No visit to York (for me, at least) could be complete without seeing this ghost sign, just outside the Monkbar gate. It was restored some time ago, a sign of its local popularity.Bile beans were sold in many guises over the years. In 1899, they promised to cure the flu, cirrhosis of the liver and blackheads; in the 1950s they were advertised as laxatives; but this advert is much more discreet. It promises to keep users 'healthy, bright-eyed & slim': surely more tempting, as well! However, we're doomed to stay dull-eyed and plump as Bile Beans haven't been on sale since the mid-1980s.
