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Submitted on Thursday, 25th June 2020
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Detail Pages
The Central, Gateshead
Gateshead
NE8 2AN
Served areas
The Central Bar
By Jebus! It’s hot up here!
Open at 3pm
1:00 PM Jun 12th from Twitter for iPhone
Reviews of The Central (Average Rating: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Central
Owned by the Head of Steam chain, this is an impressive tight wedge-shaped building just the other side of the High Bridge on the Gateshead shoreline. Inside, the main bar is surprisingly very small (long and narrow), an inverse TARDIS. The interior here lacks charm – a scuffed wood floor, forgettable battleship grey tones on the walls and overpainted wood panelling. Though on the upper walls are various maps and poster reprints from the area's heyday. Seating runs along the wall and is a mixture of benches. Apparently there is also a nicer looking buffet bar but I think this was closed on my visit, as the only door that was unlocked lead to the main bar (since confirmed via the WhatPub listing). Nine pumps with eight on - an impressive selection of local microbrewery and regional ales. My Titanic Choc Vanilla Stout and Small World Spring Bank were enjoyable. Barman saw me coming and informed me of the CAMRA discount without prompting – very good. Lots of bottled cwaft listed on the on chalkboard. On my late afternoon Sunday visit the atmosphere was a bit flat and the interior bit gloomy, but overall it's well worth a visit on a crawl. Perhaps I’d have been a little more effusive if I’d have been able to get to the buffet bar. 7.5
On 26th May 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Central
A five minute walk from Gateshead metro station and an easy stroll over the iconic Tyne Bridge if you're coming from Newcastle, this is an excellent Head of Steam pub set in a striking wedge shaped, Grade II listed building. Entering into a central corridor, you are presented with the choice of heading left for the Buffet Bar, right for the Main Bar or upstairs for function rooms and a rooftop terrace. The main bar is at the widest point of the wedge and sees the servery along one wall with a row of smart banquette seating opposite. Some huge retro posters for various local transport services loom high above the bar and look fantastic. Over to one side, in a space you'd otherwise be unlikely to even notice, a group were setting up for a live performance. The room was packed when we arrived on a Sunday lunchtime, so we went through to the Buffet Bar, which turned out to be a great move. This is a wonderfully preserved bar with an intact U-shape bar counter and detailed carved bar back on the end wall. The floor has nice dark wooden boards and the white walls are topped with an elaborate cherub themed plasterwork frieze, all very much in keeping with the room's look. Whiskey boxes run along the window sills and there are large blackboards detailing an extensive whiskey range. More comfortable banquette seating (albeit with odd mock-snakeskin upholstery) runs around the perimeter under some fine etched glass windows with complex designs. Further examples of excellent glasswork can be seen in the 'Buffet Bar' pane in the door and a similar pane in a rear door which leads into a small snug in the wedge end of the pub, which was carpeted, with two rows of benches and a dartboard. There are two function rooms upstairs, as well as the aforementioned rooftop terrace, but I was perfectly happy in the Buffet Bar and didn't get round to exploring.
If the spectacle of this grand pub isn't enough for you, there's also an equally impressive beer range which comprised Cameron's Thunder in Paradise and Haze Wheat Beer, Black Sheep Velo, Titanic Plum Porter, Consett Blast, Cullercoats Shuggy Boat Bilge and Small World Twin Falls. One real cider occupied the final pump and the usual extensive Head of Steam bottle and keg range was apparent too. I tried the Twin Falls and the other half sampled the Plum Porter, both of which were in pretty good shape. We also had a bite to eat and found the food tasty for the most part.
This is a quality pub, well worth visiting as much for the marvellous old Victorian building as for the good range of beers. The Buffet Bar is definitely a highlight and should you find it shut, the staff will open it up for you to take a look around. Newcastle arguably has one of the UK's best pub scenes but there's no doubt that it can be further enhanced by a quick river crossing to take in what must be the best Gateshead has to offer. A marvellous pub and one that deserves to be far more well known.
On 18th September 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Central
Very interesting looking wedge shaped building, very reminiscent of the Baltic Fleet in Liverpool. The main bar is entered at the top end of the building, there's another room called "The Buffet" which was closed on our Sunday evening visit. There are also 2 function rooms apparently. The bar is long and narrow and is very nicely refurbished in Victorian style. 14 handpumps with most of them available. My pint was in excellent condition as was Ms CAMRA's half. Worth the short walk across the bridge.
On 16th March 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
View more reviews of The Central (4)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official pages of the Central at the Head of Steam site - www.theheadofsteam.co.uk
- Facebook page of the Central Bar - www.facebook.com
- Facebook - The Central Bar
- Twitter - The Central Bar
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Central - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 29 January 2015 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : No - Roof Terrace - last updated 18 September 2016 by Pub SignMan
- CAMRA Discount : Yes - 20p per pint - last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 29 January 2015 by ROB Camra
- Darts : Yes last updated 29 January 2015 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 29 January 2015 by ROB Camra
- Function Room : Yes - According to Twitter - last updated 21 July 2015 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Jukebox : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Karaoke : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Live Music : Yes last updated 19 February 2015 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Micropub : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Pinball : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 29 January 2015 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 29 January 2015 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : Yes last updated 26 May 2017 by Quinno _
