Market Tavern, Durham

With a prime location in the marketplace and an historic interior, this pub clearly aims at passing tourists however there were quite a few regular locals in at time of visit, which ought to be a good sign. Inside there is lots of old woodwork, pictures, brass and copper, with some unusual small built-in tables and various ephemera relating to coal mining as the Durham miners apparently first met in the pub. Despite its Greene King ownership there was a good range of beers including local ales on offer and the quality was good (Cask Marque listing and a Good Beer Guide regular). Food was also good and of traditional pub fare rather than gastro nonsense.

This is now a Greene King pub and I suspect the worse for it as far as beer choice goes. As noted below it's a long narrow room with the bar at the rear right. There's a wooden floor and old beams. There are still six hand pumps on the bar which had one unused, a cider, GK IPA, London Glory & Rocking Rudolph making Maxim Ward's Best the only viable option. This was in good nick and the £3.60 became £3.24 with the CAMRA discount. However, it was quite a pedestrian beer, I don't recall being that impressed with Ward's beers when they were around. Despite over half of the beer choice being very dull GK beers this remains in the 2018 GBG. I wouldn't return.

The Market Tavern is as the name implies on Durhams market place with stall outside the pub. Once inside there is a narrow room to the front with the bar on the right side,the room is bare boarded and the seating limited,there is another room to the rear which is up a few steps,this rooms runs widthways across the pub and is carpeted,the seating here is a bench seat to the left and normal tables and chairs,there was a TV to the left showing BT sports,the rear windows give good views over the indoor market. There were five real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Wentworth Blonde which went down well,though quite pricey,the other beers i noted were Tyne Bank Heavenly Porter and GK London Glory. This is a decent enough pub for one drink,if its prices were a bit cheaper then maybe more than one. Pub visited 19/3/2016

On the Market Quare, a comfortable formal long lounge, nice leather seating. Deep red walls, polished vanished flooring. Split level with large stove at one end. A Taylor Walker pub. Beers ok

A Taylor Walker branded pub but not as formulaic as many London pubs of that brand. There is a narrow front section with lacquered floorboards and with the bar located towards the rear on one side. Unusual booth type seating comprising single leather button seats opposite one another at tiny tables. Space saving I suppose but not much use for groups of more than two. Up some stairs to the rear the place widens out into an L. Some wood panelling, bookcase wallpaper, a framed portrait of Kier-Hardie and some N.U.M.Lodge badges were of interest. There is a TV in the rear section. A reasonable beer range, Maxim Double Maxim, Deuchers IPA, Consett Red Dust, Wentworth Mimas, Westerham 1730 plus a cider, Cheddar Valley. Meals served and people were ordering even though it was still before 12 noon. I was quite relaxed in here for my first one of the day, reading my paper and sipping my pint but in the end had to sup up and leave as a seriously mad woman opposite starting trying to talk to be about heavens knows what. It was all rather disturbing. Quite a nice pub nevertheless.

Update – September 2013 This is now branded as a Taylor Walker pub with 6 pumps, including 1 for cider. Beers on included Bullion ( Nottingham ), plus several Wentworth beers, which, I was told, were very much liked by the manager. This is, apparently, the last remaining pub in Durham’s market place. There’s a rather chainy feel to this pub, but the young staff are welcoming and enthusiastic about real ale. At the very least, it’s worth poking your head round the door to see what’s on. Original review – September 2008 Traditional Spirit Group pub in the central Market Square with a fine welcoming atmosphere, but with that slightly generic feel that one might expect from a large chain - owned pub. On the plus side, the pub stocks a good range of real ale - Deuchars IPA, Mordue IPA, black Sheep, Theakstons and Adnams Broadside on my visit. The Mordue IPA - at a surprisingly strong 5.1% OG - was very tasy and is worth looking out for. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the beers on offer, which is certainly not always the case in this type of pub. I see that its now in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide for 2009. Food is served at most times and this draws in a wider cross section of customer than most other Durham pubs that I did. It's probably on the "circuit" , but, yes, avoiding Saturday and Sunday nights, I'd do this one again when next in Durham