Volunteer Arms, York

A good traditional backstreet pub with a decent choice of seven ales across eight highly polished pumps on our visit. This is a decent sized pub, which had a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere to enjoy a pint or two. Locals were all friendly and chatty. The line up on our visit was TT Landlord, Roosters Yankee, Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Leeds Yorkshire Gold, Leeds Midnight Bell, Brass Castle Bad Kitty and Session pale.

What looks like a backstreet locals pub, is, in reality a real ale destination pub. Bar to the left as you enter and a comfortable lounge to the right. Genial bar blockers who happily moved out of the way when I was perusing the large choice of beers. They're obviously used to this happening. A great range of beers on the bar. Mainly, or maybe all (notes fail me) from Yorkshire. Chatty, friendly locals and a couple of dogs on our Sunday, early evening visit. We were just stopping off for a pint on our way into town, but I managed to slip a couple of quick halves in as well as Ms CAMRA sipped her red wine. We'll be coming back here again as we'll be doing the Holgate Road crawl again.

A fantastic find defiantly worth the walk out of the city center for. Although the pub looks very average down a dark side street inside it is bursting with character. eight real ales line the bar i canremember seeing Taylors landlord, saltaire bitter and brass castle cliff hanger among others, the Landlord was in good nick at £3.30 a pint. Their draught keg selection is also very good with Leffe and other beers from further afield on the bar instead of the generic stuff. We sat in the corner and was thoroughly entertained by one of the best pub bands I have seen in a while. All in all this is a mighty fine pub and thoroughly deserving of its good beer guide status. I shall defiantly be returning and advise anyone if ever near to pop in and sample their lovely ales.

This is an unassuming back street boozer that has been given a new lease of life as a real ale destination and live music venue by the people behind the Swan and Slip Inns. The front door, which has some attractive obscured glasswork with a stained glass top pane, takes you into a surprisingly large main bar area, with the servery to the rear and extends round to the left, with a dark wood counter and nice stained glass canopy. There are benches in the space opposite the bar and some padded banquettes and standard chairs to the right, in an area that was being set up for live music on my Friday evening visit. A stack of back issues of Viz, National Geographic and Private Eye magazines could be found here - pretty eclectic reading material to suit your mood. Over to the left, you will find a bare boarded area with standard tables and chairs under a pump clip collection and some fine pictures of York Minster. There is a predominantly red paint scheme which looks pretty good, although the traditional feel is lost a little to the TV screen which was turned off in one corner. A few pies were stood on the bar counter and available to purchase in lieu of a proper menu. I arrived in darkness, so didn't get around to exploring the beer garden to the rear of the pub. I counted eight handpulls which were all in action, offering Brown Cow Thriller in Vanilla, Great Newsome Hops in the Spring, Little Brew Ruby, Treboom Yorkshire Sparkle, Leeds Yorkshire Gold, Taylors Landlord and Saltaire Pride plus one real cider. My pint of the Hops in the Spring was very good and the service was prompt if a little distant. At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, this is another excellent York pub that seems to be doing very well, despite its location that sees it slightly isolated from the city's other top alehouses. It is only a ten minute walk out here from the train station and I would certainly recommend making the effort - perhaps as a double header with the nearby Fox.

This is a very pleasant back street local that is certainly worth detouring outside the City walls to visit. L-shaped, carpeted in the main area, some tiled and boarded flooring in the smaller semi-separated room, red walls give a warm feeling, beer mats run all around the walls at high level. A large TV was off on the Thursday evening, while a band played a lively strings and accordion set in the smaller room. Regular live music was advertised. A piano in the bar had magazines on top, Viz and National Geographic being somewhat of a contrast in content. A dartboard is hidden away in a case and to play would need a bit of table moving. The barmaid was very pleasant and friendly and offered tasters as I dillied and dallied. Beers on handpump were Treboom Yorkshire Sparkle, Saltaire Pride, Leeds Yorkshire Gold, Brown Cow Thriller in Vanilla Porter, Little Brew Ruby, Great Newsome Hops in the Spring plus Thistly Cross cider and Prickly Pear Perry. A fantastic line up without a single mainstream offering. I saw no indication of food but it was the evening so they may do lunches. I was very pleased with my visit here and would have no hesitation returning if I go back to York which to be honest it would be rude not to.

Volunteer Arms official site with beer list and event details - www.volunteerarmsyork.co.uk

Volunteer Arms official site with beer list and event details - www.volunteerarmsyork.co.uk