The Forth Hotel, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A nice-looking old pub which has been dragged into the modern era with a nondescript interior. There is a noticeable contrast between the dark grey walls and the vast expanses of window, at least in the daytime. The bar counter looks original but little else does - I have been in worse though. On handpump were TT Landlord, Proper Job, Tribute, Abbeydale Moonshine and a cider.

Arty farty food and drink one roomed pub up nice back street near station. Slightly on the small side, stools overlook the street and there is farm kithched tables at one side. Dimmed lighting, middle of the road arty music. All in all its a nice place if you like these trendy type places. 5 real ales, including one from Durham on my visit.

Effectively a one roomed pub, but all broken out into several distinct areas, including a seating area at the rear of the bar. It's full of people who are trying to be trendy, but they're just wannabees. A decent range of cask ales on the bar, but the girl who served us was clueless. She passed me a pint with a 2 inch head and walked away, I called her back. She topped it up with a bit of a grump. I tasted the beer, it was off. I called her back, she ignored me. Despite several "excuse me's" she continued to ignore me and pretended to be doing something really important. At this point another girl appeared and tried the pint, pronounced it "gone" and proceeded to change it with good grace. We sat on the stools in the window and watched the world go by on Pink Lane. A decent pub, let down by a useless staff member. She's cost the pub a couple of points.

I remember this pub as a traditional two roomed Tetley house from the 1980s, it has however changed a bit since then. Now effectively opened out, the main area wraps around to behind the bar and returns around to the rear up a couple of steps. This layout allows for a small island room behind the bar, totally screened off and only big enough for three smallish tables. Stained wooden flooring, a couple of fireplaces, dark olive green decor. Seating is mostly traditional at tables for four or more, and there are drinking shelves along the front windows to the narrow lane outside. Ceiling fans whirr away, there are twisted brown paper lampshades over the bar and to the rear are some arty Warholesque pictures of the Queen, crowns and suchlike. Up the stairs beyond the toilets there is a roof terrace with some cover for the smokers (outdoor street drinking is not permitted here). This area is a bit trendy and arty too with a graffiti wall. Five handpumps, Adnams Explorer, Doom Bar, XT8, Durham Brewery White Gold and Kelham Island Pale Rider, this went unfortunately but quickly reappeared, nice to see a pub that still changes barrels right away. There were menus on the tables, mains £7.50-11.00 with steaks at £13.50, upmarket sandwiches served with "french fries" £5.50 -6.75. I enjoyed my quick visit here, a nice relaxed laid back feel, an antidote to the more frenetic Newcastle drinking areas.