THE sterling stalwarts are often taken for granted.

In between all the openings and closures, refurbs and new beer launches, they are all too easy to overlook. I’m sometimes as guilty as the next man, reporting on all the bar-room comings and goings but much less often on the enduring excellence elsewhere.

In many ways, it’s the stable pubs, often away from York city centre, that are the heartbeat of the region’s beer scene. With maximum flair but minimum fanfare, they provide excellent beer, food and service, keeping their locals happy, impressing day-trippers and all the while enhancing Yorkshire’s reputation as the beer and pub heartland of Britain.

We shouldn’t wait until we or they have moved on to sing their praises – we should do so now, when these pubs are in their prime. So that’s what we’re doing today – we’re off to The Dawnay Arms at Shipton-by-Beningbrough, just over the county boundary into Hambleton District.

York Press:

This welcoming pub is passed by thousands of commuters each day, heading up or down the A19 north of York. The pub is on the main road, with prominent signs that make it virtually impossible to miss – and the bus stops just outside for those who want a pint but have no designated driver.

It’s a friendly and cheerful place that is clearly well looked after. It has been run by Garry and Pamela Carter for just over 12 years now, and they have much to be proud of, most notably on the food front.

Pub meals can be frustrating for those with specific diets. Meat-free options are few and far between, with often no more than the ubiquitous vegetarian lasagne. Gluten-free options are similarly rare, so any pub making extra effort on both fronts deserves praise.

On a recent Sunday lunchtime visit, I had an excellent pork roast and my wife had the vegetarian cottage pie, and we were both hugely impressed with the quality and the size of the portions. There were three other vegetarian options to choose from and also an entire gluten-free menu. On top of that, gluten-free versions of many dishes on the standard menu are also available, including an adapted fish and chips, using a batter made with gluten-free flour and cider instead of beer.

York Press:

Those after a beer with their bite have a decent selection. On tap on my most recent visit were Tetley’s Cask, Cameron’s Strongarm and Treboom’s Yorkshire Sparkle. Beers don’t come much more local than the last of those, with Treboom’s brewery a short cask’s-roll away across the road. The pub also sells the brewery’s bottled range to take away, which proves popular with visitors.

Like many village locals, the pub has a healthy, reliable routine. Tuesday is steak night (two steaks and two drinks for £22), Wednesday is quiz night, and Friday lunchtime is Fishy Friday (two servings of fish and chips for £12).

This is Garry and Pamela’s first pub and it will probably remain their only one, says Garry.

When they took it on in 2002, it was something of a leap into the unknown. Pamela had previously worked in catering but Garry had been in retail, and neither of them had so much as pulled a pint before.

The gamble has paid off for them and the rest of us though. Twelve years and countless pints later, the village and the region can be glad they decided to make the jump.