The Bridge Tavern, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A decent selection of ales. We got talking to a local who said that this pub used to be the roughest one in Newcastle. Not being local ourselves we had no way of verifying this, but it certainly is worth a revisit as it stands.

This pub was rebuilt in the 1920's so that it might fit snugly beneath the Northern approach of the Tyne Bridge, making it arguably one of the city's most distinctive pubs. Having said this, I still had to look twice on approach, as the pub is very clearly signed as the Newcastle Arms - a long since defunct former name. The pub was doing a roaring trade on my late Saturday evening visit, with virtually no room to move , making exploration particularly tricky. You enter into a large open space with the servery immediately to your left. The bar has a pewter counter and bare brick bar back, whilst the room boasts some nice parquet flooring studded with numerous metal girders. Some high tables and stools have been positioned opposite the bar under a particularly bright spotlight. Elsewhere, banquette and standard seating runs along the bare brick walls to the rear and right, where some impressive bookshelves stand, acting as a good focal point for the room. Some modern partitioning has been set up to the rear and a number of benches can be found here, with equipment for the small on-site brewery visible further back. One centrally positioned pillar had a series of amusing Geordie themed cartoons stuck to it, but elsewhere the décor is fairly restrained, with exposed brickwork being the key ingredient. Given the large crowd and the hubbub they were creating, the music had been turned up to a pretty high level, although I suspect a Saturday evening doesn't really represent the average visit to this pub. Deciphering the beer range in the crush at the bar was all but impossible, but I'll give it a go. I definitely saw Wylam Tavern Ale and Tachless, Allendale Malt Porter (very good), Pig and Porter Coffee Stout and Errant Ahab. Less certainly, I noted Magic Rock Common Grounds and something from Cloudwater and my notes also include the mysterious word 'Quilliam', which may relate to another beer that was on. Either way, it's a pretty decent selection, although sadly none of their own beers were on as far as I could make out. One real cider was also on and there was a good craft keg range as well. I think the timing of my visit was unfortunate, as I was unable to get a good feel for the place in the crush of the crowd. I enjoyed a very well kept pint and appreciated the buzzy atmosphere, but it would be nice to return at a time when I might be able to relax over my pint and fully take the place in. It seems a popular destination for anyone wanting good beer and a return will certainly not be a chore.

Official site of The Bridge Tavern - www.thebridgetavern.com