I’m not sure why we decided to choose a wet and cold
November day to meet in Newcastle, but
we did, and proved, once again, that it never rains in pubs!
38 Neville Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 5DF
Bean, Yozza, Jones the Beer and Barfly preparing to enter the Victoria
Comet. This pub featured in an earlier post in 2013 when it was called
O’Neill’s. It is now part of the Nicholson’s group of pubs and reverted to the
name it had in 1970 when it featured in the film ‘Get Carter’. This building
has been a pub since the 1800s – in fact, it once housed two pubs. The Victoria
on the left and The Comet on the right eventually merged to become The Victoria
and Comet Hotel.
After a few jars we called in the Bridge Hotel, another
Nicholson’s pub with wonderful views over the river Tyne.
Nicholson’s own several pubs in the region and they are invariably
well-run with excellent beer.
The Bridge Hotel. Castle Square Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 1RQ
There is more than one pub in Newcastle called ‘The Bridge’. Another is
situated on the Quayside and is actually built between the stanchions of an iconic North
East landmark - The Tyne Bridge.
There has been an ale house on this site for nearly two centuries, but
the original building was demolished in 1925 to make way for the bridge.
The Bridge Tavern 7 Akenside Hill ,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3UF.
This photograph was taken during January 2016.
The pub was previously known as The Newcastle Arms and this name can still be
seen in the stonework above the main windows.
I first visited this pub in January 2016 with Tony Doyle and Smudger
Smith, seen here standing by the Bridge Tavern’s microbrewery. This pub has an
association with Newcastle’s Wylam Brewery, one of the regions, if not the
countries, leading craft brewers.
The Red House, 32 Sandhill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3JF
If you ever find yourselve on The Quayside then you might like to call into The
Red House for a pie and a pint. When it comes to pies Johnny Greene knows his
onions. He loves pies to such an extent that I have heard him say, on more than
one occasion, that some pie crusts are so tasty he can enjoy a pie without any
filling.
The Red House and the Jacobean Betty Surtees House with the High Level Bridge in the background.
The Red House is Tudor in origin although the front of
the building was rebuilt in the early 18th century. Inside it is a
warren of small rooms where you can make yourself comfortable and order a pie.
A view of the Tyne Bridge from the Red House
The Split Chimp, Arch 7, Westgate Road. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 1SA
You can see the joy on these young lads’ faces as
they are about to enjoy a pint in one of Newcastle’s newest pubs. In 2017 The
Split Chimp was voted by Times readers as one of the ten best micropubs in the
country.