Our 2018 Christmas was a bit of an experiment. We’d seen the family earlier in December and rather than rush around over Christmas we all decided to stay put.

We moved to Thirsk five months ago, as my roots are in Washington, near Newcastle, and we’d wanted to move up north for ages so in a gap between grand-children we made a run for it.

From Thirsk there is an excellent train service to London, as long as you book well in advance unless you’re a millionaire, so it’s perfect. But what of Thirsk itself? Familiar to many through James Herriot’s books and the TV series All Creatures Great and Small, The Yorkshire Vet, not to forget The Heist, Thirsk is a wonderfully friendly, quirky and interesting market town, and set within glorious countryside.

But back to Christmas. So, here we were, in Thirsk for Christmas – where to eat? I had met a visitor from London walking her dog a few months previously who was up from London, and staying  at The Golden Fleece and enjoying it. A hotel that welcomes dogs? It shouts, welcome, don’t you think. So, we decided to take a punt and choose it for Christmas lunch.

Dating from the 1500s with some of the original features still in place including an inglenook fireplace, The Golden Fleece is believed to have its origins as a private house. However, it was in 1810 that George and Mary Blythe started the hard work that established it as one of the north’s most iconic coaching inns.

Set on the market place and ideally placed for the coach services running along the Great North Road it accepted guests disembarking the coaches at all hours of the day and night, with stabling for 60 horses. The railway arrived in Thirsk in 1841 but The Golden Fleece, nothing daunted, still held sway under the control of William Hall, George Blythe’s great nephew. William extended the clientale to include the townsfolk, and tourists visiting the area.

Still keeping The Golden Fleece in the family, William Hall’s son, William Wellbank Hall had the PR sense to provide a grand luncheon in 1911 for a mix of Europe’s great and good who were competing in a stage of one of the world’s car rallies. Royalty in the guise of Prince Henry of Prussia, and literary royalty – Arthur Conan Doyle – pitched up, amongst others. It wasn’t until the closing stages of the 1st World War in 1918 that The Golden Fleece was sold out of the family.

Just as The Golden Fleece had attracted the coaches in former times, the PR coup of the luncheon of 1911 continued to draw early motorists to The Golden Fleece even under new ownership, though by now the stables were converted to garages, two of them with pits for mechanics to do running repairs on their cars.

In 2015 the hotel was acquired by The Coaching Inn Group, and has undergone a major refurbishment to meet the needs of today’s market while respecting and retaining many features of its fascinating heritage.

So this is The Golden Fleece – but let’s get the lowdown on our Christmas lunch.

We booked well in advance, since our stomachs are of supreme importance to us, and we chose our meal ahead of time. There were two sittings, and we chose the first at 12.30.

I did worry slightly that the ambience would be rather stiff and posh, and Dick kept running round his finger round his collar because he is an anti-tie man these days. Our friend and neighbour, Catherine, made up our party of three, and requires gluten free which sometimes catering finds a pain at these busy times; what’s more, they let that pain be known. So, all in all,  it was with slight trepidation we set off

So was it posh and were they grumpy? Emphatically not. It was huge fun, with a Christmassy décor, and the most amazing crackers on the table,  so elegant were they it seemed a sin to pull them, but pull them we did. For how could we not wear paper hats? The manager circulated, totally accessible and chatty, the staff were efficient, and great fun, Dick relaxed, Catherine enjoyed her gluten-free food, I sipped my wine, gobbled my food, and looked around and saw that everyone was chatting, and laughing, and having the greatest time. What’s more the ages ranged from children to oldies like me – oh no, never you, I hear you shout – and all were having a really good time.

And as a plus we live near enough to walk home, so could have that extra glass of fizz. We had coffee in the lounge looking out over the square and did rather envy those who were staying the night. From all accounts they were loving every minute.

I do like to pick out something that didn’t work, to show I’m not easily impressed, but I can’t. We all loved it, so much so that Catherine is having her birthday lunch there very soon.

ps Look out for the duty manager, Gabriel. She’s great.

The Golden Fleece Hotel, Eatery and Coffee House, Market Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1LL Phone@ 01845 523108. goldenfleece@innmail.co.uk

Reservations: 01845 438300    reservations@innmail.co.uk

www.goldenfleece.com

Dogs are welcomed but only in certain bedrooms. They are not allowed in the restaurant but are in the lounge etc.

Milly Adams is a bestselling Arrow, Random House, author.