Fox and Goose  

Situated on a hill just outside of Hebden, from the outside this pub looks a little rough, but don't be put off by what turns out to be rustic charm in a Yorkshire sort of way. There are three distinct areas inside. The bar area is where you enter. Facing you is a small corner bar that is full with hand pumps and taps of all kinds. Here is where you will find the up to five guest ales on at any one time. On this occasion they had Wye Valley Ploughmans and Barnsley Blackheart amongst others. All were well served without the sparkler on asking. They also have an extensive whisky selection and a fair few foreign beers, some on draught. The decor here is heavy artex in ice cream swirls, square and round tables with a mixture of chairs and stools. Space is limited and so manoeuvring can be hard - not suitable for the disabled. The second seating area is to the right of the bar up a step. Here there are gents toilets - basic - and some bench seating on one side with a couple of tables to the left. On the walls are all the pump clips they have had (see photo). There is artex here as well, though a little yellow with age or smoking. A further area to the left of the bar has a pool table, ladies toilets are upstairs. There is no jukebox or fruit machines and no food either. The Fox has been a pub since 1777 and as such has never had space for parking, so it might be best to walk up from the town. Very much a locals pub, at first you can feel a little like a stranger, but buy your first pint and they mellow. Just down the road is Stubbing Wharf, another fine pub. Not too far from the railway station either.

Comments
 

Top pub and great beers from micros around Britain, and low prices for premium beers, unspoilt ale house, keep up the good work! (John Binns)

Julia and I love this place, and will only make changes that are to the advantage of and not in conflict with, the building and it?s history. We feel not so much as we own the place- one cannot own something as historic as the Fox- but we are just passing though, and are privileged to be looking after it for a while. Obviously we will do nothing to change the basic shape and form of the business, but we have already started and intend to continue to improve the environment both inside and outside the pub as little has been done to maintain the premises for a number of years. We are working on improving the beer cellar- as this is obviously the engine room and vital to the success of the business. We have already started on improving the external appearance with the addition of hanging baskets and troughs of flowers, and will over the summer and into next year be giving the building a much needed coat of paint- introducing (shock, horror) some subtle colouring to the otherwise rather stark black and white. We are in the process of applying for planning permission to build a decent beer garden ?up top? away from the road in part of our private garden, eventually maybe including a conservatory as an extra seating area, with a patio area beyond leading on to woodland seating areas and walks. We hope to build a new toilet block where the beer garden currently is, allowing us to amalgamate the current gents loos into the beer cellar, further improving our ability to properly store and maintain all those wonderful beers! So watch this space!! (Extract taken from the pubs website, July 2003) 

 

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