At the end of my last blog, I promised something a bit different. I'm not one who is known for reneging on promises made so something different this way comes! Over the last few days of June, and into early July, Amy and I were able to enjoy a trip away. It had been a while since we'd been properly away from home for any real length of time so we took it upon ourselves to arrange a road trip to a specific part of the UK, where we would spend a few days escaping from reality and recovering from what has been a very stressful and emotional few weeks. Without going into too much of the finer detail, it was a break that was well-earned, much-deserved and very much needed. If the title of this entry hasn't already given the game away, allow me to clarify. Our destination was to be the fair county of Yorkshire. Or, that should really be, counties plural as our itinerary would take us to the east, north and west of Yorkshire, visiting 4 very different locations, relaxing, spending some much-needed time together and generally not caring about, or thinking about, work. This did of course mean that there were many pubs in our sights. As well as being a break from the norm, the trip would provide several entries worth of blog content, allowing me to give you all an insight into the drinking scene across our 4 locations. I'll be bringing the entries to you in stages, with 5 parts in all, showcasing the pubs we visited, the beers we drank and the other activities we got up to during our time away. I hope, by the end of this series, you will feel enlightened, and perhaps feel the urge to visit some of these locations yourself.
Without further ado, let's begin. A change of plan a few days before our scheduled departure meant we made a last minute alteration to our original itinerary. Instead of a planned day of exploring various locations around the North York Moors, we instead focused our attentions on a nearby seaside town. This would mean that we wouldn't deviate too much from our planned route and would also put us in a good position as far as our onward travel was concerned. That place was Bridlington. We'd visited the town once before, many years ago, for a wedding, but given that the majority of the marital related activity was taking place outside of the town, we hadn't had the opportunity to explore the place properly. We managed to get a last minute B&B booking, snapping up what was apparently the last available room in town, at least on booking.com. The reasons for this would become clear shortly after our arrival. Whilst it hadn't been our plan to visit the town initially, I was interested to see what it would offer, particularly given that it has several pubs listed in the Good Beer Guide (2025). With our accommodation booked and our 'out of office' on (metaphorically in my case), we loaded the car on a fine Friday morning and headed up north. The journey to Bridlington would take around 2 and a half hours. There was somewhere else we wanted to visit before we immersed ourselves in the delights of Brid though. This would mean a short diversion about 10 minutes north of the town. Bridlington is located a short drive from Flamborough Head which, as well as being a spectacular location with amazing sea views, also boasts puffin nesting sites and the occasional seal and porpoise. With the opportunity to stop off for a short visit, we couldn't resist the chance to see some wildlife that we wouldn't normally encounter in an urban setting. We arrived shortly after 11am, paid for our parking and took a wander along the cliff edge, where we did indeed witness the sight of hundreds of puffins, alongside kittiwakes and seagulls, nesting along the cliff faces. The puffins are visible from mid-April to mid-July and it was a real treat to see, and certainly hear, them. Interestingly, out of breeding season, the puffins bills are much duller than the bright colours normally associated with the species. We enjoyed a good hour watching the birds and soaking in the sea air, although we sadly didn't witness any seals or porpoises. It was soon time to head to the B&B.
A 10 minute drive back towards the town soon saw us arriving at our destination, the Jasmine Guest House, located a short distance from the seafront. The B&B was nothing special but it would do for the night as a place to get some sleep and somewhere to break our fast in the morning before our onward journey. After checking in, and refreshing from our journey, it was time to explore this traditional seaside town. But, what is there to know about Bridlington?, I hear some of you cry, possibly from the very back. Allow me to elaborate. Bridlington (previously known as Burlington) is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It is on the Holderness part (Flamborough Head to the Humber estuary) of the Yorkshire Coast by the North Sea. The town is about 28 miles (45 km) north of Hull and 34 miles (55 km) east of York. The stream called Gypsey Race flows through the town and enters the North Sea at the harbour.
The Priory Church of St Mary and associated Bayle (or gate) are Grade I listed buildings on the site of an Augustinian Priory. As a sea-fishing port, the town is known for shellfish, and is the largest lobster port in Europe, with over 300 tonnes of the crustaceans landed there each year. It has been termed the "Lobster Capital of Europe". Alongside manufacturing, retail and service firms, its main trade is summer tourism. It holds one of the UK's coastal weather stations. Archaeological evidence shows habitation of the area around the Bronze Age and Roman Britain era. The date of earliest habitation at Bridlington is unknown, but the 2.5-mile (4 km) man-made Danes Dyke at nearby Flamborough Head goes back to the Bronze Age.
A Roman road from York, now Woldgate, can be traced across the Yorkshire Wolds into the town. Roman coins have been found: two hoards in the harbour area, along with two Greek coins from the second century BC — suggesting the port was in use long before the Roman conquest of Britain.
