Major Tom's Social, Harrogate

After wandering around the downstairs second hand retro clothes shop for a while I realised that I was a drunk middle aged man wandering around a clothes shop looking for a drink on a Friday afternoon, a new low even for me. Major Tom’s Social is actually upstairs, housed in a large open plan space akin to a student union cum art studio with distressed décor and mix and match of reclaimed wooden furniture. The bar counter on the rear wall supports four hand pumps that were drawing Brass Castle’s Misfit and Northern Monk’s Eternal alongside a craft keg and can range. There was some 1970s music playing and I noted a single disco ball hanging in the middle of the ceiling. The service was polite, but I didn’t really get it.

Something of a contrast to the row of late night bars in which it stands, and the sundry new age junk and crafts retail has been banished to the ground floor leaving the upstairs as one large bar. The overwhelming feel is determined by the industrial wood used for the flooring and much else (Oriented Strand Board I am informed), brightened up by some strings of bunting and miscellaneous decorations. I particularly liked the use of the old school (literally) revolving blackboards for the beer list - I haven't seem one of those for decades! On which subject, there were 4 handpumps and a goodly range of craft keg, the cask being Turning Point Wavelength, Chevin Demotape, Harrogate Plum Porter and Marble Bitter. Happy to return, in fact probably will.

Enjoyed our visit to this 2019 Good Beer Guide bar. It is upstairs which made it difficult for my disabled husband but we found it worth it when we got up there. It is like a cafe / bar style with mix of seating styles and all sorts around being for sale. There are cask and craft beers available and staff help you choose what you want. We chose Good Chemistry Fools Mate and Waen Eek a mouse both of which were fine.

Official site of Major Tom's Social - www.majortomssocial.co.uk

Official site of Major Tom's Social - www.majortomssocial.co.uk