Golden Fleece, York

Small pub which, as previous posters note, apparently dates back 500 years. Split into drinking and dining sections, giving the impression the food dominates; York Brewery beers sit alongside TT Landlord, which was in decent form. I perched on a stool near the door, the only seat available. It was alright, but I'd imagine York has better.

Describing itself as "one of York's oldest and most haunted inns", the Golden Fleece allegedly dates back to 1503. Situated in the middle of York's shopping centre, a small attractive looking frontage leads into a bare boarded wood panelled drinkers bar at the front of the pub. A long corridor, the walls of which are decorated with framed ghost memorabilia and tales, leads into a well appointed rear lounge, which was reserved for diners only on my recent visit. Beers on were Yorkshire Terrier, TT Landlord and Black Sheep. The Yorkshire Terrier - £ 2.90p - was reasonable. This is a perfectly adequate pub in a city where decent pubs are not exactly thin on the ground. Unless you've a particular fascination for ghostly tales, ( and if you have, you might want to consider doing Bed and Breakfast !) there's no reason to specifically seek this one out.

A narrow terraced brick build, with an ostentatious stone arched entrance and a hanging golden fleece as a pub sign in true Jason and the Argonaught style. The interior is in a sort of L shape and has a couple of rooms. You enter the bar area, which is in that nicotine yellowy colour and wood panel, with wood floor, a small tiled fireplace, a few barrels and lots of pictures and fun ephemera on the walls. A narrow picture festooned corridor in white and coffee then takes you to the rear room, which is where the diners go. This room is in a dirty white, with some undressed stone, support beams, beamed red ceiling and wood floor. Again, a myriad of pictures; old photos and prints, along with some bottle, jugs and other ephemera entertain the eye. The service was fine, the clientele mixed and it was very busy both with drinkers and diners. My fiends had a sandwich, which they said was fine. There was a TV, but it wasn't on, the music was mixed andat a decent level. Beer; tap stuff, with York Brewery's Centurion's Ghost (it certainly raised my spirit), York Terrier, Constantine, the untried Black Sheep Bitter, as well as a decent Timothy Taylor Landlord I really like this pub, perhaps because it is so obviously over the top in its 'traditional' style and 'ghostly' goings on. If you don't like sofas - visit it.

“One of York's oldest and most haunted pubs” says the legend over the bar counter, and it's said to date from 1503. Long and thin, presumably following the mediaeval Burgess plot property boundary, the small front bar interior is in half panelling with buff scumble above. The walls are covered in old photos, paintings and posters of the history of Dick Turpin, Richard III etc. The small counter at the back has handpulls serving a good number of the York Brewery range, plus Black Sheep Bitter and Taylors Landlord, as well as the usual keg founts for John Smiths extra cold, Amstel, Guinness etc. etc. No idea what had happened to my York Terrier but it tasted more like Tetley's cask. From the front bar a corridor lined with more old pictures and descriptions of the pub's and York's many ghosts, leads into a large lounge area, restricted to diners only on my visit. This has another four handpulls and similar beer range to the front bar, décor is in the same kind of mock mediaeval style. Obviously its looks and location opposite the Shambles make it attractive to tourists but there seemed to be a few locals using it when I was there.

Official site of the Golden Fleece - www.goldenfleece.yorkwebsites.co.uk

Official site of the Golden Fleece - www.goldenfleece.yorkwebsites.co.uk