The Cock and Bottle was arguably York’s best pub for watching a bit of football or rugby in, and was always popular with horse racing lovers, who swarmed here after a day out on the Knavesmire.
When the entire Ebor race festival was cancelled in the Summer of 2008 due to the severe waterlogging caused by torrential downpours in August (bloody British weather eh), it deprived the pub of hundreds of generous punters, pockets bursting with bookmakers money and subsequently, at least several thousand pounds in takings.
Coupled with the credit crunch/financial meltdown/recession/economic downturn (delete as appropriate), this was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, and the Cock and Bottle shut its doors in the Spring of 2009.
Six or so months later however, keen observers would spy the coming and going of the odd workman, doors and windows open during the day and the faint, unmistakable whiff of freshly applied paint.
Shortly afterwards, as the omens suggested, the Cock and Bottle, nee Plumbers Arms, started trading again and your tubby scribes legged it straight there to try to watch some early season Premiership action.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single TV anywhere to be seen. The only noise eminating from anywhere within the Cock and Bottle’s walls (thepubsofyork.com were the only patrons at this particular time) was the tuneful chirping of Beyonce played through an ipod and a pair of spam-tin sized speakers.
Thankfully, things have improved a little since then, there is at least one flat screen tele showing sport (and the music is now seemingly played through a smaller TV, tuned into MTV). People also seem to have cottoned on to the fact that it is actually open again and it has got increasingly busier, but, is it as good as it was?
Well, if you answer on account of the number LCD televisions it owns, then it’s one third as good as it was, and you get a similar result when comparing it via the real ale on offer – on the last visit only Black Sheep was on offer, although there were another two hand pull taps, both were redundant.
If truth be told, this one-roomed boozer was a fantastic place to watch sport, indeed, once, whilst attempting to watch international rugby, your favourite pub reviewers were squashed so tightly by sheer numbers that in order to purchase a round, a daisy chain of volunteers was needed to get the beer from bar to drinker. Ah, those were they days.
The new personalised drinks menus and an emphasis on food suggest things may be slightly different around these parts nowadays. Of course, further visits and updated reviews are necessary to properly evauate this new reincarnation (which will be very easy considering it’s proximity to thepubsofyork.com HQ), but sadly, whilst wishing the Cock every success (this part of York needs its pubs), without the dedication to sport which it once had, it seems just an average alehouse, with a gogglebox.
P.s. Ladies be warned, the Cock and Bottle is another of York’s pubs rumoured to be haunted by a malovolent spirit. The varmant in question here is said to be George Villiers, the second Duke of Buckingham (Buckingham Street is just around the corner) and he of ‘Georgie Porgie’ nursery rhyme fame which refers to his downfall in parliament in the 17th century. He makes his presence known mostly to women and has been described as ‘a shadowy figure with long flowing hair and embroidered clothing‘. On one occasion he was apparently caught spying on the former landlady in the shower and has been known to stroke or even fondle young ladies. He’ll certainly have more chance to get up to his dirty tricks in the 21st century if young ladies are lured here by the attractive drinks menus and sweet smelling food.
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Rating: 3.0/5 (1 vote cast)
Recently, we at thepubsofyork.com finished reviewing all the pubs and bars inside the City Walls. Like a small boy who’s allowed to play outside his front garden for the first time, York’s premiere pub review website could not wait to spread it’s collective wings.
