If Scarborough is in my Top 20 Pub Towns (above Norwich in 15th place), the place I didn’t write about yesterday is unquestionably a Top 10 pub.
Folk often ask me why I didn’t visit such and such a pub when I visit their town. In Matlock, for example, I did the two newbies, but not MoCa and Thorn Tree (both very good) which I’d done before. Visiting all 4,500 GBG pubs in the same year may be possible, but you wouldn’t do much afterwards.
In general, I’ll only go back to a pub if;
a) It was brilliant,
b) It was total rubbish,
c) It seems like a good idea at the time after an inadvisable session,
d) It serves Draught Bass.
The North Riding Brew Pub fits into categories a) and c).
On my first visit in 2014, I reckoned the beer top notch (NBSS 4.5), and the pub was heaving on a midweek afternoon out of season. WhatPub tells you about the brewery and beer choice, but it can’t convey the spirit of community and pubby joy in the North Riding.
What good fortune to have it 20 yards from my B&B after that late night scampi !
This is one of those places where you don’t have to worry about sufficient turnover to justify the beer range; most sales were cask on Tuesday night.
But not all. This is a pub, not a tickers’ convention, and there was plenty of Stowford and lager as well.
The atmosphere is somewhere between the Dove in Bury St Edmunds and No.1Pub in Cleethorpes, with a bit of craft keg poured into the mix.
Their own beer (Mosaic, I think) was cool, chewy and challenging (NBSS 4.5), a half of Danish Citra Bale decanted in afterwards even better. Beers of the month.
I was enjoying myself too much to take good photos, as this will show.
Free entertainment too (the pool, not Theresa). A BRAPA pub for the ages.
A serious beer bar, decanted into a proper pub for locals and visitors. Heaven.
retiredmartin 
What can I say other than we really must see Scarborough.
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The rooms at the North Riding look ok to me, except the room with the twin beds and sunken mattress. I would be more than willing to stay there.
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So would I, though I highly recommend the English seaside experience at the Almar.
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We have been in the North Riding loads of times when it was a Camerons tied house,we liked the comfortable lounge,i would still prefer Camerons Bitter over any new brewed beers.
We stayed in a flat just round the corner from it with my Mam and Dad,it overlooked the North Bay.
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Agree on Camerons at its best.
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I’d agree that Scarborough is one of the top towns to visit in England – far from just another seaside resort, it also has stunning scenery, some magnificent architecture and real character. Sadly it no longer has a wealth of Cameron’s tied houses, thougn 😦
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Nearly every commentator has bemoaned the lack of Cameron’s. Were they that good, or is it just the Punch replacements are that bad ?
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I wouldn’t say that they were in the absolute top rank of independent brewers, but they were another substantial company with a wide-ranging tied estate that has now pretty much entirely disappeared. People today wouldn’t realise that they were probably the biggest pub-owners in the north-eastern quadrant of Yorkshire.
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I couldn’t agree more Mr Taylor. The North Riding is in my all time top ten pubs. Although an irregular regular, on account it’s 50 miles away, I am pleased to say that I am recognised instantly by the regulars, even when I bump into them in other boozers in Scarbro. We also have some friends who are regulars (HI Graham and Ann!), including Stuart the landlord.
I am now going to disagree with the other commentators. Cameron’s is shite and always has been. We always went to Scarbro for our holidays and Cameron’s was reviled by my Grandad, Dad, Uncles, neighbours and friends and anyone else from S.Yorks!
I am also going to further disagree. There is only one place to stay in Scarbro after the demise of the Holbeck Hall and the sad, sad decline of The Royal; the 5th floor rooms at The Crown are superb and come cheaper than the Premier Inn when it’s busy and you can’t even go for a swim there.
NB The Royal is still there, but it is only a shadow of it’s former glory and now operated by a motor coach package holiday company, same as The Grand.
I will post more about the worlds first and best seaside resort on the other excellent posts you published over the weekend. I’ve been a bit busy this weekend with a beer festival so not had chance to peruse them in any detail.
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A beer festival you say ? Whatever next !
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I will have to disagree with your last comment about Camerons being crap.
We have had weeks holidays in Scarborough since 1986 with my wife, Mam and Dad and then our children,we went in loads of pubs but our regular haunts were
The North Riding Camerons
The Albert Tetley
The Durham Camerons
Nottingham Arms Camerons
Scarborough Arms Camerons
Black Lion Camerons
Captains House,then renamed The Jolly Roger Theakstons
Golden Ball Samuel Smiths
We all really liked the Camerons Bitter with a tight creamy head on it.
We could never afford to stay in an hotel and always stayed in a flat with my wife and Mam and Dad and later our children.
It must be nice to be able to stay in an hotel while on holiday.
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We did 17 Camerons tied houses in Scarborough,only one crap one The Lancaster on the South Bay.
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