York is a stunning historical city that has a long-standing history of horse racing, with the first recorded race dating as far back as 1530. Now, the city is host to a total of 23 race meets throughout this season, which take place at a Knavesmire racecourse. The largest horse racing event to be held in York is Ebor Festival, which draws in enormous crowds and takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. Naturally, with such a prominent horse racing scene, there’s no surprise that there are plenty of quality pubs and bars that show the racing.
The Knavesmire
Let’s kick things off with The Knavesmire, which is only a stone’s throw away from York racecourse. They serve up a delicious range of cocktails, wine and gin alongside a fine selection of cask ales, beers, and lagers. Whether you’re trying to keep up while betting on the Grand National or you’re on the way to a race event, The Knavesmire is the perfect destination.
The Punch Bowl
Located just outside of the city arch, you will find The Punch Bowl, which is a pub that has been taken over by JD Wetherspoon. In true Spoons fashion, they serve up an enormous range of food and drinks at affordable prices. Unlike some other Wetherspoon pubs, this establishment shows live sports, including horse racing. To top it all off, there’s an impressive beer garden, which is pretty rare for city-based bars.
The Old White Swan
The Old White Swan is a historical pub that’s located on Goodramgate – opposite The Shambles (the oldest street in York) Throughout the day you can stop by to enjoy a delicious bite to eat and drink, and it’s all served up in a welcoming environment. As well as this, they show a number of different sports including horse racing, football, cricket, rugby and so much more.
Carlton Tavern
Moving a little further out of the city centre and into Acomb, which isn’t far away from York Racecourse, you will find Carlton Tavern. This pub serves up some of the most delicious food in the area, including a mouth-watering Sunday carvery. As you would guess by now, this pub shows regular live sports including horse racing. If that isn’t enough, you can stick around to enjoy one of their many events, like the Pub Quiz.
The Charles XII
The Charles XII is located close to York University, making it the perfect watering hole for students trying to catch a spot of live sports, including horse racing. Even though it’s close to the university, this friendly pub welcomes a range of different guests, including families and well-behaved dogs. Even though you wouldn’t assume it from the outside, there’s a fairly large beer garden to the back, which is the place to be during the summer.
The Keystones
If you’re looking for a straight-up, no-nonsense, bar that plays live sports, then look no further than The Keystones. Located just outside the Roman walls, this pub shows everything from the NFL to the FA Cup to the Grand National. While you’re enjoying the sports, soak up the atmosphere with a drink and enjoy a game of pool.
The Terrace
The Terrace is located on the corner of Fossgate and The Stonebow, and it sees plenty of foot traffic, which is good news to sports fans looking to enjoy the atmosphere. The decor is pretty dated in this bar, but don’t let that take away from the sports action; it shows horse racing as well. During significant sports events, this bar gets pretty packed out, and you can feel the floors vibrating from the rowdy chanting.
The Priory
If you’re coming into York on the train, The Priory is only a short walk away, making it the perfect pub to catch the horse racing. Inside this historical pub, you’ll be warmly welcomed into an atmosphere of true sports lovers. However, there are also quiet areas of the bar where you can grab a peaceful bite to eat and a drink.
York is a unique city that’s married to horse racing, which is evident by the number of fantastic pubs and bars showing it. There are only eight pubs or bars listed above, but this list could have easily gone on for much longer.
