The Duke of York, Cowes

Prominent pub/hotel that now appears in the Good Beer Guide. A CAMRA discount is offered, but I'm not sure if it's only on pints or not, as I didn't ask. A dog friendly pub, with a fairly cramped layout. There is plenty of nautical memorabilia. We sat next to diagrams of the Royal Yacht Britannia, whilst there are fishing nets and various boat parts on the ceiling. Timothy Taylor Landlord is the regular beer. Although, I noticed a good array of pumpclips next to the bar. I assume they were beers that had been either on recently or were coming soon. Guests on this visit were Yates' Islander & Greene King Coronation Ale. There was also a box of Weston's Old Rosie cider at the back of the bar.

A curious beast, halfway between a locals' and a tourists' pub - the sort that offers cheap breakfasts. The slightly dark interior is tricked out with a lot of nautical clutter and there are various outdoor areas at the front, side and lower level, none of which are especially scenic but do offer a bit of air. Ales were Islander, Ghost Ship and Proper Job - condition good - and food appeared to be home made and quite popular.

A good town pub at the end of the busy high street area. There is a single L-shaped bar area in this Victorian building, plus a restaurant area behind. The bar is shabby and worn, but in a good, welcoming way, and the collection of nauticalia adorning he walls makes it feel strangely homely. There is WiFi, and dogs are welcomed and offered water and treats. There is a mix of furniture styles, the nicest of which is a collection of very comfortable sofas at the front end. The locals were voluble but friendly while the staff were very hospitable and helpful, although when we asked about CAMRA discount, they didn’t seem to grasp the concept. Three ales and 2 ciders on, I had a pint of Goddards Fuggledeedum which was in good condition but not the best I've had. When all the other bars in the high street are packed, this makes for a very pleasant retreat and somewhere good to enjoy a pint. I would be happy to come back here anytime.

Official site of the Duke of York - www.dukeofyorkcowes.co.uk

The Duke of York is situated at the edge of the town centre near the marina and has been run by the same family for over 40 tears. It functions as both a pub and hotel (12 rooms). It looks very presentable from the outside with fresh, tidy paintwork and a few benches at the front. Internally the pub is divided into front and rear sections with a narrow strip of bar adjoining the two. The front area is itself divided into a loungey sofa area to the left of the main entrance and a more traditional pubby section to the right. The rear is mainly used for dining. Like most pubs in Cowes, and indeed on the Island in general, it has an obvious nautical theme with numerous trinkets and curios that make the place worthy of a wander. Pride of place must go to a ships mast that dangles from the ceiling stretching the whole length of the pub (just how they got it through the front door is anyone’s guess). Some of the stools are also made out of sliced up bits of ship masts and there are plenty of displays, model ships (includine a large replica of the Cutty Sark), bits of rigging, ship wheels and so on. Some of the furniture is awkwardly laid out which may suit large groups but isn’t very convenient for couples. There were 3 Real Ales (Goddards Fuggle De Dum, Ringwood Best and Doom Bar) plus Old Rosie cider.available with the quality decent enough and pricing par for the area. It was fairly quiet for our early evening visit but I didn’t get the impression that it is a place that gets too rowdy or raucous except maybe in Cowes Week when I would think every pub would be a place to avoid. Overall, this was probably my favourite pub in Cowes and well worth the few hundred yards from the town centre to find.

Official site of the Duke of York - www.dukeofyorkcowes.co.uk