The Zetland, Middlesbrough

Very glad to see this pub has reopened just in time for Luton Town's first appearance at the Riverside Stadium, as I had noted its inclusion in Camra's heritage pubs of Yorkshire despite being closed at the time of publication. The front of the pub has the bar counter and is a bright, airy room in cafe bar style. The glory that has the pub in the heritage guide is the dining room in the rear, with fabulous tiles, mirrors and architrave which my camera struggled to do justice to. On the beer side, there were three hand pumps, but two of them were naked, presumably as a result of a busy pre-match session. The one remaining, Bad Co Pale Aura was in reasonable condition, but is made with those hops that some people perceive as tasting of onion - of which I am one. Glad to have seen the dining room, though.

Pleasant bar on railway side of Zetland Hotel, much plainer than expected as the ornate part is the dining room rather than "Christie’s bar", do go through to the dining room to check out the tiles. Panelled grey walls to dado and cream above, decor from railway advertising prints and luggage racks. Three handpulls two with beers from local Roundhill brewery in Billingham , the other was blank, five fairly standard kegs and a stand alone Heineken. Bent wood chairs, wooden round tables that match and an old boarded floor complete the plain but stylish ensemble.