Newcastle-upon-Tyne:
CAMRA/Whatpub link
Website
Well, it’s nothing unexpected, is it? Upmarket from a ‘spoons, one of the national chains – a standard Marston’s chain pub right on the waterfront opposite the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (where we’d been), just a short walk over the Millenium Bridge.
However, it delivered what we needed, quite well. We needed a sit, a drink, and some lunch. The place was quiet, the food wasn’t at all bad, and the staff were pleasant. I’d probably find it a bit lively on a Friday night, but on a Wednesday lunchtime it was a decent fit for us.
Whitley Bay:
Website
I’m pushing at a bit here- is this restaurant or pub? Well, it’s a Whitbread chain, so the origins are in the pub trade.
This is a modern food pub, attached to a nearby Premier Inn and right next to the Spanish City. As such, there are no surprises: a pub food menu, strong food bias. It was pretty decent though, if unexciting.
Whitley Bay:
Website
CAMRA / Whatpub
Part of a chain I hadn’t heard of before- Sir John Fitzgerald, who operate in the North East.
This didn’t hit the spot with us: there wasn’t much outdoor seating, and the one bench was being used as a workbench by the gardeners. Inside was pleasant enough- clean and tidy- but very generic modern food pub. The food was mixed: my fish finger sandwich was very good, the prawn mayonnaise sandwich my other half had was a bit drippy.
The music was at a sane volume, but was that eye-wateringly bland shite that someone in marketing must think creates a classy, relaxed “vibe” but actually makes you want to kill someone.
Staff were pleasant, and if you ignored the blandness, it wasn’t a bad place, but I wouldn’t rush back.
Whitley Bay Metro Station:
CAMRA/Whatpub
Pleasant craft bar on the platform of the Metro station. Helpful staff, a bit of alcohol-free but no cask ale. Live music at times, and a nice stop-off point if you’re using the Metro.
South Shields:
CAMRA/Whatpub link
We mostly visited here because of need for a slash, and the “restaurant” bit in the name misled me into expecting food, which we also needed. We were out of luck: what we found was a pretty standard town-centre drinkers pub: one that looked like it may have been a bit posher and had food a while ago, but definitely didn’t now. The barman was friendly enough, though.
Cash only, and just basic drinks (no real alcohol-free choice, and just cooking lager)
In Ur Pubz, Drinkin Ur Beerz