Three's a Crowd, Harrogate

This is a popular modern bar and restaurant on one of the main roads leading out of the town centre. The interior comprises a bare boarded room with some modern patterned floor tiles to the front, with the space split into a left-hand bar area and right-hand restaurant. The servery is down the left-hand wall and has a traditional wood panelled counter and a modern, dark wood shelving unit across the bar back. Large front windows with fairy lights hanging down in rows allow for lots of natural light in the daytime and create a pleasing effect during the hours of darkness. Low backless benches stand beneath the windows, with high tables and stools further back, whilst the restaurant side has more formal seating through some carpeted areas with bare brick and stone walls, simple partitioning screens and muted lighting. The walls elsewhere are a mix of bare stone, glazed tile and dark painted shades with fairly minimal decor. Someone was doing the meet and greet thing on entry, but they only seemed bothered with any diners that came their way and waved us off in the general direction of the bar when they realised we didn't plan to eat here. There are lots of plants hanging from the various light features around the room, which is perhaps the most striking feature of the pub and a reasonable point of difference. Cask ale seemed an unlikely prospect as we entered, so it was a pleasant surprise to find a choice between Theakston Best Bitter and Lightfoot, with the latter being drinkable, if not top notch. A rowdy Saturday night crowd combined with loud music didn't make me want to linger, but the friendly bar staff suggested that it might be worth a look at a quieter time. Maybe we caught this place at the wrong time - it was a noisy and chaotic visit that made me glad I wasn't one of the diners trying to enjoy their meal on the far side of the room - but I think even at quieter times, this would still be a fairly unremarkable spot for a pint. The beer range is uninspiring by Harrogate standards and the interior isn't the most interesting, so I'd rather stick to the fine core of pubs in the town centre than head back out to this outlier. Date of visit - 9th November 2024

Facebook page of Three's a Crowd - www.facebook.com

Official site of Three's a Crowd - www.threes-a-crowd.co.uk

Facebook page of Three's a Crowd - www.facebook.com

Official site of Three's a Crowd - www.threes-a-crowd.co.uk

A trendy bistro with some sort of Michelin guide listing, well populated with 'ladies who lunch' at time of visit. The left hand side with the bar seems more focussed on drinkers and the Ossett Blond and Theakstons Best on handpump seemed in good condition. Ok if you are in the right mood but I wouldn't spend a session here.

A total makeover has removed the last vestiges of Scruffy Murphy and its successors, only a counter remains in the same place along with some of the architraves. Large windows and modern but matching furniture has replaced the old stuff. To the left is the bar area while the right side, consisting of two spaces, is designated and furnished as a restaurant. The beer quality from two pulls, both Theakstons, has at least improved to drinkable but not much beyond, a selection of national kegs including Beaver Town Gamma Ray are available on a horse shoe and a couple of singles. Pricing reflects its new found status, £4 for Theakstons Best, however this is Harrogate. It's ever so slightly up its self.