The Blue Bell, York

Superb if dark example of an Edwardian pub with a drinking corridor running from the front door to the back wall and two bars off to front and back, these are like two little brown tongue and groove lined wombs with a choice of seven well kept beers. The range has broadened and become more adventurous lately. The back bar still has its bell buttons to summon a waiter but service there is from a small hatch as in the corridor. Other than that I can't add to the words of RobCamra and RexRattus go there and try this constant of the GBG.

This pub lived up to my expectations, having been recommended to me by PuG contributors who obviously know what they are talking about. Less objective reviewers might call it pokey, but I prefer to regard it as intimate, cozy and full of character. You enter the pub into a wood-panelled corridor, something that I saw quite a lot of in York, though rarely seen in London. There’s a small room to the right containing a bar counter and which had only two or three tables in it; go through the “Smoke Room” door in the corridor and this leads to another small room at the back on the right, with another three tables in it. There’s no bar counter in this room, just a serving hatch, but there was a helpful chalkboard here detailing the ales on offer. I spent my visit in this room, which was comfortably furnished with banquettes, chairs, and round copper covered tables. There was a fireplace, and some attractive prints and the like on the walls. Another first for me was the sight of a serving hatch in the corridor, which I am sure would get considerable use when the pub was busy and corridor based vertical drinking was the order of the day. There were several ales on – I didn’t note them all, but I had an excellent pint of Rooster Yankee. This pub is definitely worth the effort the effort of seeking out, and was my favourite of all the pubs I visited during my recent trip to York.

Real Ale Black Sheep Best.

This small award winning pub dates back to 1798 and has an Edwardian Interior. Upto 7 Real Ales available including Adnams Bitter, Black sheep Best, Deuchars IPA & TT Landlord. Food offering. #GBG 2008 & 2009 listed #