In the fourth century AD, Count Theodosius set up signal stations on the North Yorkshire coast to warn of Saxon raids. It has been suggested that the current town was built near the site of a Roman maritime station called Gabrantovicorum. In the early second-century, Ptolemy described what was possibly Bridlington Bay in his Geography as Γαβραντουικων Ευλίμενος κόλπος "Gabrantwikone bay suitable for a harbour". No sheltered ancient harbour has been found, coastal erosion will have destroyed traces of any Roman installation near the harbour.
Another station at Flamborough Head is also believed to have had one – probably on Beacon Hill (now a gravel quarry) from where Filey, Scarborough Castle and the Whitby promontory can be seen. Another suggestion has been a line of signal stations stretching south round Bridlington Bay. A fort at Bridlington would have made a centre of operations for these. This counterpart to the northern chain would have guarded a huge accessible anchorage from barbarian piracy. Near Dukes Park are two bowl barrows known as Butt Hills, designated ancient monuments in the National Heritage List for England of Historic England. Nearby are remains of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery on a farm outside Sewerby. The several suggested origins all trace the name to the Anglo-Saxon custom of matching a personal name with a settlement type. Here the personal names advanced include Bretel, Bridla and Berhtel, attached to -ingtūn, an Old English term for a small farming community. In 1072 the area was given to Gilbert de Gant, uncle of the later king King Stephen; it was inherited by his son Walter and thereafter appears to follow the normal descent of that family.
The 1086 Domesday Book contains the earliest known reference to Bridlington being record as Bretlinton: the settlement has since been called Berlington, Brellington and Britlington before gaining its present name in the 19th century. The Domesday Book records that Bretlinton was the Hunthow Wapentake's meeting point (the wapentake later merged with neighbouring wapentakes to form the Dickering Wapentake). The wapentake was held by Earl Morcar; it later passed to William the Conqueror by forfeiture. It also records the effect of the Harrying of the North: the annual value of the land had fallen from £32 in the time of Edward the Confessor to eight shillings (£0.40) at the time of the survey, comprising two villeins and one socman with one and a half of a carucate, the rest being waste.
Walter de Gant founded an Augustinian priory on the land in 1133, confirmed by Henry I in a charter. Several succeeding kings confirmed and extended Walter de Gant's gift: King Stephen granted an additional right to have a port, King John in 1200 gave permission for a weekly market and an annual fair, and Henry VI allowed three annual fairs, on the Nativity of Mary and the Deposition and Translation of St John of Bridlington in 1446. In 1415 Henry V visited the Priory to give thanks for victory at the Battle of Agincourt.
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the manor of Bridlington remained with the Crown until 1624, when Charles I passed it to Sir John Ramsey, who had recently been created Earl of Holderness. In 1633, Sir George Ramsey sold the manor to 13 inhabitants of the town, on behalf of all the manor tenants. In May 1636, a deed was drawn up empowering the 13 men as Lords Feoffees or trust holders of the Manor of Bridlington.
The town began to grow in importance and size around the site of the dispersed priory. In 1643 Queen Henrietta Maria of France landed there with troops to support the Royalist cause in the English Civil War, before moving on to York, which became her headquarters. The town was originally two settlements: the Old Town about one mile (1.6 km) inland and the Quay area where the modern harbour lies. The Bridlington Piers and Harbour Act 1837 (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. cx) enabled the wooden piers to be replaced with two stone piers to the north and south. Apart from landing fish, the port was used to transport corn: the 1826 Corn Exchange can still be seen in Market Place. There used to be mills in the town for grinding it, which led to some breweries starting up locally. In the Second World War, Bridlington suffered several air raids that caused deaths and much bomb damage. The Royal Air Force had training schools in the town collectively known as RAF Bridlington, with one unit, No. 1104 Marine Craft Unit, continuing until 1980. Like most industry, these had petered out by the late 20th century.
The decline in the popularity of British seaside tourism in the 1960s reduced the number of pleasure steamers working from the harbour. By the end of the decade, just three were operating.
The story of Bridlington is very much a story of England, with peaks of success followed by troughs of decline. How has this affected the town and its pubs? Would the signs of the town's ricocheting fortunes be visible in its drinking establishments? Would we be mugged by an enormous seagull? There was only one way to find out. We didn't necessarily have much of a plan for our time in Bridlington. We decided to begin with a walk down to the seafront, seeing as we were only a few minutes away and the sea was visible at the end of the road on which we were staying. We made our way down to the sea, past several more B&Bs, all of which were displaying their lack of vacancies. Upon reaching the sea and the associated marina, we also saw that the tide was out, so we did the traditional British thing of walking along the beach. During said walk, I was filled with joy when I was able to return a tennis ball that a group were playing football with. One touch to control, another to pass it back and I didn't hurt myself. Result. We followed one British tradition up with another by treating ourselves to an ice cream. At £3 each for a classic 99, it seemed a bit steep. It was enjoyable though, not least for the fact that neither of us could remember the last time we'd had one. We retraced our steps, this time back along the promenade, with a rough plan beginning to form. I had a list of pubs that I'd hastily compiled once I'd booked the B&B. It made sense to investigate the ones in close proximity to the high street and seafront and, if we felt up to it, work our way towards the Old Town, stopping off at other pubs as we went. Reaching the end of the promenade, we took a right and headed into the town. Our first destination is located on Manor Street, overlooking a road junction. Our deep dive into Bridlington's pubs was about to begin at The Brunswick Hotel.
