The Starling, Harrogate

Starling has an L-shaped bar counter that faces seating to the front that is split in two by a central wall. A couple of high tables up the left lead to a large table at the rear on the way to the toilets. On a table outside the toilets are various sizes of nappies, I recall the good old days when I used to take my nippers to the pub for so long that I ran out of nappies! Out the back is a courtyard that was busy late on a sunny Friday afternoon. The bar counter supports six hand pumps that were drawing Wilde Child’s Delaying the Inevitable, Turning Point’s Time of the Season, Boson’s Crimple Valley, Kirkstall’s Pale Ale, Daleside’s Blonde and TT Boltmaker. Craft keg was also available, as was a pizza menu with most priced around £11. There was a decent atmosphere and the service was friendly so I’d revisit if passing.

Official site of The Starling - www.murmurationbars.co.uk

Official site of The Starling - www.murmurationbars.co.uk

Now reopened into larger premises by knocking through to the building next door, the ground floor is twice the size of before. The counter has been turned through 90 degrees and lengthened as well as being an L shape. Six handpulls remain with mostly Yorkshire beers, the keg choice from similar sources is provided on 10 taps mounted on an horseshoe. Obviously the coffee and pizzas remain as does the mural of the mumeration of starlings. The floor level had to be raised in the old part and it still has stripped brick walls while the new part is properly plastered. Upstairs was a work in progress.