The Bay Horse, Otley

Interesting multi space old pub. A front and back room set up with counter faces on both, although the front one is so short that hatch could describe it, it still has room for a couple of pulls. Mainly Tetleys on sale but also well kept guests from Copper Dragon and two from Black Sheep on the six pumps. The service is attentive and polite without being obsequeous as you should expect in a proper traditional Yorkshire pub. Still busy late afternoon after the lunchtime trade thins when I was there. Traditionally decorated and furnished apart from the pig pictures and a few blackboards. The gents is oddly placed on the other side of a public footpath at the rear of the pub.

The Bay Horse is a small Tetley's pub opposite the market square in the centre of Otley. The main bar has a stand up drinking lobby in front of a room that has fixed seating round the walls. Somewhat oddly, this room is decorated with some framed black and white photos of pigs and young children, which, in my view, didn't really fit in well with the general style and ambience of the pub, which retains some original coloured stained glass windows. There's a separate tap room at the front of the pub which is serviced via a hatch from the main bar. On my afternoon visit, this room was being used by regulars to watch the afternoon's horse racing. A trophy cabinet here shows that the pub has won Leeds in Bloom awards for its impressive floral displays. As well as the 2 pumps serving Tetley's Bitter and Mild, 2 guest beers were on - Leeds Pale and Ossett Sizzler. The Leeds Pale - £ 2.50p - was in good form. In the doorway, a poster features photos of approx 20 Otley pubs - "a celebration of this historic town's legendary inns" - and, indeed, a quick walk around the town did reveal a few other pubs that I would have explored had time permitted. The Bay Horse is a small basic, old fashioned pub that won't appeal to everybody, but I'd be happy to revisit.