Microbus, Gateshead

Railway arch micro-pub with a VW camper van theme, with limited seating indoors but it also has three small tables out on the pavement. Six handpumps featuring Twice Brewed's Sycamore Gap Tribute and other cask ales from Almasty, Two by Two, Anarchy, Brass Castle and Brew York - several intentionally hazy, but several of us were not sure about a couple of others (and mine was in poor condition). Popular with the local Camra branch, so perhaps we caught it on a bad day?

With time for just one more pub south of the Tyne, I headed to Microbus which is another new entrant to the 2024 Good Beer Guide. Microbus is a micropub set in the railway arches with many artefacts inside related to VW Beetle Vans as well as buses in general. There is even a screen inside listing the latest bus times from the stop outsde. The place was busy on my Thursday evening visit. I opted for what appears to be the house beer from Yard of Ale. It is called Harriet. There were pictures elsewhere of Harriet, which I assume is/was the pub dog. Other cask ales on were Northern Alchemy Learn To Swim, VOG (South) Islands In The Stream, Well Drawn Bitter, Bellfield Lucky Spence IPA & Two By Two Porter. Real ciders were Thatcher's Stan's Cheddar Valley, Ascension Dance Commander, Pilot & Unless You Think & Dudda's Tun Disco. Craft beers were Twice Brewed Bubblegum Sour, Tartarus Herne The Hunter, Fierce Late Shift, Anarchy Heavy Duty, Cloudwater Fresh, Polly's Kyra, Full Circle Looper, Maule Wonder, Campervan Leith Juice & Cameron's Overkill. All drink options are listed on a screen to the right-hand side of the bar. There is also a selection of bottle and canned beers in a fridge to the right-hand side, which sits next to a convenient mobile phone charging point. Whilst many micropubs seem to frown on mobile phones, I found it amusing that this one was promoting their use! With a good selection of drinks and plenty of memorabilia and other items to admire around the walls and ceilings and even extending to the unisex toilet, I quite enjoyed my visit here.