Phoenix Inn, York

The Phoenix was probably purpose-built in the 1830s of orange-brown brick with a rendered frontage. Its historic internal character today derives mainly from a late nineteenth century refit. Its front layout of public bar (originally ‘best smoke room’), side corridor with stand-up lobby, and top-glazed dividing screen all stems from 1897 designs for John Smith’s brewery by their regular architects of the time, Bromet & Thorman of Tadcaster. A sensitive, low-key restoration in 1999, calling on expert historical advice brokered by CAMRA, won a national conservation award and a more recent revamp in 2009 has been carried out with similar respect for the pub's Victorian past.

Part glazed partition separates the public bar on the right from a side corridor with a stand-up lobby. The public bar has a door, old / original fixed bench seating and a new wood surround and cast fireplace. There is a lovely curved old panelled bar front and the part glazed partition continues around to separate the public bar from the servery which has an old bar back fitting.

In the passage to rear there is a good lobby bar where the passageway widens out. It has a fielded panelled counter with a copper top and two benches near the counter. The toilets retain wall tiling from the inter-war period.

At the rear is a room opened-up to the passage with some old benches near a hatch to the back of the servery, new wood surround and cast iron fireplace. Doorway to rear right very small room / area with a window (was a hatch) to the back of the servery. A staircase has been removed and it now houses a bar billiard table.