Half Moon Inn Durham featured in BBC Inspector George Gently

The Half Moon Public House, at 86 New Elvet, is a Grade II-listed building with origins dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Although it blends naturally into one of Durham’s best-known streets, the building has a rich history behind its painted brick frontage.

It is also known to fans of George Gently, the BBC series starring Martin Shaw as Inspector George Gently, after appearing on screen as part of the show’s North East backdrop.

The Half Moon Inn, Durham (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

The drama, set in the 1960s, made use of real locations across the region to capture the look and atmosphere of the period.

The official Historic England list entry records the building as a “house, now public house and workshop”.

It was first listed on March 10, 1988, in recognition of its architectural and historic interest.

Historic England describes the building as having 17th and 18th-century origins, with a 19th-century public house front.

The Half Moon’s history is not limited to its New Elvet frontage.

The list entry also describes rear wings built from sandstone rubble and brick, along with a former joiner’s shop extension.

Inside, the pub retains notable historic features, including a mahogany semi-circular bar with fittings and a matching chimney.

Inspector George Gently (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

For pub historians and heritage enthusiasts, that surviving interior makes the Half Moon more than just another city centre drinking spot.

Its appearance in George Gently adds another chapter to that story.

The BBC drama became known for using North East streets, pubs and towns to evoke the atmosphere of the 1960s.

In Durham, the Half Moon offered the kind of authentic setting that could not easily be recreated on a studio set.

Today, it remains a working pub as well as a listed building.

For regulars, it is a familiar place for a drink in the city centre and for visitors, it is a chance to step inside a building with centuries of history.

And for fans of George Gently, it offers a real Durham location with a connection to one of the North East’s best-known television dramas.

With its Grade II listing and small-screen claim to fame, the Half Moon Public House remains one of New Elvet’s most interesting historic buildings.