The Centurion, Newcastle

Fabulously restored tiled gin palace. However, the prices are exhorbitant and why the management have removed the huge, ornately-carved seperating unit from behind the bar is an absolute mystery. Nicest sampled on a quiet afternoon - gets rammed on weekend nights, with appalling music to boot.

13 May 2011 11:11

Bridge Hotel, Newcastle

I returned to this pub last week to give it a second perusal. While supping a stale pint of sour Black sheep and tucking into a rather limp processed meat sandwich in the admittedly fine beer garden a boisterous dog shot out of the pub, licked my face, sent my lunch flying, jumped on a nearby table and proceeded to "do a dirt" on the surface. The manager - who I suspect may have imbided a drink or two, even at this early hour (midday) came rushing after it, shrieking "Charley gerrootathere". My stomach turned, and I said - "this dog has just done a dirt on the table while I was eating". "Oh" she replied "that's Charley, he does it all the time, don't worry". Well really - need I say more?

4 May 2011 08:27

Crown Posada, Newcastle

The best pub in Newcastle for years...sitting in there with the records playing by Len was a Saturday afternoon treat to look forward to. Sadly Sir John Fitzgerald decided to retire him (it seems they had no idea he was a local legend and had been there for 19 years, which says much for their understanding of their pubs!) and it's since slipped into mediocrity, with any old rubbish played loudly and therefore inaudably on the vintage record player, and much of the places ambience gone as a result of that and the last pretty disastrous refit. Still a classic, needs some love and care, and attention to detail with the beer and staff though.

14 Sep 2010 13:32

Bridge Hotel, Newcastle

A pub that sadly seems to have gone to rack and ruin in recent years. The beer is served flat as a pancake with sprinklers taken off when it's busy - rather than do the necessary cellarwork which used to happen, sadly standards seem to have slipped. The carpet and fittings are nothing short of a disgrace, and the stench from the toilets has to be smelled to be believed. They also seem to have an ever-increasing turn over of staff - many old long-serving and knowleagable staff seem to have been replaced with a load of kids. Lovely beer garden, decent food but signs of lack of managerial/beer company interest I'm afraid.

14 Sep 2010 13:27