Ye Old Elm Tree, Durham

A very pleasant pub off the city centre, popular with the locals. Six ales on the bar, I had a decent bitter. exposed stone walls, beams and some very interesting decor. an elderly local couple were chatting away with a young American couple next to me, it’s definitely a proper pub. Didn’t notice any food and the jukebox was out of action.

The Ye Old Elm Tree is quite close to the Angel pub. This is a nice looking pub from the outside,once inside there is an L shaped room to the front with the bar facing,the room is carpeted and has cmfy bench seating and small stools,there is also a separate room up a few steps to the front right which is also carpeted and has bench seating and chairs. There was a very good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Brass Castle Northern Blonde which went down very well,the other beers were Caledonian Edinburgh Castle,Rudgate Brew No 26 and Hobgoblin. The pub was quite busy on my Saturday afternoon visit. I quite liked this pub. Pub visited 19/3/2016

A calf-burning walk up Crossgate but well-worth it. A traditional boozer and kept well inside. It’s two separate buildings knocked through, the left is the main pub area and the right - through an arch and up some steps - is for dining. Small patio to rear. Main bar has perch and banquette seating, an interesting criss-crossing of beams and an exposed stone wall seating area to left. A collection of old pump clips snakes around the beams and walls. Inlaid shelves with local history books plus the entire lever arch World of Trains collection - they obviously know their stereotypical audience. Dog and vaping friendly. Five pumps with a decent spread: Rudgate Battle Axe, Jennings Cumberland, Sonnet Steam (good) Wychwood Hobgoblin and Tyne Bank Cherry Stout (extremely good). Also Westons cider in box and a couple of interesting keg choices. Friendly staff made me feel welcome. Basic pub grub plus specials, I went for a Lebanese flatbread and falafel that came with what looked like home cut chips and mint sauce. For £6.95 couldn't really argue. Really enjoyed this one and it should be towards the top of the ‘to-do’ list when you visit Durham.

A very pleasant pub indeed, the main bar is L-shaped but felt a bit like two separate rooms. Another room at the end is reached up a few steep steps and through a brick arch where minding your head is advisable. This area had tables set for dining but unusually also contained a usable dartboard. Carpeted although with a wooden boarded area around the bar, seating is comfortable with banquettes and stools at regular tables. The beamed ceiling contains numerous pump clips from the changing range and décor included old maps, Deltic locomotive photos and an old aerial photo of the pub from years ago. The back area has some exposed stonework, a log burner and a display case full of odds and ends. Dogs are welcome, but not in the dining room or on the chairs as the sign said. Tyne Bank Rhubarb and Custard (containing lactose, vanilla and rhubarb...obviously swerved that), Castle Eden Ale, Hobgoblin, Jenning's Cumberland Ale and Sonnet 43 Steam Beer (£2.80). I didn't notice any menus. A very likeable spot with a friendly greeting as well as sociable customers, I enjoyed my time here. Note the pub sign, a new side and the old, with the former Vaux Brewery logo.