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Historic Harrogate pub named among best in England

Wednesday, 9 July 2025 08:25

Hales Bar is said to he Harrogate's oldest pub.

A historic Harrogate pub has been included in a list of the best 500 in the UK, according to the Telegraph.

The publisher has identified the best venues across the country, chosen for their “charming character, welcoming staff, rich history and award-winning beer.”

And Hales Bar is the only venue in North Yorkshire - outside of York - to have made the list.

Hales Bar is widely known as ‘Harrogate’s most historic and oldest pub’.

It’s said to originated as one of the first inns for spa visitors after sulphur wells were first established in the mid-18th century.

Speaking of the Hales Bar, pub expert Will Hawkes writes:

“This Harrogate institution offers not only written education but also – courtesy of its decor – a sense of the past, exemplified by gas lighting and Victorian bar fittings.

“This is a genuinely quirky venue, offering a beer called Old Legover – which will divide opinions – and plenty of comfort in the form of horseshoe-shaped deep-red banquette seating.”

Hawkes has been writing about pubs for decades, visiting thousands across England in his never-ending search for perfection.

And each of the establishments on the list has been tried and tested.

See the full list via The Telegraph website here.

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