It was the annual Good Friday Day Out, which this year saw a group of us visit the North Yorkshire town of Harrogate where we went on a tour around some of the town's finest pubs and bars....
The Good Friday Day Out is a tradition that started in the up and coming West Yorkshire town of Brighouse a good few years before I moved to the town 25 years ago. Indeed, it has only been since the mid-2010's that I have been a regular participant of the event. The origins have become a little lost in the mists of time as none of the original protagonists are either still around or at least going on them these days so myths have sort of developed around them, be it the year when there was a group of 40 in attendance, or the long treks to isolated beacons of real ale situated in a dodgy part of Manchester or Salford.
These days, the numbers tend to be around 15-20, with the mix including husbands, wives/partners, and their offspring, although they have generally been over 18, whereas in the early days it was I believe predominantly if not exclusively male. But it does mean that whilst the overriding aim is still to find some excellent beer, there is a warm, welcoming, and friendly good-natured feel to the day's proceedings with people dropping in and dropping out as their commitments elsewhere allow. For some of us, it is the only time we actually meet up all year, but there is an unspoken commitment to attend if at all possible.
The day started with the Brighouse group assembling with breakfast at the Station Cafe, after which we caught the train to Leeds where we changed for the train to Harrogate. As we waited in Leeds, I got a message that the lads from Shipley/Bradford had got an earlier train and would see us there, but our numbers were swelled for the next leg by the arrival of the Huddersfield contingent who were already waiting on the platform.
And so after a 35 minute or so journey through the northern Leeds suburbs and some pleasant Dales countryside we arrived in Harrogate on a typical April day, with bright sunshine regularly interrupted by short, sharp, squally showers. We immediately all met up at the Harrogate Tap, conveniently situated like a number of others elsewhere in the Tapped Brew Company chain within the station building. Here we enjoyed our first beer of the day from a range which gave us 12 cask options plus several more on keg to choose from. I considered several but in the end went for a 4.4% American Pale Ale called Soar Like An Eagle brewed by Derbyshire outfit Bang the Elephant, whose beers I haven't seen very often. It made for a solid start to the day's proceedings (NBSS 3).
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| Harrogate Tap |
We left the Tap, and after a little discussion, we went left to a bar nearby that I had been in on my last visit to Harrogate, but on that occasion it had been hidden behind scaffolding so didn't really get a good view of the exterior although it had been warm and welcoming inside. This time, with the frontage uncluttered it revealed a solid-looking stone building in what appears to have been a shop in one of the many parades within the town. Inside Husk was an oasis of calm, with only a couple of tables occupied, and a quick perusal of the beers on offer revealed that since my last visit in the Autumn of 2023 when it was only selling keg beers, a couple of cask ales had been added to the range. That said, I stuck to the keg and went for the always enjoyable 4.2% session pale Magazine Cover from Deya. Great bar, an essential place to visit if you are in Harrogate.
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| Husk: a do |
We then headed off towards somewhere a few of us had been before. However, unfortunately the Disappearing Chin on Station Parade had disappeared completely since our last visit, and it turns out it had closed in December 2024. So we carried on, and a few minutes later we arrived at North Bar, somewhere I had not been to for a number of years. The last time I'd been here it had been part of the North Brewing Company portfolio, but as the beers and brand are now part of Keystone Leisure, who acquired Black Sheep and several other distressed brands like Purity and Brew by Numbers, I am assuming the bars are now operating independently. And interestingly, as I had found last time I had been in the original North Bar in Leeds, no North beers were on sale here. What was on, in and amongst a decent selection of beers, was Jarl from Fyne Ales on one of the two handpumps. It was on great form as well, cool and refreshing with plenty of flavour (NBSS 3.5). The bar, which is situated on a corner in a former shop unit with floor to ceiling windows giving it a light and airy feel, was quite busy and had a welcoming atmosphere, and with pleasant staff behind the bar it is well worth a visit.
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| North Bar: light and airy |
From there we moved on to one of the best places in town last time I had been here. Another one situated in the warren of streets that slope down the hill from the station, the Little Ale House, which was the first micropub in Harrogate, was busy when we walked in with a queue for the bar and all seats taken in the main room which falls neatly into two halves. There is a pleasant looking yard out the back which is visible through the large window at the back of the bar which helps give the place a light and airy feel. A large temperature-controlled glass cabinet at the side of the bar area is where the beers and some other drinks are stored. We got served quickly though, the couple behind the bar doing a splendid job. The beers on sale here on both cask and keg are deliberately sourced from small batch independent breweries and from the keg options on offer, I went for a pint of the house ale, a delicious 4.4% hazy beauty brewed by Two by Two. We headed for a room to the side which had been acquired from next door since my last visit and it managed to seat us all. A great bar and one you shouldn't miss if you are in Harrogate.
