Newcastle and Gateshead I

People who have never visited the North East are frequently unaware of the fantastic architecture to be found in Newcastle city centre. In fact, this city has more listed classical buildings than any other city in the United Kingdom, in particular the wonderful range of buildings in Grainger Town, known as 'Tyneside Classical'. There are also several unique bridges crossing the River Tyne, including the iconic Tyne Bridge, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the High Level Bridge and the Swing Bridge. The past few decades have also seen an increase in the number of attractive modern buildings, typified by The Sage in Gateshead.

 

 

The River Tyne walking upriver along the Quayside

 

 

The Crown Posada, The Side in 2004.

The Crown Posada is approximately 250 years old and was named by a 19th century owner and sea captain who had a wife in Spain and a mistress in Newcastle whom he installed in the pub. Posada is Spanish for inn or resting place.

The pub has hardly changed at all since the Victorian era. As you enter the pub from the street you step into a long, narrow room, divided by mahogany and stained glass screens into three areas; a tiny snug, a standing area in front of the bar and a comfortable lounge area with seating. There is an old gramophone on the bar which is still used to play records. I have visited this pub on several occasions and have never had a bad pint!

 

 

O’Neill’s, Neville Street

In 1971 the British crime film, Get Carter, starring Michael Cane, was released. Most of the action took place in the North East and Newcastle and Gateshead featured prominently. Now, over 40 years later, these places have changed considerably, but it is still possible to pick out a few of the locations used in the film.

One pub that featured in the film was The Victoria and Comet; this was a really rough pub back in the 1960s and was known locally as the Spit and Vomit. The building still stands, although it has been reinvented as an Irish theme pub called O’Neill’s.

 

The Bodega, Westgate Road, with my daughter, Vicki.

If you would like to taste a range of real ales in Newcastle, look no further than The Bodega. This was originally an old music hall attached to the Journal Tyne Theatre. There are usually 9 real ales on offer; 3 permanent ales and 6 guest ales. The permanents include Durham Brewery 'Magus' (3.8%) and Big Lamp 'Prince Bishop Ale' (4.8%). Weston's 'Old Rosie Scrumpy' (7.3%) is usually available on draught.

This pub boasts a traditional long bar, Victorian stained-glass domes and elaborately tiled floors.

The Bodega, which is Spanish for wine cellar, was originally called The Black Bull Inn, but after closure, it was bought by the Sir John Fitzgerald chain and re-opened in 1995 under its current name.

The Station Hotel, Half Moon Lane, Gateshead

This unassuming little pub is a fine example of the old town pub that is fast disappearing from our streets. It is situated on the south bank of the Tyne in Gateshead, only a short walk from the river and tucked under a railway bridge,

 

 

The Station Hotel. Note the narrow, wedge-shaped lounge.

The North East of England seems to have had more than its fair share of engineers and inventors. Perhaps the most famous is George Stephenson, ‘The Father of Railways’ who not only designed and built one of the first steam locomotives, ‘Locomotion’, but built several of the early railways including the Stockton and Darlington railway (the first in the world to carry passengers on a steam locomotive). The rail gauge of 4 feet 8½ inches which he used is now the world’s standard gauge.

 

George Stephenson’s most famous locomotive is The Rocket which is commemorated by the Wylam Brewery in the name of their Best Bitter.

George Stephenson also designed one of the world’s first miners’ safety lamps which he demonstrated at Killingworth Colliery a month before the scientist Humphry Davy presented his design to the Royal Society. Although the two designs differed, Stephenson was accused of stealing Davy’s idea and Davy was awarded a prize of £ 2,000. Later a House of Commons committee exonerated Stephenson and awarded him £ 1,000. Davy and his supporters refused to believe that an uneducated man could produce such a design – both Stephenson’s parents were illiterate and George Stephenson was illiterate until the age of 18 and paid for himself to learn to read and write.

From an early age George’s only son, Robert, worked with his father on several projects and became a successful engineer in his own right. His many achievements included the ‘Planet’, a locomotive far more advanced than the Rocket. He was Chief Engineer for the London to Birmingham railway and designed and built several bridges, including the Royal Border Bridge over the river Tweed at Berwick and the two-deck High Level Bridge for road and rail from Gateshead to Newcastle.

The Bridge Hotel, Castle Garth, Newcastle

This large, comfortable pub, overlooking the River Tyne, always has a good range of well-kept real ale. At the far end of the bar is a raised area with a good view over the Tyne. There is live music (including folk and jazz) most nights of the week in the 1st floor function room.

