THE more perceptive readers out there will have noticed that I never write about bad pubs. There’s nothing accidental about that. If you think I’ve been on an extraordinary run of luck, whereby I’ve never had a lousy pint or found myself in a total dump of a pub, you’re mistaken.

You see, it’s not that I’m not visiting these places; I invariably am. My liver and I leave no stone unturned in our devotion to this cause.

It’s just that this column isn’t really about putting the boot into pubs that are already down. Instead, I prefer to stick to the old dictum beloved by mums, grans and teachers everywhere. Namely: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

All of which is a long-winded way of telling you why I’ve never before written about this week’s pub of choice, but why I’m now compelled to do so. It’s because, in a nutshell, it has suddenly gone from being pretty unappealing to being really pretty good.

The Mount, on – yep, you guessed it – The Mount, dates back to the 1890s, when the present building replaced a previous pub on the same site. It occupies a good location, particularly for the passing crowds on race days, and is instantly identifiable by the vast lantern protruding over the front door.

For the past year or so though, until now, it’s been dilapidated and dingy. When I went in a few months back, the curtains were closed, it didn’t even look open and it might as well not have been, for the service and beer were dire. I didn’t stay long, and I certainly didn’t write about it, but things are unmistakeably now on the up.

Marston’s, which seems to be splashing the cash a bit just now (remember the Spread Eagle in Walmgate already this year), has just spent £80,000 on a refurbishment inside and a new paint job outside, and it suddenly feels quite hospitable.

Adie and Andrea Martin, previously of the Wenlock Arms in Wheldrake, have taken over and are doing a good job. The doors opened three weeks ago and some of the old regulars are returning. It’s got a friendly feel about it, and the beer is excellent.

There’s a fair range on the bar, including three cask ales: Marston’s Burton Bitter as a permanent fixture, and two rotating guests, currently Wychwood Hobgoblin and Jennings Cumberland, all of which have been on top form this week. The Hobogblin’s probably the more noteworthy of the three, packing rich flavours and a nice bitter-sweet oomph, but the Burton Bitter is invitingly priced at £2.20 a pint.

That will draw people in, but the biggest novelty here is the addition of food. A quarter of the £80,000 investment by Marston’s went on the kitchen, and there’s now a decent and very well-priced menu – there’s an impressive range of light bites and mains, and the only thing over a fiver is the steak.

I took advantage of the Wednesday night special offer, curry and a pint for an extremely decent £4.95, but if you get in early enough, there’s also an offer of two main courses for £6, from noon until 5pm on weekdays.

Adie and Andrea plan to launch quiz, poker and music nights, and they’re also hoping to get dominoes and darts teams up and running. All they need now is for word of mouth to get around, and then The Mount really will be a place worth writing about a bit more often.

* THREE cheers for all who attended or helped organise York Round Table’s beer festival in May.

The event at York brewery featured award-winning beers from around the UK and was supported by a number of local businesses.

Organisers and brewery staff met this week to give St Leonard’s Hospice the proceeds – a cheque for £6,000.

David Posliff, round table chairman, said the organisation was delighted to make the donation, and Janet Morley, the hospice’s director of fundraising, thanked everyone who supported the event.

Common sense or nonsense?

Follow Gav at twitter.com/pintsofview for beery news, views and chat throughout the week.