Cross Keys Hotel, York

How things change over the years, still a traditional boozer with a single long bar across the front of the building but now all on one floor level and it has minimal decor, the dining area now houses a pool table. The beer choice is still pedestrian and of mediocre quality, Doombar or Black Sheep Bitter. Usual sort of keg selection across three T-Bars. Square and numbered tables all round although I didn’t see any mention of food, there are still screens, machines and a juke box. The decor is limited to a mirror, a couple of old photos and some fake cask ends painted with brewery names and symbols. Probably not the best pub in Pocklington now, although the banter is ok.

Obviously once a two bar pub but now open plan with a nice old counter in the centre back, with dining to the right and a more public bar area to the left and centre. There's a choice of well kept beers but the range is more than a little dreary, John Smiths Cask, Bombardier or Hobgoblin plus representatives of the standard UK kegs range. Decorated in nick- nack style with a bit of everything brassware, prints, ciggy cards, fishing rods, flintlocks, Charlie Chaplin canes, and maps. There's a discreet darts board next to the central fireplace. The raised Public Bar area has the big screen, machines and photos of local sports teams. It has the cleanest and sweetest smelling gents I've been in for a long time. The service is excellent it also does very good chips. In short a very well run pub that feels right and apart from the choice of beer I'd probably agree with Steve Platts, although the other pubs aren't as bad as he suggests.

Best pub in Pocklington - friendly and a decent selection of beer. Mind you, the other pubs in Pock are such s**tholes it's got no opposition.

John's Cask & Magnet, Tetley's, Black Sheep & Moorland available.