The Half Moon Inn, Durham

Update – September 2013 The pub is as described below on my original visit in September 2008. 5 beers were on – Greene King IPA, York Brewery’s Yorkshire Terrier, Bass, Durham White Gold ( these 4 appear to be regular beers ) plus Adnams Lighthouse as a guest. The Durham beer ( £2.95p ) was an enjoyable pint. This visit was noteworthy for my first sighting of a pub sporting a CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2014 sticker. This is a pleasant, if rather unremarkable, pub. It’s worth calling in, if only to sample a beer from the local Durham Brewery, whose beers do not appear to be easily found in Durham pubs, for some inexplicable reason. Original review – September 2008 Well known traditional Durham pub at the end of Elvet Bridge with an outside drinking area at the back looking out on to the river. My initial impression of this pub on a Sunday afternoon visit was not good - the bar at the front was busy and dominated by the loudish football screens, but I quickly found a much quieter part at the back down a few steps. A subsequent visit the next day gave a more favourable impression. The traditional atmosphere is enhanced by a number of old black and white photos of Miners Marches ( 1958, 1983) taken from the pub and several Bass mirrors and a curved mahogany bar in the lower bar. Its a Mitchell and Butlers pub and 3-4 real ales were on - Bass, Timmy Taylor, London Pride and Bees Knees from the local Durham Brewery. The pub is Cask Marque accredited and clearly takes real ale seriously. This is one of the pubs that people tell you to visit if you're in Durham and I'm not about to tell you differently

Traditional 'U'-shaped main bar with quite restricted space for seating. Attractive lower lounge with a curved counter. Worth looking about, both inside and out, as there is some fine decorative tiling beside front doors / windows and around the fireplaces. Newspapers available to read. Rear patio area. Six beers available on handpump, including EPA, Yorkshire Terrier and a fine piunt of Durham White Gold (£2.90). Well worth seeking out.

Called in on our way to Durham beer festival and found a well stocked bar of real ales. Chose Durham White Gold and Broughton Merlins Ale, but felt they may have needed a bit more pulled off as we were the first customers in there. Bar area when you go in was being spruced up and we went in the lounge at the back. This was very clean and tidy, and there is a separate bar there which must operate when they are busy. Outside seating area at the back. Staff friendly.

An atmospheric historic town pub just outside the old City centre, The Half Moon is one of Durham's best. The interior is listed and split into two - a ground floor lounge and bar, and an upstairs bar used mainly by locals. The bars are crescent shaped, hence the name. Four ales on, I tried the Durham and found it most enjoyable; I would have loved to stay for more but time didn't allow. I will, however, most certainly be back. Recommended for a good evening's drinking and is a must for a City crawl.

Traditional pub on the main road with a large central bar and a lower area with soft seating. There also seems to be a terrace overlooking the river although we didn't try that. Four beers on tap (Timothy Taylor Landlord, Bass, London Pride and the local Bee's Knees) plus Strongbow, Woodpecker & Magners cider, plus another dozen bottled ciders.