Coach & Horses, Harrogate

Facebook page of Coach & Horses - www.facebook.com

Official site of Coach & Horses - www.coachandhorsesharrogate.com

Official site of Coach & Horses - www.coachandhorsesharrogate.com

Neat, foody street pub, very standard fittings & decor, well lit, its comfortable and all a little middle class. 7 real ales kept well.

This is a thriving and lively locals pub which seems to cater for a wide section of the local community and is handily located just a short walk south from the town centre. A large U-shaped room wraps itself around a central servery which boasts a nicely panelled counter and a mirrored bar back which has a set of large jars full of bar snacks on a high shelf - reminiscent of an old fashioned sweet shop. The room has been carpeted for the most part and at the far end there are two large, screened banquettes under walls painted red and decorated with old pictures of Harrogate, some framed rugby league shirts, a clock, pipe display and high shelves with tankards, salvers, candlesticks and jugs. Flower tubs fill the front windows and compliment the floral display on the outside of the pub. Elsewhere there are lots of Tour de France themed posters and some blackboards advertising food. On the other side of the room there are some similar comfortable seating options under partly frosted windows and more potted plants. A pub mirror provides a focal point of sorts and there are plenty of horse brasses dotted around. A separate seating area exists to the rear of the bar, with nice bench booths, a Guinness mirror and a high shelf displaying all sorts of random bits, including a large Laurel and Hardy ceramic centrepiece. There was a good range of Yorkshire ales on the bar, with the range comprising Tetley's Cask, Taylor Landlord and Boltmaker, Daleside Bitter and Blonde, Roosters Yankee, Leeds Ascension and Treboom Yorkshire Sparkle. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful and helped create a very inclusive feeling environment. The Ascension was excellent and I was seriously tempted to curtail my crawl and spend the rest of the evening enjoying the rest of their range. I really enjoyed this pub and felt very comfortable propping up the end of the bar and soaking up the lively and infectious atmosphere. The beer and service was as good as any I found over three days drinking in North Yorkshire and I would rate this the best of the eleven pubs I visited in Harrogate.