March 2026. Norton. North Yorkshire..
Not THAT Norton, Dave
If you include virtually contiguous (love that word) Norton as well as Malton the population is 12,275, I read that somewhere. Norton is very much Malton’s hidden away ugly nephew, even though it’s somehow bigger, and has fewer pubs.
I head there now, via the blue plaque to honour Chicken Man George.
“He conquers who endures” is the translation of the fancy Latin phrase, a motto for our Simon, who visited the Derwent Arms at Halloween,
declaring it “a catch-all noisy arsehole sports pub of a place“, which are the sort of things I’d never write here (I’d put them in the patronised edition).
Actually Si turned up just before the guvnor that got the Derwent into the GBG actually left, but as so often new landlords were already in place, and very cheery they were too.
Almost the anti-Malton, with a menu the very definition of “pub grub”.
No sign of takers for the bargain lunches, just a ring of Old Boys watching the racing (a horse won).
In OMNI across the Derwent I could have a had a paddle of thirds of ale. Here you have a Hobsons Choice of Bradfield Blonde with handwritten pump clip. Tim Taylor glasses, but a rare absence of Landlord. Post-change, it didn’t feel like a Beer Guide pub.
So you’ll be astonished to read that the Bradfield started at a chewy NBSS 3+ and ended up comfortably at 3.5. But neither will you care.
retiredmartin 