22-07-2025
'It's more than a pub, it's a community' - first pub in Best Pub contest
THE first hopeful in The Press Best Pub contest is hoping readers will raise a glass to it.
The Crooked Tap is one of 10 finalists in The Press 'Best Pub 2025' awards.
Press readers have nominated their favourite pubs in York and North Yorkshire via an online voting platform.
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They will now be able to vote for their 'Best Pub 2024' by picking up copies of The Press newspaper between today and August 2, with the winner set to be announced shortly after.
Each copy of The Press in the coming days will feature a short profile on each pub and why it thinks it deserves to be voted number one.
Owned by Crooked Brewery and run by manager Jimmy Hebbron, the Crooked Tap opened its doors for the first time around six and a half years and has been a community favourite in Acomb ever since.
Jimmy behind the bar at The Crooked Tap (Image: Provided) Specialising in craft beer, the Crooked Tap serves as a taproom for Crooked Brewing – a local brewery created by Steve Dawson, Andrew Evans, Mark Field-Gibson, and Hudson Aschmann, which creates its own range of beers which are served across Yorkshire.
The pub has nine keg lines and two casks offering both their own creations and craft beer offerings from across the world, ranging in strength from 0.5 per cent to 13 per cent, in addition to local spirits and an excellent wine menu (including a 'great Romanian pinot grigio').
Live music at the Crooked Tap (Image: Provided) As well as its drink offerings, the Tap prides itself on being an inclusive and friendly space which is open to families and has regular food pop ups, a wide crisp selection, and welcomes customers to bring their own food into the pub.
They also host regular events including weekly live music, a regular homebrew club, monthly book clubs, running clubs for different levels, seasonal events, and different alcohol tasting nights.
The Crooked Tap is also dog friendly and welcomes other furry friends – with some customers even known to bring their cats along for the evening.
A Wednesday night welcoming the local vicar to the pub (Image: Provided) Jimmy said: 'It's more than a pub, it's a community. We offer table service throughout and actively encourage people to sit together who become best friends.
'We welcome everyone like we know them, and it's helped with the most authentic customers we could ask for. Whilst some of our beers can be seen as pretentious, our hospitality is anything but.
'We are a pub for everyone - whether you're celebrating or struggling. It's is a place where you can seek comfort or dance on the tables.'
