Star Inn, Morpeth

For many years, I've been wanting to visit this fairly unique pub, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The landlady is now in her late 80's, meaning the pub's opening hours are now fairly limited. I'd tried calling the week before to check opening hours. But I had no joy. However, I tried again on the day and she advised that she would indeed open at 7:30pm. For anybody else's reference, she is currently open from 7:30 on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I was the only customer on this Sunday evening, although her dog was expecting somebody to come in with some bones. So, I received a good sniffing. Apparently Saturdays are particularly quiet and she is considering closing on a Saturday in the near future. So, it is still advisable to ring ahead. You enter the pub into what appears to be a small reception area with access to a bar. Entering rings a bell to alert the landlady who appeared from the main body of the building. She directs you into a large square-shaped room which is actually at the front of the building. Cask ale is no longer served, as demand is insufficient to warrant keeping it, plus she explained that it would be too difficult to keep fetching it from the cellar. Instead, drinks are served from a trolley. There are various bottles of beer, cans of Carlsberg, small bottles of wine and a couple of soft drink options. There may also have been a cider. The landlady is extremely welcoming and is happy to chat with any visitors. She was seemingly interested in why I was there and my hobby of visiting pubs. We chatted in general about pubs and the current crisis. However, with children not allowed entry, my wife and son were relegated to the car outside! I would definitely encourage a visit to this unspoilt gem of a pub and was happy to revolve my weekend plans around its opening times (along with the Foxes Den at Felton).