I had high hopes for this place. It's listed in the Good Beer Guide 2025 so, if nothing else, we would be assured of a good beverage. Things were about to get interesting. This popular hotel, known locally as the 'Brunnie' is open to non-residents. Beyond the cream exterior you will find a central entrance that leads both left and right. The public bar, to the left, features two recently refurbished rooms, opened out to allow for more space. To the right, a separate games room hosts pool tables, dartboards and TVs. The overall decor is minimalist, with good use of space. The furniture is traditional and consists primarily of wooden tables and chairs with a few longer benches. The hotel hosts karaoke several times a week, including most lunchtimes, as it was when we arrived. From previous experience, karaoke can attract a mixed clientele, which in itself is fine. What we didn't expect, upon entering, was that we would lower the average age of those present by about 30 years. Karaoke was in full swing, with the attendees mostly of an older age bracket. If this wasn't awkward enough, the route to the bar meant walking through some poor woman's performance as we had to cross between her and the TV that the lyrics were displayed upon. Thankfully, there was plenty of space at the bar, which is situated at the end of the room and serves both sides. There is a connecting corridor between both areas, where the toilets are also located. A staircase in one corner leads up to the bedrooms. The welcoming sight of handpulls on the bar lured us in. There are 8 in total, spread across both bars in 2 banks of 4, and 6 of these were in use during our visit, all offering beers from Wold Top. Our options were Night Watchman, Wold Gold and Scarborough Fair IPA, all of which were doubled up. We opted for the Wold Gold. A half for each of us totalled £4. We would soon learn that Bridlington's prices are very reasonable indeed. We clutched our halves and moved to an empty table adjacent to the bar, out of the way but looking down the room towards the karaoke. The Brunswick Hotel certainly hadn't been the introduction we'd expected. Luckily, the beer was excellent. Wold Gold (4.8%) is a blonde ale with hints of stone fruit and lightly spiced notes. It's billed as a Yorkshire twist on a wheat beer and it certainly lives up to that description. It's delicious and completely vindicates the hotel's inclusion in the Good Beer Guide. We swallowed our pride and quaffed our halves whilst trying to work out what any of the karaoke songs were. During our short stay here, we recognised one, specifically Herman's Hermits and their 1960s number one 'I'm Into Something Good'. Whether we were into something good with regards to Bridlington's pubs would remain to be seen.
Our first stop had been something of a surprise and definitely not quite what we'd been expecting. I was hopeful that the day would improve and that the pubs would do likewise. That's not to say that there was anything innately wrong with the Brunswick Hotel. The beer was good and it was busy so clearly it's doing something right. We were only a short walk away from our next location and this one is a bit of a local legend, despite only being open for a relatively short time. Located on Marshall Avenue, we now arrived at the Good Beer Guide 2025 listed Three B's Micropub.
This is a pub whose reputation very much precedes it. Opened in 2020, two weeks before lockdown no less, this micropub is run by enthusiastic CAMRA members and has won multiple awards, including being voted Yorkshire Pub of the Year for 2024 and subsequently becoming a finalist for National Pub of the Year. This former shop premises operates over two floors, with the bar on the ground floor and an upper mezzanine level providing additional seating. The ground floor also features traditional seating, spread around the room. The bar occupies one rear corner, with the other rear corner hosting a single toilet, as well as access to upstairs. Since opening, the pub has proudly sold more than 800 real ales. It is also renowned for its cider, with 12 available at any one time, an impressive range that saw it win local Cider Pub of the Year in 2023. On the aforementioned bar, there are 4 handpulls, offering Acorn Barnsley Bitter (the only permanent beer) alongside 3 ever changing guests. At the time of our visit, these guests were North Riding US Pale, Chin Chin Yakima Sunset and Three Brothers Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Porter. After some deliberation, aided by a taster, we both opted for the Yakima Sunset (4.2%) from Pontefract-based Chin Chin Brewery, and headed to a table against one wall. This beer turned out to be a good choice. For the pleasure of parting with £4.20 for a half each, we enjoyed a hoppy amber ale with good citrus and stone fruit notes, courtesy of the eponymous US hop. During our stay, the landlord had a chat with us about our plans for the weekend and recommended some pubs that he likes to drink in. He made an, not incorrect, assessment that some of the best pubs are often not GBG listed. Thankfully, most of his suggestions were already on the list. I'm nothing if not thorough. He also expressed his fondness for the pubs of Nottingham and said that he's visited Castle Rock pubs regularly (he's originally from Birmingham) and always enjoys them. For my part, I kept shtum and chose not to reveal my allegiances. He also made us privy to the reason why it had been so difficult to find a B&B. A northern soul weekend was taking place at Bridlington Spa during our trip. By all accounts, we'd been lucky to find anything still available. Amongst his other words of wisdom was the slightly confusing comment that he doesn't like rock music despite the radio playing a rock song when we entered (Hoobastank's 'The Reason'), and the fact that his prices are more expensive than a lot of the others in the town. At £4.20 a pint, I doubt many people are complaining. The Three B's is deserving of its reputation. The beer and welcome had been excellent. As I write this, the business is moving to a bigger premises a short walk away. It's been delayed by several months due to issues with contractors but, all being well, should be completed soon enough. I'd heartily recommend a visit. The hype is justified and you won't be disappointed.
