The Pine Marten, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate

Official site of The Pine Marten - www.thepinemarten.com

Official site of The Pine Marten - www.thepinemarten.com

Imposing stone building on the outskirts of Harrogate, it proclaims itself to be a “Country Pub and Eating House”, it succeeds as an eating house but I am a little unconvinced by the pub part. Decorated in elegant restaurant style, there is a lounge area on entering with leather chairs, brass topped round tables and the bar counter with stools. The rest of the multi area open plan layout is given over to dining space apart from another lounge area, similar to the bar area, at the building's right hand end. The floor is stone flags and the walls rag-rolled in a colour I am informed is Taupe. Enlarged and illustrated wine labels are the only ornamentation. Three handpumps, Black Sheep Bitter and Taylors Landlord in reasonable condition, there is an array of separate keg fonts including the better mass market brands, Pilsner Urquell amongst them. Beer prices are about 15% higher than pubs in central Harrogate. As you may expect the drinks menu details the wines available and also the spirits, however the first page has a note on cask ales and says you should ask for a taster if you don't know the ale. The liveried staff, badged shirts and leather aprons, are not excessively restaurant oriented and are quite friendly. This is not the kind of place you would expect to find regulars but it does have some; both dining and drinking. The rest of the lunchtime customers appear to be a mixture of office workers from the business park next door, judging by the cheap suits and name badges, plus the expected members of Harrogate's middle class including some top totty.