One afternoon I popped into The Bridge for a swift half (well, pint) and a bite to eat. The landlady mentioned that she had made a few sspecial Scotch eggs. I couldn’t decide which one I preferred, so I tried them all. This photograph shows the haggis egg, the black pudding egg and the bacon and cheese egg served with piccalilli and home-made chutney. They were all absolutely brilliant!

The Bridge Hotel at night

Football fans will be well aware of the fierce rivalry between Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC. However, the conflict between these two neighbouring cities goes back for several centuries to the English civil war when Newcastle supported the Crown and Sunderland the Parliamentarians. But as you can see, some football supporters still manage to get on very well! This photograph was taken a couple of years ago in The Pickwick Pub in Basle, Switzerland and shows Benji Berger, Vicki Allen and Alan Cassidy.

The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle

The Free Trade Inn, St Lawrence Road. Newcastle

The Free Trade is a traditional pub to the east of the city with a fantastic view over the river Tyne. I dropped in here for a quick bevvy with Terry Smith and was struck by how friendly the people in this pub were.

 

The entrance to The Free Trade Inn.

 

 

A regular enjoying a pint in The Free Trade.

A quiet corner in The Free Trade

 

Young Terry Smith with the Free Trade cat.

Another view of the river Tyne with the Gateshead Millennium Bridge framing the Sage

 

 

North Yorkshire Villages

 

North Yorkshire has some wonderful pubs and while many are to be found in the coastal villages and towns such as Whitby, Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay, there are also several pubs on the moors which are well worth visiting.

Danby

Danby and Ainthorpe are adjoining villages, each with an excellent pub.

 

 

 

The Duke of Wellington in Danby in 1983

 

The Duke of Wellington in 1983, with my mother, Doris, brother, Martin, and wife, Pam.

Ainthorpe

 

The Fox and Hounds at Ainthorpe, Danby, North Yorkshire. This former 16th Century Coaching Inn is now a high quality residential Country Inn and restaurant.

 

My brother and I in the Fox and Hounds. The stone fireplace allegedly originated from nearby Danby Castle.

Blakey Ridge

In 2005 my wife and I organized a pub tour of northern England for friends from Switzerland. Here we are standing in front of the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge. Perhaps the most isolated pub on the North Yorkshire Moor, where, if you get lucky, you can be snowed-in for days.

 

Beck Hole

One of the few pubs left that can honestly be called a time-warp, The Birch Hall Inn at Beck Hole on the North Yorkshire Moors. This wonderful pub is situated on the banks of a small river near to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This photograph was taken in 1995 and shows my wife, Pam, and our kids, Vicki and Greg.

A tiny bar, but with 6 hand pumps – brilliant!

This is a small pub with just two bars and a sweet shop in the middle. Time seems to have stood still here for generations.

 

 

 

 

The Birch Hall Inn viewed from the bridge over the Eller Beck. 

 

 

As well as a range of cask beer, there is also a simple menu of hot drinks, butties & pies, home-baked scones and the renowned beer-cake. They even have their own Beck Hole Bitter ‘Beckwatter’ which is brewed specially for the pub.

 

My younger brother about to enjoy a swift half in the small bar of The Birch Hall Inn.

A little gem in a little gem!

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is not only the capital of Scotland; it is also home to a considerable number of good pubs. Over the years I have often found myself in the city and on each occasion I have taken the opportunity to pop into the odd pub.

 

The Café Royal Circle Bar, West Register Street, New Town

The Café Royal is undoubtedly Edinburgh’s grandest pub, with spectacular plasterwork, a series of fabulous tiled pictures showing famous inventors at work, a large island bar and the extensive use of mahogany, marble, cut glass and brasswork. Oh yes, well-kept beer and good food are also on offer.

A dinner scene from the film ‘Chariots of Fire’ was filmed in the Café Royal Oyster Bar.

 

The Café Royal Circle Bar

 

Two of several tiled pictures in The Café Royal.

 

Diamond-cut, acid etched glass windows in the revolving door of The Cafe Royal.

The Guildford Arms. West Register Street, New Town.

A fabulous combination of illuminated blue, gold, brass and mahogany. Could any pub be more inviting?

The main entrance to The Guildford. Note the marble columns and revolving door.

 

 

Ornate ceiling in The Guildford

 

 

 

A range of hand pumps in The Guildford. Note the beer clip advertising Stewart’s 80/- ale.