Before long, we were on our merry way again. Our next stop would be a location that hadn't been on the original agenda but that we'd noticed in passing. Retracing our steps slightly, we tried our luck at Bridbrewer & Taproom.
Converted from a shop, this microbrewery and pub is sandwiched between King Street and Chapel Street, with entrances on both sides. Inside, the layout is simple. A 50L brewery kit can be found at one end of a single room. Table and chairs occupy the wall space throughout with a bar positioned at the opposite end. The bar itself is a low counter, with casks positioned behind and connected to handpulls on the bar front. All the beer served is brewed on site, and is dispensed through 4 handpulls. Upon entering, a regular gave a shout to the landlord/brewer on duty, who soon appeared and introduced us to his range. Our choices here were Savanna's Roasted Coffee, a spiced rum and coffee stout; Dougie & Daisy's Hop Along, a golden ale; Strawberry Milkshake Max, a milkshake pale; and King Street IPA, an IPA. Amy and I both opted for a half of the latter, at the cost of £3.80 for both (!). We were offered extra seating so that we could sit outside and were duly presented with a folding table and a couple of chairs, which the landlord was kind enough to set up for us. We sat outside, next to a table occupied by a couple and their lovely Labrador, Luna, who soon came over for a fuss (the dog, not the humans). This is a unique little place. There aren't as many brewpubs of this size around any more and it's a shame. You can't get more local than drinking in the same building where it was made! And what of the beer? At 4.8%, it's on the weaker side for an IPA but doesn't suffer any loss of flavour or body as a result. It's nicely balanced with a good bitterness that holds up well against the hoppier notes. In short, it's a great beer. Everything sold here is brewed on the premises and they do great deals in multipacks of bottles to take away, although we didn't partake on this occasion. The weather was growing warmer now. It had been mild all day but the temperature was starting to creep up, although the day remained overcast for now. Bidding goodbye to the last of our beers, and Luna and her parents, and avoiding the gaze of a particularly angry looking seagull, we ventured on.
It was back to the scheduled itinerary now following our brief diversion. We didn't have too far to go for our next stop. Continuing on, we made our way down Prospect Street, where the next pub soon appeared on our right. Next up, The Moon Tap.
Two brewpubs back to back wasn't our intention but that's how things played out. Newly refurbished, this is the tap for Bridlington Brewery, which can be viewed at the rear of the premises. Inside, the layout is one of several smaller areas, divided up by the creative use of internal partitions. The bar is located towards the back and over to one side, with lots of seating throughout. A door at the rear leads to a beer garden, accessible down a flight of steps. The aesthetic is one of bare floorboards, exposed brickwork, subtle lighting and lots of modern, contemporary touches. This was by far the busiest pub of the day so far. The pub was packed. Luckily, we were able to make our way to the bar easily enough. 5 handpulls are lined up on the back bar. One of these was given over to Lilley's Pina Colada cider, with the remaining 4 reserved for beer. Unsurprisingly, some of Bridlington Brewery's products were available, namely their Black Jack and Tutti Frutti. The remaining two pumps offered guest beer, in the form of Aitcheson's American IPA and Alnwick Alnwick Gold. I opted for a half of the Black Jack whilst Amy went for the same quantity of the Aitcheson's (total price £3.90) and we ventured outside in search of a table. We were lucky enough to locate one at which to enjoy our beers without being at risk of getting caught in direct sunlight. The atmosphere at The Moon was excellent. It was relaxed and jovial and everybody seemed to be having a rather good afternoon. We certainly enjoyed ourselves here. This was the best pub of the day so far, certainly enhanced by the quality of the beer. The Black Jack (4%) turned out to be a liquorice porter and it's an absolute belter. Equal parts roasted and sweet, it's very very drinkable indeed. The liquorice is subtle but rounds the whole thing out very nicely. I wasn't expecting a porter to be my favourite beer of the day so far but it had already been a day full of surprises. I couldn't help but think back to Three B's and our host's remark that the best pubs sometimes can't be found in the Good Beer Guide. The Moon isn't listed at the moment but the beer is so good that I doubt it's absence will continue for much longer. It does have the distinction of being voted Yorkshire Wolds Pub of the Year for 2025, so its excellence is clearly being noted. The surprises continued when somebody openly, and rather loudly, broke wind, reducing the other residents of the beer garden to fits of laughter. This was then amplified when a garage door nearby made a random rumbling noise which led to somebody else issuing a faux apology for the non-existent flatulence. It was all getting rather silly but in the best possible way.
