The Black Horse

09/07/2026

⚠️ Whitby Swing Bridge update.

The closure of Whitby Swing Bridge to vehicles will remain in place into next week. At the moment, work is expected to be complete by Friday 17 July.

The bridge will also be closed to pedestrians from 6pm on Monday 13 July until 2am on Tuesday 14 July. This is to allow work to be carried out which requires the bridge to be opened for river traffic.

A shuttle bus will operate on Monday from 6pm until midnight.

08/07/2026

We’re looking forward to welcoming you back again today after our two days of maintenance. We have some fabulous cask ales for you to enjoy, some new pictures on the walls, the toilets have been redecorated, we’ve completed the strip of beer mats on the front bar ceiling, and we have a new cellar cooler to keep the beers in tip top condition 🍻🪜🧹🧊

05/07/2026

The swing bridge will be closed to vehicles Monday - Friday while maintenance work is carried out to hopefully prevent any more breakages! Don’t forget, the pub will be closed tomorrow and Tuesday while we carry out our own maintenance 🔧🛠️🧹🪜

03/07/2026

It might not be quite so sunny just now, but you can kick off the weekend properly with a classic Pimms No 1 Cup. Garnished with orange, cucumber, strawberry and our home grown mint for that taste of summer 🍓🥒🍊🍃

02/07/2026

It’s a bit blowy up on the cliff, but if you’re about today or tomorrow, pop up to the brewery to check out the Made in Whitby festival. A lovely selection of stalls showcasing Whitby’s makers, producers and craftspeople. Then come back into town to enjoy some drinks and Yapas 🍻🧀🫒

30/06/2026

Dates for your diary- we’ll be closed next Monday and Tuesday for some cellar maintenance work. We’ll use the time to get some other jobs done too, to help keep the place looking its best. Sorry for any inconvenience. Should be all up and running as normal for 12 noon opening on Wednesday 8th 🍻

29/06/2026

Just in case you’re about tomorrow evening and need to get across the bridge…….

Whitby Swing Bridge will be closed overnight for repairs on Tuesday. ⛔

The Whitby Swing Bridge will be closed to traffic overnight while North Yorkshire Council teams carry out urgent checks and repairs.

Bridge and highways specialists will be working on site from 6pm on Tuesday, June 30, until 2am on Wednesday, July 1. The road will be fully closed during these hours.

The bridge is open to both pedestrians and vehicles right now, but there have been some recent emergency closures when it did not close properly. The council says crews will check the ends of the bridge deck and remove any corrosion that may be affecting its operation.

Hot weather may have contributed to the problem, and the council is also looking at ways to reduce heat build-up on the bridge in the future.

A shuttle bus will run from 6pm to midnight to help people get around during the closure. There may be some noise while the work is being done.

The council thanks visitors, residents, and businesses for their patience. Please follow the closure signs and stay safe by not taking unnecessary risks.

The Whitby Swing Bridge has connected the east and west sides of Whitby across the harbour since 1908.

28/06/2026

Shuttle busses have been made available…..

The Whitby Swing Bridge is temporarily closed.

The bridge is susceptible to expansion during very hot weather which means that it can become stuck during swinging operations.

We apologise for any inconvenience and will reopen the bridge as soon as possible but given the hot temperatures it is likely to remain closed for the rest of today.

Two shuttle busses will be available throughout the day until further notice to transport from both sides of the Bridge.

West – Bus station.
East – Grape Lane turning circle near tin ghaut slipway.

28/06/2026

Here we go again! ……..

Waking up to those dreaded red Road Closed barriers blocking the swing bridge is rapidly becoming an absolute joke! 🚧

We want to send a quick warning to all our early risers and Sunday visitors that our historic harbour link is completely out of action yet again this morning. You will unfortunately have to reroute your morning walk past the arcades and take the long scenic detour via the New Bridge just to grab your coffee on the other side. ☕

But while we adjust our routines we have to ask why this ridiculous situation keeps happening with absolutely no permanent resolution in sight. It is deeply frustrating that our bustling Yorkshire town is just expected to grind to a halt on a regular basis. 🛑

What is even more baffling is the complete lack of any emergency contingency plans to keep footfall moving when the mechanism inevitably fails. It is turning into a total joke that our beautiful coastal town is left completely divided with absolutely no backup strategy to help people cross the water. 🌊

27/06/2026

Are you looking for a few hours work? Mostly day times (11.30-5/6pm), and an occasional evening (5/6-11.30pm). We’re looking for someone to join our team 3/4 shifts per week (Saturday required).
If you are enthusiastic, good with people, and have a love of great food and drink, DM or pop in for a chat 🍻