The Wasp's Nest, Stockton-On-Tees

Stripped back modern bar, three pulls and 4 on a t-bar plus Asahi and Pilsner Urquell on solo taps. Equipped with low separate seating and a bit of higher posing seating. Its back door is opposite the front door of Hope & Union.

A new pub that opened in May 2015, having the external appearance of a new building made out of recycled bricks. I've seen it described elsewhere as a micropub, but its own A-board outside calls it a bar, and the presence of keg fonts on the bar counter is also not in the micropub tradition. On the plus side, there are three hand pumps and the place was being run by a young man with an enthusiastic approach to real ale. There were two ales from Truefitt and one from Exit 33 at the time of my visit. I had the Truefitt Big Remedy, a 5.5% brown beer that went down very well. I had a train to catch, so didn't have time for detailed exploration of the interior, but would certainly return for a longer look if the opportunity arose.