The Bay Horse, Ripon

Called in on the 29th of May getting the pub done up for the QUeen's Jubilee looked as if there will be a lot of fun there at the week end. The staff were very good and made us welcome if we were about at the week end that's where we would be

In a town that boasts not one but two fairly major breweries, it seems ironic that I managed to find the one pub in town that doesn’t come under the wings of either brewery. With Black Sheep & Theakston dominating the Dales area, I suppose if anyone was going to stick their nose in would be Greene King and the Bay Horse is their representative. Situated just off the town’s Market Place (England’s biggest) it does look quite appealing from outside and, as Greene King pubs go, it is certainly one of their better outlets with couple of ales from the better end of their range (St Edmunds & Speckled Hen) although both Black Sheep Best and Theakston Best do also make an appearance so on the whole it is Dales Ales business as usual. The interior is divided into 2 equal halves with a smaller room at the rear. One section was largely for diners although it is more of an extended pub snack menu rather than anything pretentious and fancy with most main dishes around the £8 mark which is about par for pub grub in the Dales. Both sections contain open fires and have similar décor, nothing fancy but some interesting furnishings such as tree trunk stools and long tables. The rear lounge bar has a dart board and softer furnishings and to the rear is an attractive patio garden. There is clearly a close knit customer base with one wall containing several obituaries with photos and comments of some of the regulars that have passed to the great pub in the sky although, far from being gloomy, the pub does present itself as openly welcoming with plenty of humour on show and personal touches from the hand written menus to the sign inviting the visitor to feel free to stoke the fires. The unobtrusive music featured an eclectic mix that ranged from Bing Crosby to the Buzzcocks and they also have Sky and free WiFi. The notice outside says that this is a Real Pub with real food, real ale, real fires and real chips. I’d pretty much go along with that. Oh, and watch out for Hank the dog, a real cutie.

If I lived in Masham this would be my local, I have to agree with the black board outside describing the pub as "Real Food, Real Fires, Real Ale, Real Pub". A traditionally decorated small town pub, with plastered walls and exposed beams, open plan with two distinct drinking areas either side of the front entrance corridor with a "darts lounge" up a short flight of stairs at the back. 4 handpulls with a very fine pint of Black Sheep Bitter, also Theakstons Bitter and Old Speckled Hen, the fourth pump was empty. Fosters, Carling, Stella and Caffreys(!) etc on the keg side. Friendly, welcoming, couple running the place, regulars wont bite and neither will the little pub dog. Big screen TVs, and a fruit machine for entertainment. Food served all day, snacks for £5-6, mains for £8-9, usual pub fare but local and fresh, the sausages come from the award winning shop next door and the claim that "We only ever serve homemade chips" is not an idle one.