Gateshead who would've thought it?
So this is the my unedited ramblings that Daisy condensed to do the CraftBeer Newcastle blog post... if anyone is interested
Well who would have thought it, Gateshead a place to enjoy good beer in inclusive environments.
Ok a little explainer may be in order, when I first moved up here full time back in 1987 Tyneside was a beer wasteland and Gateshead especially so. As my mother is from Chopwell and there were family here we used to come up to visit in the holidays so I knew the area quite well and obviously marrying a Gateshead girl meant I got to know it even better.
You had to travel to find a decent pint, The Wooden Doll, The Magnesia Bank, The Murrenger and The Crown Posada, with the occasional find at the unexpected. The Station Hotel as it was in Gateshead supplying a night with a friend with a woman who as we entered was berating someone and used a particular expletive as a noun, an adjective, a verb and an adverb.
This lead to us having a pint of Batemans, which we thought was XXB, it slip[ped down so weel and tipped us over into why not have another there’s still time to get the metro for him and the bus for me.
It was Victory which was at 6% a seriously strong beer for the time oh boy was it messy later and I couldn’t drink their beers for years, decades.
Anyway so I knew that Microbus had opened in the arches at the approach to the High Level, so I thought with Station East reopening , that is the aforesaid Station Hotel of swearing fame, it would be remiss of me not to have a walk in and take a look. I’d followed Microbus’s progress on Twitter, the orange walls, the campervan bar front and stylings.
So walked into Gateshead and went to Station East first, I had been in when it first opened but then of course along came the storm and removed their roof.
The change to the original spit and sawdust original incarnation is startling, come on how many have you been in who have a mezzanine, the whole pub is now so bright and airy and I received a lovely friendly greeting on stepping up to the bar.
Their beers are seemingly local Hadrian and Consett being featured when I visited and the beer was good, really well kept, lovely lacing down your glass, worthy of our appreciation and custom.
So gentle wander to new kid on the block, though not for much longer with Axis set to open soon, or even open depending on when you’re reading this.
Boy what a surprise, ok I expected the cool stylings, the VW camper fronts for bars and places to sit but what wasn’t expected was the quality and depth of the serving.
On offer were a remarkable variety of styles of beer from small breweries both local and from across the country, served on point, the beer’s condition so good that those who don’t prefer the sparkler will not be disappointed.
The space itself so light and airy for what of course is just a railway arch with the occasional rumble of trains to be heard.
The beer itself, which of course is important as no matter how good the environment is, it’s the beer that ensures you will return and it was excellent.
Bright, sparkling, full of flavour.
There is a real feeling of being welcomed into this bright sunlight space and of there is Harriet the pubdog always a good sign in my opinion.
And then there is The Central Bar.
This is a temple to Ninkasi.. Ok I suppose the majority may not get this but this a PUB, as the Edwardians felt it should be, ceilings almost high enough to have clouds and the barback is just wow.
You walk in and immediately feel at ease, every facet of life is here, friends male and female grouped , couples of all sexual preferences, sit in their company, enjoying themselves whether chatting, sitting in companionable silence or sharing a TikTok.
A true pub is not just the beer or the building it is a welcome, a community that welcomes all, no matter who you are or how you present, where you are just a part of the congregation.
Addendum
Well A-X-I-S is now open, again a really sympathetically done upgrade of a railway arch to a bar. A clean bright space with a well worked bar area, 8 taps on for now but with the capacity for more it looks.
A good wine offering too if you are into the grape rather than the grain. Oh and a good No/Low alcohol offering with 2 Mash Gang cans offered.
The owners are lovely, friendly and engaged, providing a warm welcome, so as stated before, what’s going on in Gateshead?