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| Little Ale House (source: CAMRA) |
The next place was a new one on me. Down the hill and round the corner was Cold Bath Brewing, a brewery and taproom across from the town's conference centre. It has two parts to it, the Clubhouse where the bar has no cask and the main room where both cask and keg are available. Without wishing to pour cold water on the place, the beer I had here - a cask Cold Bath Blonde - was pretty disappointing for a beer with an ABV of 4.4%, particularly after what had preceded it. Brewed on the premises, it was somewhat thin and lacking in flavour although the quality was ok (NBSS 2.5). The place itself was ok, busy with a real mix including families with kids in tow, groups of lads, and couples. But with the beers on offer and general vibe it came over as something of a taproom-lite, appealing to the kind of crowd around these parts that love places like Betty's Cafe and the Fat Badger and go to a taproom for pizza rather than a DDH DIPA.
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| Fletch welcomes you to Cold Bath Brewing.... |
We moved on then to a place that I and several of the group had been to several times over the years. Starling opened a few years ago as a cafe-cum-wine bar with a few beers in the mix but nowadays having expanded it has become a serious place to call in for a decent pint of beer on both cask and keg. It was quite busy as it always seems to be, the holiday mood much in evidence. From the cask options available I went for a beer from Little Brewery who are based in Derby, with that town of origin being generally a good sign. The beer was Just Nipping Out, a 4.0% hazy pale ale featuring Mosaic, Simcoe, and Ekuanot hops which gave it plenty of flavour, and I have to say it was very good (NBSS 3.5). All in all it was another enjoyable visit to this rather splendid place.
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| Fletch and Starling |
Despite the numbers, the group had actually stuck together, unlike some years when there has been the odd splinter group. And the fun continued when we rolled up at the next place, a few minutes walk down the hill. Major Tom's Social, situated opposite Harrogate's Travelodge, is a quirky music-themed bar up the stairs in a corner building which houses a record store and various more alternative retail outlets. Whilst the beer here isn't always the best - my Turning Point Wavelength was pleasant without being anything special (NBSS 3), it more than makes up for it in atmosphere with a lively soundtrack, friendly staff, and a random assortment of furniture and general tat around the place. Signs on the wall and tees on sale saying Don't be a Dick! add to the rather bohemian feel to the place. It was the perfect antidote to the Cold Bath in fact!   A couple of the party left as Major Tom's and the afternoon was turning into evening as the rest of us walked to our penultimate venue of the trip. The sun was still shining too, with the greenery and trees of Montpellier Gardens on the edge of the Stray, the huge expanse of open grassland which stretches across Harrogate, an enervating sight after several hours in the town's streets. We were bound for the Fat Badger which despite having several cask beers on has always felt rather pretentious in my humble opinion. It is smart veering on plush, with an impressive interior with much polished wood and brass, chandeliers, the works, with smart, polished staff doing their job efficiently. My pint of Ossett White Rat from a choice of predominantly Yorkshire ales was more than acceptable (NBSS 3). Ultimately though, I find the Fat Badger somewhat lacks the passion and warmth of several of the places we had been to earlier.  And then it was off to the venerable Blues Bar for the final call of the day. I have been coming here for years, always seeming to make it on each trip to Harrogate. It is a single room bar on the side of the road as it rises back up to the famous Betty's Cafe and the town centre, it is generally pretty busy, and today was no exception. It was modelled on an Amsterdam cafe bar, and as the name suggests music, particularly the blues, is a big part of what the bar is all about. Indeed live music is on here most days, and last time I had been here a mature DJ played a succession of blues classics from years gone by. Every now and then, a couple of elderly ladies would get up from their seats, sprinkle salt on the wooden floor like real pros, and then proceed to jive, boogie, and who knows what with some slick and sleek moves that belied their rather frail looks. Probably just as well there was nothing on when we arrived this time as I am sure some of the gang would have been up and on it, the day's libations by now kicking in nicely! From the 4 beers on hand pump, which are usually from local brewers, I went for one of Harrogate's own, Rooster's Yankee, brewed just down the road at Hornbeam Park where their taproom is still on my to-do list. It seemed an appropriate beer to drink on our visit to the town, and whilst the beer has changed over the years, this was a fine example and was one of the best beers of the day. (NBSS 3.5).  Fletch and I decided to make our way to the station for the homeward train, leaving the others to follow. We got back to the station pretty quickly, and with a little wait before our train back to Leeds, we did have enough time for a quick half back at the Tap. I got myself half of Coley's Stout, crossing over to the dark side for once and it was worth the journey (NBSS 3.5). And in terms of the day's journey, Harrogate had proved a first-class location, with some great pubs and bars and some excellent, which I had enjoyed with some excellent company.... Follow me on X: @realalemusic Join me on bluesky: @chrisd55.bsky.social |
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