sadly, the only mention of a Real Ale is on the Courage Best mirror although it must be said, this is not a great area for Ale drinkers to start with. To be honest, apart from its welcoming nature, there isn't a lot here to lure one off the beaten path but the fact that the place has welcomed us where some of the other local pubs have let us down is a very big personal plus point.

Double fronted and low ceilinged, I would love to have seen this pub before some alterations partially took away what looks like a very characterful interior. However, enough hints of a fine old market town pub still remain inside to interest those who love the diversity of English pubs. A flagstone floored corridor runs from the front door to a rear main bar with the counter occupying the whole righthand side, beyond is a modern looking restaurant. To either side of the corridor is a room which you step down into, originally the corridor walls would have extended much further but some of the walls have been removed and I suspect doors too. The right hand front room has a bar counter but this appears little used, service mainly being in the rear section. Fairly bland but clean and comfortable furnishings and decoration, upholstered settles, stools and Britannia tables, photos of the landlord's previous pubs and drink related material, the left hand room is fairly similar but without a TV screen. Both rooms are used for eating. One unusual feature is a glass fronted cupboard which sits in the wall between the front room and the back bar and is visible from both rooms, it contains a nice collection of old bottles. Two barmaids at work when I last visited but a bit busy due to lunchtime food service to a mixed clientele ranging from kids to OAPs. The ubiqious John Smiths cask as the ale with the fairly standard keg lineup of Guinness, Strongbow and Bulmers ciders, Stella, 1664, John Smiths in its extra cold guise and the rarer Amstel. Posters advertise live music for every Friday and the Gents has rather disconcerting clear glass in some of its windows.