Reluctant as we were to leave the Moon, it was time to move on. Both our beers had been delicious. We were hoping the theme would continue as we journeyed to our next stop. We had a little bit more walking to do now. Our route would continue in the direction of the Old Town as we headed away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre proper and the associated seaside vibes. The sun had also well and truly emerged now and it was rather warm as we continued on. Making our way down Quay Road, almost retracing the route we'd driven into the town earlier that day, we realised that we recognised where we were. We were in the vicinity of Bridlington Town Hall, the location for the ceremony part of the wedding we had attended during our last visit to the town. A short distance from this landmark we would find our next stop, at The Telegraph.
This Good Beer Guide 2025 pub is now a free house that was saved from closure and lovingly refurbished by the former owners. As the livery above indicates, this is a former Tetley's house that features a single roomed interior, divided up into three distinct sections. One area features a pool table and sports TVs. The main bar area features plentiful seating and there is a comfortable lounge area beyond. The bar is horseshoe-shaped and serves the two central areas. Outside is a very well appointed, walled beer garden, with a chimenea, covered smoking shelter, an abundance of comfortable furniture and lots of brewery related memorabilia on display. The bar itself features 4 handpulls. When we popped in, these were all offering beers from the paler end of the spectrum with our options as follows: Ossett White Rat, Rudgate Viking, Wensleydale Both Ends Burning and Bradfield Farmers Blonde. This was my first time encountering Wensleydale Brewery, so no prizes for guessing what I chose. Amy followed suit, with a half each costing us £3.60. The inside of the pub was pretty much standing room only so we retreated to the garden, where there was still plenty of room, and plonked ourselves down on a picnic bench. We took our time to take in the surroundings of what is a very nice beer garden, which included the obligatory topless man, now that the temperature had risen north of 20 degrees, albeit barely. The garden also houses a defibrillator, installed in tribute to a regular who died suddenly. At first glance you'd be forgiven for thinking that The Telegraph wouldn't necessarily be worth a visit but I can assure you that it is. For one thing, the beer is cracking. Both Ends Burning (4.6%) is a blonde ale, brewed with Harlequin and Cashmere hops. The end result produces flavours of lemon, lime and peach with an additional hint of marmalade. It's a perfect beer for a summer's day. Our afternoon had definitely perked up as the day had progressed. We were now halfway through our itinerary and eager to see what else we would encounter.
The second half of our Bridlington adventure would see us immersed into the historic Old Town, which has many unique pubs, all with interesting tales to tell. Would their beer options be as interesting? We shall see. Leaving the Telegraph, we turned right and continued on. After a few minutes of walking, we arrived on St. John Street, whereupon we would find our next stop: the Old Ship Inn.
Good Beer Guide 2025 listed and Cask Marque accredited, the Old Ship is believed to have been built in 1860. Located on a main road, it occupies a prominent location on the edge of the Old Town and would serve as a good place to begin our exploration of the historic area. The internal layout consists of three rooms, with comfortable furnishings throughout. Photographs by Frank Sutcliffe, depicting Whitby in times gone by, are displayed throughout, alongside a whole host of quirky memorabilia. Brewery signs and adverts share space with jovial slogans and catchphrases. To the rear, there is a large, fully enclosed beer garden, with a designated, fully decked smoking area. The pub welcomes dogs but not children (the dream) and has built itself a sturdy reputation for its welcome and live music, as well as for its beer quality. We would be able to put one of these to the test at least. The bar is situated roughly in the middle of the three rooms and is L-shaped. A bank of 6 handpulls occupies one side and 5 of these happened to be in use during our visit. The choice here was an interesting variety of national and smaller brands, with our options being Three Brothers Emergency IPA, Butcombe Original, Theakston Quencher and two beers from Wilde Child, namely Clique Fiesta and Opulent Macrocosm. The latter of these took our eye and we went for half each (totalling £4.00). We were greeted, rather brusquely it must be said, by the landlord and, beers in hand, made our way out to the garden where we made sure to sit undercover so as to avoid the sun. The garden at the Old Ship is definitely a place where it seems almost mandatory to enjoy a good beer. And good beer is what we found! Leeds-based Wilde Child have made it a habit to give their beers preposterous, and often baffling, names but their beer is usually very good. Opulent Macrocosm (4.3%) is a case in point. Billed as a New Zealand session IPA, it's hopped with Motueka and Wakatu hops, which impart flavours of gooseberry as well as a light fruitiness. A mixed grain bill of both oats and wheat ensure a mouthfeel above what you'd expect from a beer of such a low ABV. It's certainly a punchy, fruity number and it was in great condition here.
