Duke of York, Salisbury

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Pub SignMan left this review about Duke of York

This is a mighty fine backstreet local’s pub, just a short walk from the station, albeit in the opposite direction to the city centre. The pub looks pretty special upon approach, that’s to its attractive glazed tile exterior and interesting old Usher’s pub sign. You enter directly to the bar, with the servery opposite the front door and seating areas off to either side. The left-hand side has a bit of a public bar feel to it, with bench and chair seating arranged efficiently through this compact space. There was a good group of locals occupying this part of the pub, which made it a little tricky to get a proper look around, but I did notice a very nice etched glass pane for a ‘Jug & Bottle’ entrance, which has seemingly now all been knocked through, but may have once had a more prominent position within the pub. The bar has a dark wood panelled counter front and pleasant traditional bar back, and extends a slight way to the rear on the right-hand side. There are hard backed banquettes around the perimeter on this side of the pub, with some basic chairs in support, and a nice fireplace dominates the end wall, thanks to a surprisingly large brick hearth and an unusual arched mantlepiece with a floral print and small semi-circular integral mirror. A TV to the side of the lit fireplace was showing At The Races with the sound just about audible. The room extends a little way back down this side, with the carpet giving way to bare floorboards. The walls have low tongue and groove panels back here, with plain painted upper sections, whilst seating is a mix of pews and chairs to the left and low stools to the right. There’s a lot of nice old breweriana on display, including some framed beer mats, brewery mirrors and adverts, as well as a huge picture of Salisbury cathedral and a well-stocked bookcase containing plenty of old editions of the Good Beer Guide. Toilet doors are to the rear of the room - take the Gents’ door for access to a scruffy looking garden area with a few picnic benches.
There were no less than seven cask ales on the bar when I arrived - the widest ale range I saw all day in Salisbury - with the options comprising Sixpenny Gold and Best, Hop Back Summer Lightning and GFB, Stonehenge Old Smoky, Dartmoor Jail Ale and Plain Ales Independence. I tried a pint of the latter, served to me in a branded glass by the friendly barman, and in excellent condition - easily my best pint of the day. The pub filled up pretty quickly on my Monday evening visit, creating a nice atmosphere typical of such welcoming local’s pubs.
I thought this was an excellent pub that really stood out from the crowd in Salisbury’s extensive pub scene. The main draw here is the well-kept beer and convivial atmosphere, but it’s also an attractive building with some interesting decor that merits a bit of exploration. I missed out on a couple of the city’s best regarded alehouses due to them not opening on Mondays, but they’d have to go some way to top this place, which is a must-visit for anyone visiting the city.

On 22^nd February 2022 - rating: 8
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