Fancy celebrating the start of York’s official Christmas festival with a free drink?
If you travel by bus, you can! First York and York Gin have joined forces to create the First Taste of Christmas – offering free hot gin cocktails for passengers.
Beginning today (Thursday 18 November), buy a First York Day ticket on the bus – and you’ll get a voucher to exchange for a free drink at one of six bars in the city centre.
The choice of York Gin-based hot cocktails includes First York Gin Hot Chocolate & Orange, First York Gin Mulled Bramble and First York Gin Roman Hot Toddy.
A selection of hot mocktails is also available.
York Gin commissioned local artist Elliot Harrison to design a handy map to show the location of six venues. These are:
- Two pop-up bars in St Sampson’s Square – Herbie’s Treehouse and The Barn
- The Judge’s Lodging on Lendal, with its very own York Gin Winter Wonderland
- Kennedy’s on Little Stonegate
- The York Gin horsebox on Blake Street near the Visit York office
- and a York Gin pop-up bar at the Coppergate Centre near the Jorvik Viking Centre
Even more Christmassy
The offer coincides with the city’s famous St Nicholas Fair which runs from 18 November to 23 December.
York Gin Sales Manager Adam Cook said: “York is one of the most Christmassy cities in the UK, and now we’re making it even more Christmassy!
“There’s definitely something about having a warm boozy drink as you do your Christmas shopping – and we’d like to say a big thank you to First York for spreading so much Christmas cheer.”
Commercial manager of First York Ross Johnstone said: “This is all about helping residents and visitors enjoy the atmosphere of York when they come to go shopping and socialising throughout the festive season.
“This is guaranteed to give every one of our customers a warm welcome when they travel with us.”