We were doing our best to take our time around Bridlington, particularly as we had now reached the Old Town, the more picturesque and historic side of the town. This area is a mishmash of medieval streets and later Georgian houses, adding a feeling of quaint opulence that is much at odds with the impression conveyed by the newer areas down by the seafront. We were looking forward to seeing whether the history and age of this part of town would be reflected in the remainder of the premises that we were planning to visit, and also what traces of this history had survived into the present day. Leaving the Old Ship, we immediately turned right and continued, slightly uphill, to the junction of Kirkgate and Baylegate. Our next destination was on the right hand side, adjacent to the Bayle Museum and Priory Gate. We would now be visiting the Bull & Sun.
Confession time. I suspected that the Bull & Sun would likely not serve real ale. WhatPub and other enquiries suggested as much. However, I live in hope of being proven wrong in situations like this. The Bull & Sun is a family run pub and restaurant, although it began life as a private house, dating back to the 1800s. The brick exterior gives way to two rooms situated around a J shaped bar in the centre. To the right, the bar area is furnished traditionally with added quirky touches and old photos. To the left is another, slightly larger area, used as the restaurant with tables set for dining. The overall feel is of an old school, traditional pub but with some more modern trappings. Upon entering, for one brief moment, my heart leapt with joy at the sight of a duo of handpulls. However, any faint hope I may have had that they would be providing delicious cask beer was swiftly dashed. Neither handpull was in use. Perusing the bar for alternatives didn't leave me with much. Normally in this situation, my go to alternative would be Guinness. Unluckily for me, the pub don't appear to sell that either, unless I just missed it. That left me with one option and that option would be John Smith's. I went for a pint, although I don't really know why. Amy, for her part, swapped to a soft drink and ordered a pint of Diet Coke. After parting with £6.60, which still isn't unreasonable, we decided to give the beer garden a go. It's a decent enough garden, accessed down some steps at the rear of the pub. It's a good size, with some tables, a little bit of cover, trees either side and a play area for children. We discussed our misfortune at the lack of decent beer, although the John Smith's, in and of itself, was at least passable. There had been another reason for coming here though. The Bull & Sun is allegedly haunted. Numerous incidents of strange activity have been reported down the years. The most prominent story linked to the site is that of a ghostly young girl, believed to be from the Victorian era, who is alleged to slide down a banister on the second floor. She is alleged to have died on the site and the banister in question is always suspiciously shiny, despite not being cleaned particularly frequently (which raises different questions about the place). Perhaps the unfortunate child is a member of the family that once lived here and are buried in the nearby churchyard. Other reports include sightings of a white silhouette, a male apparition seen in the corners of certain rooms, clothing being tugged, the sounds of children whispering, and objects being thrown by unseen hands or seen to mysteriously levitate. Whether all, or any of this phenomena, are linked is unclear, although at least one local ghost hunting group has investigated in person, with varying results.
Back in the mortal realm and our time at the Bull & Sun had come to an end. Leaving the pub, we turned left and continued on, where we crossed the road. We now entered High Street, the central artery of the Old Town proper, and the remaining trio of pubs can be found here or hereabouts. We would soon find that this part of Bridlington is worth a visit, not just for the pubs, but for the general ambience conveyed by its setting. The Georgian houses and surviving medieval features seem a world away from the arcades, ice cream vans and chip shops of the harbour area. A short walk further down this road would take us to our next destination, somewhere that we'd been recommended earlier as a good place for both beer and food. Next up, The Board Inn.
