Tap & Spile, Morpeth

This pub looks as though it's a conversion of a terraced house. It's certainly small with the main L shaped bar at the front and a slightly larger carpeted lounge at the rear. With just a few people and a couple of dogs the front bar was filling up. Although there are eight hand pumps the beer choice was disappointing. Two were unused and I was happy to see Marston Directors turned. This left Tyne Bank EPA, Beer Monkey Blonde, Sharp's Doom Bore & Atlantic and Taylor's Landlord. I went for the EPA (£2.50) which was cheap and cheerful, in good nick but wholly undistinguished. I thought this place was OK.

Pub situated at the top end of town, nice and quiet. This traditional pub offered a good range of ales and staff were very friendly. You can get very comfortable here! Superb lounge to back of pub, very traditional. Farne Island beer well kept amongst others. Will return.

Recently changed hands again, now run by two women, just started doing food again but no calvery any more. Stocks real some real ales now.

This is a truly excellent pub if you like PROPER pubs - by which I mean no MTV playing and no fake decor. They've won awards from CAMRA and as well as the normal stuff stock real ales and things like Lindisfarne fruit wines. The pub is quite small by modern town standards and is more like your local pub used to be if your aged 40 or over - a main bar room and a back "lounge". It can get quite crowded due to it's size and excellent atmosphere - and well kept beers. Does not do food (no room to do so really, so thats a good thing), but it's not that type of pub anyway. I guess if Carlsberg made pubs, this would be it! An excellent pub!