Crown Posada, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Somehow contrived to walk by this place (at least twice) on my previous visit to Newcastle, I was very glad to find this time that all the good reports are true. The furniture and decor in the narrow bar, with its side snug near the door, are very appealing (in a traditional way), and the background rock & roll / blues music matched the mood perfectly on a late Sunday evening visit. Decent selection from five of the six handpumps that were operation, with my pint of Allendale Pennine Pale (£3.05) being in very good form. Like nearly all of the Sir John Fitzgerald outlets, this one is well worth seeking out.

Proper old school pub with an ornate but narrow interior. 6 real ales.

Gotta love this pub, IMHO the best in the "Toon" Great beer, great service and really friendly. Whenever i'm up there it becomes my local for a couple of days, Fantastic !

This was always one of my favourite Newcastle pubs and following this weekend's visit nothing has changed. You have to walk down the steeply sloping "Side" or totter down Dog Leap Stairs to get here but it is well worth taking the trouble. You enter into a dimly lit room, a century away from the modern bars of the Quayside, well chosen classic rock, blues and bluegrass were playing on the turntable, not too loud, people chatting and enjoying the excellent beer. The pub itself is, as said before, very narrow with the bar to the side at the front. Before the bar is a small snug with half height screens, lit with colour from the wonderful stained glass front windows. Beyond the bar the pub tapers more, seating down one side at banquettes and small tables, no room on the other side for more than an upholstered "leaning" rail. This area has dark wood panelling with a row of caricatures above plus evocative black and white photographs of ship building and river scenes. Opposite the seating row the walls have a series of elegant mirrors, presumably to give a hint of space. The ceiling is also worth a look, with superb plaster mouldings and beams. The attractive dark hardwood bar back also has some mirrorwork plus the pub name in stained glass. This is topped by a model of a Navy warship with sails furled, and a row of hats from various of HM Ships. There is a real dedication to decent ale here with the knowledgeable staff only too happy to discuss and advise. There is also a locAle policy with the local beers clipped accordingly. My visit had Fyne Ales Avalanche, Rudgate Jorvik Blonde, Consett Ale Works Men of Steel, Hadrian Border Black Gate Bitter and also their Tyneside Blonde plus Jarrow Rivet Catcher. All tried were in superb condition. Naturally there is no TV blaring out in here and I'm pretty sure they don't do meals but this is a fine pub, one of the very best. For info, it didn't used to open 'till 7 on a Sunday but is currently doing 12 to 4 as well and I'm so very glad it was!