This Grade II listed pub has been recognised for its heritage interior. It's a haven of dark wood and is spread across several levels, all decorated in a similar. Exposed wood and bare walls are the order of the day, with photos of the town, and portraits of several individuals, found throughout. The bar is on the ground floor, with traditional wooden furniture situated opposite. The entrance is to one side of the central room. Next to the bar, a staircase leads up to further rooms beyond, with an open fireplace in the first. Subsequent floors are variations on the theme, and there has been considerable effort to maintain the aesthetic throughout. Approaching the bar when we entered, we were immediately greeted by the landlord, who took our order and advised us to explore all of the floors. His reasons for doing so will be become abundantly clear. But first, the beer! The bar at the Board has plenty of the stuff. 7 handpulls are in situ. Two of these offer cider, on this occasion those being Ty Gwyn Medium Perry and Ty Gwyn Festival Ferret. The remaining 5 hand pumps all offer beer, in a good range of styles. For our delectation and enjoyment, we had a choice between Rudgate Viking, Brains Rev James and a trip from North Riding, specifically, Toasted Marshmallow Stout, Mosaic and Citra. I went for half of the Mosaic, Amy went for a Diet Coke (£3.50 in total) and we followed our host's instructions. We were very glad that we did. The Board Inn has very much leaned into its spooky feel. The upstairs rooms have been decorated like a haunted house. One room is laid out like a seance room, with a central round table surrounded by multiple, red leather chairs. Another, on the top floor, has one long table under the eaves, with wall mounted candles and no other furniture. Its neighbour is done up like a Victorian bedchamber and comes complete with a jump scare, namely a red wigged mannequin peeking out from under the covers. To say it made us jump when we saw it doesn't quite cover it. Taxidermy birds and animal heads can be found in every room. You might be wondering why the pub has gone out of its way to decorate like this. In a nutshell, it's embracing its darker side. Strange tales are told of this place. As recently as last year, two ladies, visiting the pub for the first time, filmed a short video as they toured the rooms. Upon playing the footage back, they were understandably shaken to hear what sounded like the grumbling voice of a disgruntled old man. The same room in which the sounds were captured is also the location where the ghost of a little girl has been seen on multiple occasions. The room in question was primarily used for storage but was dressed up for Halloween last year for the first time. Previous attempts to use it for normal seating have failed due to uncomfortable feelings and cold spots felt by customers. Has the unusual decor enhanced any activity? Who knows? What is for certain is that the ownership have done a superb job at creating a atmosphere like no other. Following our fearful encounter, we returned downstairs and gave our beers a go. The Mosaic (4.3%) turned out to be a delicious pale ale showcasing that specific hop. This means blueberry and citrus flavours and a great big juice punch. It was very very tasty! Speaking of tasty, we were ready for some food by this stage. Luckily, The Board Inn happens to be well known for that as well. Specifically, they offer meat and cheese platters by way of sustenance. That sounded right up our street and, a short while later, another member of staff came to take our order. A few minutes later, our platter arrived. There's no way to describe it without using superlatives. It was enormous! Neither of us were expecting the sheer quantity of cheese, meats, crackers, and associated accoutrements that was placed before us. The quality was equally astounding. It was absolutely delicious. We were fully expecting to pay a hefty whack for a portion of food that size but, in the end it came to............£9.95. That's less than a tenner for enough cheese and meat to have started our own farmers market. Worth every penny. The Board Inn had been an excellent choice. No wonder it was recommended to us!
Suitably full of cheese and assorted meats, we pressed on. Our penultimate stop is only a few doors down and just over the road. Next on the list is another nicely atmospheric pub, The Black Lion.
The Grade II listed Black Lion dates from the 18th century. Located at the junction of Market Street and High Street, it became the town Corn Exchange when the area became the centre of the local corn trade in the 1870s. Its other former guises include as an inland revenue office and a posting house, which was a location that offered services for travellers, including accommodation and changes of horse. The building once had stabling for 40 horses, primarily to aid with this later purpose. In the late 19th-early 20th century, the rear of the building was converted to a music hall. Features from this usage are still present, with stepped seating and pews leading down to a performance area with a small stage. In 2014, the pub was temporarily redressed and used as the Royal Oak in the film adaptation of Dad's Army. This pub turned out to be another location which would leave us pleasantly surprised. The entrance leads directly through to the bar, which curves around to one side. The top level of the pub is occupied by traditional seating, together with leather high back chairs, surrounded by exposed brickwork, bare floorboards and sash windows with velvet curtains. An original open fireplace is still extant and there are wall mounted TVs. Beyond this, the aforementioned music hall layout dominates, with regal portraits, theatre style curtains and union flags throughout. The rear section benefits from a high ceiling. As well as the numerous rows of pews between the bar and stage, there are a small number of more traditional tables on the lower level too. Conveniently, the bar has real ale. 6 handpulls are present here, with 2 being in use at the time of our visit. The options were Aitcheson's Kiwi IPA and Wold Top Angler's Reward. With Amy's previous experience of Aitcheson's being a good one, we both opted for a half of the Kiwi IPA (£3.80 in total) and chose to make our way down to the bottom section to better inspect the old music hall. This really is an interesting place. There's a strange, almost ethereal vibe to the Black Lion. The contrast between traditional pub and turn of the last century music hall is a stark one but one that still manages to blend quite well. It's easy to imagine the throngs of people that would have come in for a show a hundred or more years ago. It's completely understandable that the pub would keep it looking the same. That's not the only historic feature that remains, if you believe the stories. The Black Lion is another pub with its fair share of strange happenings. Figures have been seen sitting in the old pews when nobody is known to be in the area. Strange feelings have been reported in the same area. In the cellar, which still retains lots of original features, uneasy feelings and strange sounds have been witnessed. A lesser known story connects the pub with the spirit of an alleged Jack the Ripper suspect, who is claimed to have died on the premises after being injured at sea. Whether this unknown suspect is responsible for the other manifestations is not known at this time. What is known however, is that the Black Lion do a decent job of looking after their beer. As you'd expect from a such named beer, the Kiwi IPA (5%) is packed full of Nectaron hops, leading to a big citrus hit and flavours of grapefruit and orange. What better way to enjoy yourself than with a fruity beer, bathed in the light of decorative dragonfly lampshades, under the ceiling of an old music hall? I can't think of many.
