24/11/2025
The Pub That Refuses to Sink! 🦞⚓
Right at the heart of Staithes stands the Cod and Lobster Inn — a legendary pub washed into the sea four times, most recently in 1953. Perched on the seafront beside the old bulwark and slipway, it has weathered countless storms and high tides.
Trading since at least 1823 under landlord Matthew Trattles, the pub is rooted in Staithes’ dramatic fishing past. Once the largest fishing port north of the Wash, Staithes relied on cod, ling and lobster: white-fish seasons ran March–July, with the best catches salted and exported to Catholic countries, while “trunking” for lobsters and crabs became year-round and increasingly lucrative after WWII.
Today, the Cod and Lobster stands as a reminder of the village’s resilience — and of the rich fishing heritage that shaped it.