The shilling categories were introduced during the 19^th century with the higher value indicating stronger or better quality beer, but the shilling names were never precisely correlated to the strength of the beer. Today Scottish brewers produce beers under the shilling names in a variety of strengths. However this list provides a rough guide:

Light - (60/-) is under 3.5% abv

Heavy - (70/-) is between 3.5% and 4.0% abv

Export - (80/-) is between 4.0% and 5.5% abv

Wee heavy - (90/-) is over 6.0% abv

 

/- is read as "shilling" or "bob" as in "a pint of eighty-bob, please" (Ref. Wikipedia)

 

 

Sandy Bells, Forest Row in the Old Town.

 

Sandy Bells. This photograph was taken shortly after opening time as the bar tends to fill up quickly, especially on folk nights – in other words every night! This pub has a good range of real ale. I can really recommend the Ossian. Brewed by the Inveralmond brewery of Perthshire and named after a legendary warrior from the 3rd century, this superb golden ale has won several awards including the Champion Beer of Scotland. It has a pale, golden colour with a full bodied fruity flavour and a hoppy, zesty, orange aroma, derived from First Gold and Cascade hops. Sandy Bells also offers an excellent selection of malt whisky.

 

 

The Half Way House, Fleshmarket Close, Old Town

It’s a long climb up the steps of Fleshmarket Close to the Royal Mile, but The Half Way House provides a welcome resting place. Specializing in Scottish real ale (there is usually a choice of four on tap) with the occasional guest beer from the north of England. For CAMRA members, there is the added bonus of a 20p discount on every pint when you present your membership card. This tiny pub is a favourite of my friend, Gianni Mazzucchelli.

 

Jinglin’ Geordie, Fleshmarket Close, Old Town

A few steps up from The Halfway House is a pub named after George Heriot (1563-1624), known as the “Jinglin’ Geordie”, an extremely wealthy jeweller and Goldsmith to James VI. Heriot died childless and bequeathed a large sum of money to building a hospital in Edinburgh for fatherless children.  The hospital is now the famous George Heriot School.

 

 

Robertson’s 37 Bar, Rose Street.

Robertson’s first opened its doors in 1901 and many of the main fixtures and fittings date back to that time, including the gantry behind the bar. Here the mirrored shelves are home to over a 100 single malt scotch whiskies.

 

The Kenilworth, Rose Street, New Town

This fine pub is named after an historical novel by Sir Walter Scott and boasts an almost-square island bar and elaborate gantry. Most of the walls are tiled.

 

 

The Oxford Bar, Young Street.

The Oxford, in Edinburgh’s New Town, was built in 1811 and is the least-altered pub in the city. It features in many of the Inspector Rebus detective stories by the Scottish author, Ian Rankin.

 

 

The Royal Oak, Infirmary Street.

A tiny pub, which tends to get packed. A great venue for folk music.

 

 

 

The Rutherford, Drummond Street, Old Town

A sad picture of The Rutherford taken in 2006. Still standing, but no longer a pub. Now it trades as some sort of restaurant. This pub was once a favourite watering hole of the author, Robert Louis Stevenson.

 

 

 

 

 

The Captains Bar, South College Street, in Edinburgh’s Old Town

 

The Bow Bar, Victoria Street, in the Old Town.

The Bow Bar is a relatively new pub, opened in the 1980s, but you would never guess this as it is housed in an ancient building and is decorated with old advertising mirrors and enamel signs. Behind the bar is a superb gantry which houses a collection of 150 single malts.

 

The Bow Bar where beer is dispensed using Aitken founts.

In Scotland there is a unique method of dispensing cask-conditioned beer known as the tall fount (pronounced ‘font’). The beer is raised from the cellar by air pressure, using a water engine so that when the tap is opened, beer is ‘pushed’ using air pressure compared with the traditional English method of drawing beer by suction using a beer engine (hand pump). Tall founts can still be seen in many pubs today, but in most cases the original water engine has been replaced by an electric air compressor. (Ref Scotland’s True Heritage Pubs - a splendid CAMRA publication)

 

 

The Bow Bar. Note the illuminated sign advertising Will’s Capstan cigarettes.

 

 

The Abbotsford, Rose Street, New Town 

The Abbotsford is another pub with a connection to Sir Walter Scott. It is named after his former residence, near Melrose, on the Scottish borders. The Abbotsford serves its cask beers through traditional Aitken founts.