Punch Bowl, York

A Nicholson's pub with quite a dark interior as described below. 7 real ales and food served.

The Punch Bowl is a Nicholson’s establishment with a front bar to the left and a seating area to the right that are connected to a small rear bar and toilets at the rear. The front bar supports five hand pumps and the rear three, but there is no service in the rear bar and I was told to move. There is also a standard draught selection. During my recent Saturday afternoon visit there was some background music playing, but I didn’t spot any televisions. I’m a big fan of the Nicholson’s chain, but I wasn’t over excited by this effort.

A good sized Nicholson’s pub that doesn’t quite have the rustic charm that one might expect from looking at the outside but it is nonetheless a pleasant enough pub. It’s divided in to a number of different rooms that consist of a wood panelled drawing room at the front with a tiled fire-place housing a wood burning stove, although this was not in use on our visit. A second room to the right had a wood strip floor, black beams on the ceiling and khaki green paintwork with inlaid black timber. A brick fire-place was at the front, although this was not in use either. There were also a number of twigs and fairly lights. Finally a bar at the rear was quite cosy with a flagstone floor, low beamed ceiling and a varnished brick fire-place. This looked as though it may be more geared up for dining though and was deserted on our late evening visit. There was a good choice of beers on tap with Black Sheep, Cameron’s Strongarm 150, Everard’s Sunchaser, Nicholson’s Pale Ale, Thwaites Wainwright, My Generation, John Smith’s Cask and Daleside Old Legover. The only cider visible on the bar was Aspall’s Suffolk, although a chalkboard also listed Thistly Cross.