Beer lovers congregated at a city centre pub at the weekend to celebrate York’s Pub of the Year.

The 1100-strong York branch of the Campaign for Real have declared the 2023 winner to be The Phoenix at 75 George Street.

This follow its being City Pub of the Season last Autumn and The Phoenix replacing 2022 winners The Blue Bell in Fossgate.

For 2023, York Camra has also made the Maltings in Tanner’s Moat its Cider Pub of the Year and the Bishopthorpe Sports and Social Club its club of the year.

The Phoenix is York CAMRA's Pub of the Year

At a presentation on Friday night, branch chairman Chris Tregellis recalled how the pub, situated close to the site of a former cattle market, has a heritage dating back to the times of Dick Turpin, who probably drunk there.

By the 1970s and 1980s, the Phoenix was a ‘basic boozer’ with a pool table in the front bar.

Then, 15 year ago, Val and Tim Everton took it over and restored and re-opened the venue with a focus on real ale, fine wine and jazz.

Tributes paid to Phoenix landlord Tim Everton

Such a focus continued with current landlord Paul Rodgers, who has been at The Phoenix for 8 years. Before then, he ran the Black Horse on Monkgate and the Fox & Roman on Tadcaster Road.

Paul told an enthusiastic crowd: “I feel very proud of the pub.”

He praised Tim and Val for their efforts for creating what had become an iconic part of York’s drinking and music scene.

York CAMRA awards Phoenix Inn in George Street

“To be able to keep it going, its something special, the music, the beers, the pies. It’s the kind of pub I would want to go to.”

Sadly, Tim died in March 2011 aged just 59 after a year-long battle with prostate cancer.

 Paul added: “We have such a great team and the brews. You have to make a real effort to sell crap beer in York. We have so many great breweries around here.”

Afterwards, Dave Gamston, of the national Pub Heritage Group, recalled how running a pub with jazz had been the dream of former Cambridge academic Tim Everton.

The pub had succeeded by attracting a ‘respectable’ clientele and ‘keeping out the riff-raff.’

The Maltings is York CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year 2023

“It’s on our national inventory of pub interiors,” he added.

As the Press left early Friday evening, the pub was almost full. A piano was being played, punters were happy, despite somewhat wet weather. What more could one want!

Indeed, such praise is also confirmed on social media.

Tripadvisor currently reports 93 rating it excellent, 29 Very Good and just 6 being less supportive.

Last Summer, the Guardian newspaper also called it a ‘great local pub.’

Google Maps also gives it 4.6 stars out of 5.