City pub gets £225,000 refurb

Mitchells & Butlers, the owners of The Cross Keys, on the corner of Goodramgate and Deangate planned the work to enhance the pub’s character and after a three-week closure, it reopened on Thursday night.

Lydia Peter, general manager, said that it was about six years since the there was a thorough re-fit, so it was time for a change.

She said: “The feedback has been really great from customers. I think the regulars really like it because it’s much lighter and brighter, but it hasn’t changed too much.

“I haven’t heard anyone saying they don’t like it so far.”

New additions include specially designed beer tasting tables with glass tops concealing some of the ingredients that go into making a pint of beer.

The pub’s three fireplaces have been rejuvenated and all three are now in fully working order. The furniture has also had a spruce up with new upholstery and extra seating in the beer garden at the rear of the building.

The building itself dates back to 1904, replacing a previous pub of the same name on the site, but internal walls were removed in 1986, merging several rooms into one.

Because the building is listed the refurb had to be sympathetic and required planning. In their application, the owners said that some changes in recent decades had been “incongruous to the building” and said the new works would “bring back some of the character to the trading areas.”

City of York Council approved the application, which included redecorating, reviving the wall panelling, stripping and staining the timber floors, refurbishing the furniture, replacing the lighting, replacing the back-bar area, adding a new fire in an existing fireplace, and altering a non-original fireplace.

Council planning officer Rachel Tyas said in a written report at the time of submission: “The proposed alterations are considered to preserve the character of the building as one of special architectural or historic interest.”