Great British Pubs… The Winter Gardens (Harrogate)

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of David Webb

The Winter Gardens is a Wetherspoon pub in Harrogate which opened on 20 August 2002. The building was converted from the main hall of the Royal Baths. The baths are still in use, next door to the pub. Winston Churchill visited the pub in 1900 to give a speech about South African wars. He is remembered by a plaque on the wall. One of the pub’s favorite drinks is the Winter Gardens Blonde brewed by a local brewery. The most popular dish is fish and chips. When you enter the pub, the first thing you see is the beautiful imperial staircase which leads to the bar. In the summer there is the beer garden. So when you are in Harrogate, you know where to go for food and drinks!

KB: Since when did the pub building exist and when did it become a Wetherspoon pub?

The pub opened as a Wetherspoon site on the 20th of August 2002, with the building being converted from the main hall of the Royal Baths, with the baths still in use to this day, next door to the pub. As with other sites within the chain, a lot of the original features have been preserved, including our grand staircase, and original features in our entrance way. Harrogate proved as a great location, with its own eccentric mix of the traditional and modern. It is home to lots of independent businesses, its own football team and a conference centre.

KB: What is a fun fact about the pub not many people know?

In the grand entrance way, you may notice a brown plaque on the wall, used to signpost historical events or backgrounds. These plaques commemorate and bring to life important ties between our architecture and history. The Winter Gardens site was visited in 1900 by Winston Churchill, where he gave a speech about his experiences of the South African wars, and the brown plaque was placed to commemorate his visit to our site.

KB: What drink is a favorite and people must try?

At the Winter Gardens, we have a wide range of hand pull ales made in local breweries in and around Harrogate. Our ‘Winter Gardens Blonde’ brewed by Harrogate’s very own Daleside Brewery proves particularly popular, and as a pub we try to work with local brewers regularly, holding ‘tap-takeovers’ and ‘meet the brewer’ sessions, as well as holding our own ale tasting events during our ale festivals, twice a year.

KB: What dish on the menu is a favorite and people must try?

In our pubs, one of the most popular dishes is the fish and chips, a British staple, and this dish continues to be popular and well loved.

KB: Which famous people have visited the pub over the years?

Earlier this year, we welcomed Tim Martin, the founder and chairman of Wetherspoon, as he conducted an interview with Sky News. We felt so proud of seeing the pub be recognized and admired on TV. Tim Martin travels the country visiting his pubs, speaking to the staff, and getting to know them. As well as this, the pub has been visited by other celebrities, including Sam Fender more recently.

KB: I step inside your pub. What do I see? Walk me through it.

When walking through the pub, you would likely first notice our beautiful imperial staircase, which acts almost as a centrepiece of the pub’s beauty and history, leading to our large l-shaped bar. Our pub also features award-winning plant and flower arrangements adding to the warm and inviting atmosphere. We also have a large beer garden, which is a lovely suntrap for drinks in the summertime.

KB: Why should people visit The Winter Gardens?

The pub offers a wide range of both food and drinks, met with a warm and welcoming atmosphere and great service. Due to its location in the centre of Harrogate, it makes the pub the perfect port of call for visitors and locals alike. It’s traditional architecture and homely feel sums up the true British pub experience, with our own Yorkshire twist!

For more information, check out The Winter Gardens’ website: HERE

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