Old Gate, Hebden Bridge

Modern upmarket restaurant and bar, GBG’22 listed. A number of knock-throughs to create a wide room with little depth resulting in a fairly cacophonous interior, decorated in a light and relatively tasteful daytime TV show style. A legion of be-penguined staff were on duty with the exception of an eccentric beardie behind the bar who might well have just walked in off the street, I guess he was the ale guy and was a friendly chap. Seven cask from regionals and the local Vocation plus a cider adorned the copper-topped bar. My Kirkstall was fair (NBSS 3) but I think I picked one the locals were swerving, most of the others were turning over. Not really my bag as a place to drink but the commitment to cask means it's worth dropping in for a swift one.

Standing room only on Saturday evening, very busy both inside and out, and very loud as a result. Ten hand pulls at the bar, with one off, one cider, two beers by Squawk, others by Hawkshead, Marble, Vocation and Moorhouse's, and Thornbridge Jaipur completing the line-up. Despite bordering on being uncomfortably busy, we were only staying for a swift one so didn't really matter to us that much. My Aix porter by Squawk was good. It's a place I would be happy to return to.