ORB, Darlington

Visited ORB on a late Tuesday afternoon in June. Six hand pulls at the bar, with all in active service. My half of Durham Ma's Bar (a chocolate stout) set me back £2.50 and was most enjoyable. Didn't observe any keg options but there was certainly a whisky menu. There is a seating area to the front externally, but sparse seating indoors, with stools opposite the bar. The rear section has a solitary barrel with a stool, plus one table with a couple of Chesterfield chairs and a tub chair. There is an upstairs area, not investigated, that I assume leads to the toilets. I was initially the only customer in just before 5pm, but a couple did enter after me so no doubt it gets busier later on. I seem to recall that service was friendly and welcoming. I'd be happy to pay a return visit, but I expect that seating may be limited.

ORB is a micropub with a wooden floored front bar with beer shelves across the front window, and up the right-hand wall that is faced by a serving counter that supports six hand pumps. The cask available was Durham Brewery’s Hedleyhope and Magus, Ossett’s Trip Hop, Marble Brewery’s Hungry Joe, Turning Point Brewing’s The Festive and Sureshot Brewing’s Not Now Silent Singer. There are also lots of craft fonts across the back bar, but I went for a pint of Magus that was served well by the friendly governor. At the rear a couple of steps climb to a seating area with space for about seven people to sit. It was quiet with only one other customer, but I enjoyed the background music and would pop back in again if passing.

Tidy micro, the ORB stands for Orchard Road Brewery. 'Efficient' service, though I suppose they were due to close within 15 mins of my order (all the pubs on this strip close at 10 during the week for whatever reason). A good set of cask which I had no time to particularly note in order to get the remaining ticks nearby but my panic order of Marble Ginger was quite gluggable (NBSS 3.5). Didn’t know about the Orchard Road Brewery thing until after the event so can’t tell you if their wares were available. 7.5

Bar to left on entering. We were seated at the dingy rear to start with but progressed to an outside table. Six cask & ten keg. Not a bad place at all.

Visited this microbar on 20 July and enjoyed Saints Row Window Shopper and First Brew Thirst porn from this busy friendly pub.