Can a pub - other than perhaps the Woolpack - ever have received as much free advertising on prime time TV? It's a landlord's dream: a regular appearance on Yorkshire Television's Sixties police drama Heartbeat, regularly watched by 15 million viewers or more.

So where was the Aidensfield Arms?

That was my dilemma as I drove through Aidensfield... sorry Goathland... in search of lunch at the famous watering hole, favourite haunt of loveable old rogue Claude Jeremiah Greengrass and his police persecutors.

Yes, there was Blaketon's Post Office, the familiar green and its grazing sheep, the sound of steam trains on the North York Moors Railway... but the pub?

Then I spotted the Goathland Hotel. Surely that was it?

Inside, the bar looked equally familiar. But it was difficult to be sure until I spotted a menu and its headline message: "Yes, we are the Aidensfield Arms!" I couldn't help thinking that a major marketing opportunity was being missed. I didn't quite expect a Gina-type barmaid in mini skirt and white boots, but maybe some of those nostalgic Sixties hits could have been playing over the speakers, rather than The Verve.

A bit of Beatles would have done nicely. On the other hand, perhaps a pub with its own name and traditions is right to refuse to ditch them for TV nostalgia fantasy.

The landlord was happy to chat about the programme. He said a replica of the bar's interior has been built at the YTV studios, but the exterior still features regularly.

And the cast are regular guests in his bar in between shooting. We had called in to Goathland during a drive out to Whitby.

The village is only a couple of miles off the main Pickering to Whitby road across the North York Moors, and an ideal place to stop off for a leisurely lunch before hitting the busy coastal town. We arrived at 1pm last Sunday, wondering if it would be jammed to the doors with customers.

It was busy, but not uncomfortably so. Meals are served every lunchtime from 12 noon until 2pm.

Families are asked not to eat in the bar but a comfortable, if not cosy, family room.

We found a toddler working himself into a fine tantrum there, so fled to the sunny beer garden at the back, bordering on to the village cricket ground.

A limited range of play equipment helped keep the kids amused until the food arrived.

But before ordering, I had a slight shock when I checked whether they took VISA. Sorry, came the reply. Payment had to be by cash or cheques...and the nearest cashpoint was in Whitby.

We scrabbled around in wallets and purses, and found we had £28.67 available. But casting my eye down the menu, I reckoned that would be plenty for a main meal and a round of drinks for everyone.

I ordered a half chicken and chips, served with vegetables and costing £5. The chicken was great, with plenty of succulent white breast - enough for two really.

The chips were also fine, if extremely well cooked, but the rather bland and tasteless mixed veg were nothing to write home about, so I won't.

I had a pint of Castle Eden traditional draught ale to wash it all down. My wife had no complaints at all about her fresh crab sandwich, apparently fresh from Whitby and very tasty.

That cost £2.75, with £2 for an accompanying bowl of chips. There was a range of children's dishes available, including burgers, fish fingers and sausages.

But the children ordered and enjoyed chicken nuggets, served with chips and beans, costing £3.25 each, and also asked for lemonades.

There were several sweets for sale for about £2 to £2.50, including chocolate fudge cake and ice cream sundaes, but my remaining funds wouldn't stretch to one for each of us, so, having paid a total bill of £23.90, we decided to leave for a quick wander round the village.

Then we hit the road again - once I had found and put on my cassette tape of Sixties hits.

Goathland Hotel (aka Aidensfield Arms), Goathland. Tel 01947 896203

Food: Generally good.

Value: Reasonable

Service: Prompt, efficient, quite friendly.

Ambience: Pleasant, not Sixties.