Putting the Black Lion behind us, figuratively and literally, we turned our attention to the last pub of the day. Situated just around the corner, on Market Place, was a location that I had high hopes for. The final Good Beer Guide 2025 listing of the day, and our last stop of the evening, was the Pack Horse.
Originating from the 17th century, the Pack Horse has been restored to well beyond its former glory. An original set of stocks remain on the street outside and there is a restored brewery dray in the yard. Inside, a central bar is surrounded by three separate areas, all with a mix of seating. There is an extensive courtyard to the rear, featuring picnic benches and a pizza kitchen, housed in the old stables. Entrance to the Pack Horse is under the archway to the left, where the main entrance door can be found. The pub was bustling and very busy when we arrived, a quirk of it being Friday evening and the weather being excellent. Inside, the well stocked bar beamed in front of us, its 5 hand pumps standing proud. How would we end our day? Bridlington Brewery was formerly based here so its beers often feature, alongside guests. On the day in question, we found ourselves with the following choices: Bridlington Brewery Tutti Frutti, Milestone Sherwood, Bridlington Hazelnut Porter, Little Critters Chameleon and Timothy Taylor Knowle Spring. Having thoroughly enjoyed my last encounter with Bridlington Brewery earlier in the day, I opted for the Tutti Frutti whilst Amy chose the Chameleon from Sheffield-based Little Critters. The combined price for a half of each was £3.50. Beers successfully acquired, we headed outside where we were fortunate enough to find a spare picnic table on which to sequester ourselves. I was already thoroughly enjoying the Pack Horse. The atmosphere was superb. Both inside and outside were very busy but not overly loud and everybody seemed to be having a whale of a time. The soundtrack wasn't bad either. It seemed to consist primarily of 80s and 90s one hit wonders, as it segued between 'What's Goin' On?' by 4 Non-Blondes, Cutting Crew's 'I Died in Your Arms Tonight' and then onto 'Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm', the 1994 smash hit by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies. Amy didn't recognise the song but I apparently know much more about it than I should when you consider that I was 7 years old when it came out. I also seem to know some of the words. I can tell you it peaked at number two in the UK chart, kept from the top spot by Prince (then going by a symbol) with 'The Most Beautiful Girl in the World'. But you didn't come here for a music history lesson. Back to the beer. Tutti Frutti (4%) is a pale ale that does pretty much what it says on the pump clip, and very effectively too. It's fruity and citrusy with a dry finish and a refreshing mouthfeel. It's definitely very drinkable and went down a treat! As did this pub. The Pack Horse was a perfect place to end our excursion around Bridlington's drinking establishments. The temptation to stay for longer after the last drop was strong but we were hot and tired so a retreat to the B&B seemed like a much more sensible option.
During our half an hour stroll back to our digs, and the ensuring hours back at the B&B watching Glastonbury coverage, I mulled over the success of our day and my overall thoughts regarding Bridlington as a whole. In general, I think I'm impressed. On paper, Bridlington is the kind of place you associate with sticks of rock, sandcastles, and overpriced ice creams without giving a thought to what its pubs might be like. There's certainly something for everyone. The traditional seaside town boozers are here. The micropubs and brewpubs sit nicely amongst the souvenir shops and takeaways. The historic old town pubs are going strong. If I had to summarise, I feel that Bridlington's drinking scene can be split into two halves. The Old Town certainly has the best pubs. The history and tradition go hand in hand and it's a lovely part of the town to enjoy over a beer or two of an evening. The 'newer' side of town is better suited to its micropubs and less traditional places and it certainly has plenty of both. As much as I appreciate a good micro and how they've rejuvenated and reimagined what a pub can and should be, traditional pubs will always have my heart. In a town like Bridlington, where the glare of the funfair and the clatter of the arcades is front and centre, it's important to appreciate the places that sometimes go under appreciated. If you're after a warm welcome, delicious beer and, frankly, some ridiculously reasonable prices, you're in luck. If you go to Bridlington for nothing else, go for the pubs.
Next time: We travel to Whitby, where many excellent pubs, historic ruins and literary icons await!
Pub of the day: The Board Inn. Excellent beer, enormous cheeseboards, terrifying mannequin
Honourable mention: The Pack Horse. Cracking pub with an excellent garden
Biggest surprise: The Black Lion. Didn't expect to find a Victorian music hall at the back of a pub
Beer of the day: Bridlington Brewery, Black Jack. A bloody great porter, even on a summer's day
