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Detail Pages
The Centurion Bar, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 5DG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Centurion Bar
Built in 1893, this is a former waiting lounge for first class passengers travelling from Newcastle Central Station. Having spent a period of time as holding cells for British Transport Police and undergoing some rough treatment at the hands of British Rail, who crudely painted over the original tiling and smashed through some of the walls, the place was eventually taken over by a pub company in 2000. They have carefully restored the place back to its original state, leaving us with a great example of Victorian train travel befitting the building's Grade I listing status. The bar can be accessed from both street and platform sides, making it easier to execute a last minute dash for a train. Entering from the street side, you find yourself in a vast room with the servery to the right hand side. The bar has a curved marble topped counter with large integral lamps and a quite remarkable bar back of gigantic proportions which incorporates some huge decoratively tiled pillars, dark wood shelving units, decorative glazed tile capitals and a deep recess with an elaborate ceiling and some dark wood fittings. Some high tables and stools have been arranged opposite the bar, alongside a curved banquette, with standard tables and chairs and plenty more banquettes running through the rest of the room. Modern floorboards look a little incongruous throughout the room, but this fails to distract from the real highlight, which is the quite spectacular tiling on all walls. This sort of tiling can be appreciated in many heritage pubs throughout the country, but I don't think I've ever seen it on a scale as vast as this. The rear wall has a large tile painting of an idyllic rural scene of the sort you might glimpse from a moving train window, whilst the ceiling is dominated by a huge central skylight, around which all manner of decorative tile styles can be appreciated. Some epic pillars are positioned towards the rear and there are doorways on the end wall which both have matching pediments. Some of this grandeur was lost by the draping of Six Nations flags over some of the tile work and the presence of a TV screen which was showing a rather pointless Major League Soccer match for the benefit of no one, whilst a drab soundtrack played in the background. There is also a separate snug room, which I failed to explore and some seating had been arranged in a fenced off area on the pavement outside.
The fine interior thankfully comes equipped with a suitably impressive range of ales from the row of hand pumps on the bar. Options on this visit were Hadrian Border Secret Kingdom and Tyneside Blonde, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Black Sheep Bitter, Consett Red Dust and Box Social India Brown Ale. I tried a pint of the Secret Kingdom which was in good shape, but maybe a bit pricey by Newcastle's standards at £3.90.
This pub is well worth a visit to admire the wonderful interior which probably surpasses anything you're likely to encounter in the city. However, I'm not convinced that such a vast and rather cold feeling room makes for a particularly great pub environment unless you happen to visit at a busy time of day. For me this didn't work as well as some of the country's best station bars (e.g. York Tap, West Riding Refreshment Rooms, Sheffield Tap) but still very much merits a visit, making a great start or end point for anyone visiting the city by train.
On 16th May 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Centurion Bar
Extremely ornate station bar, excellent space, very high ceiling, beautiful tiles.
5 real ales, but served rather warm
On 25th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Centurion Bar
As the previous reviewer said this pub was a very pleasant surprise. Forget station bars and think good pub. A very good selection of real ales and a really good place to wait for your train.
On 13th May 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Centurion Bar
Never previously gave the Centurion any thought, thinking it just a boring station bar. How wrong, as it has a stunning ornate interior with a large mural at one end plus a good deal of decorative tiling and larger ceramic features throughout. Restrained colours, and a high ceiling with longitudinal skylight giving the place an airy feel under natural lighting. Five of seven handpumps scattered along the bar counter were operational, and I opted for the local Firebrick Tyne 9 (a cask 'black lager', £3.50). Leave your preconceptions behind - this place is well worth seeking out.
On 3rd March 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Centurion Bar
Excellent train station bar. Restored tiles & murals lift this bar above the normal train station pubs. Up to 5 real ales.
On 11th February 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Centurion Bar
This is a railway station bar so it is never going to be very pubby or have particularly personal service or a regular clientele however what really sets this bar apart is the simply stunning tilework on display. With the explosion of the railway as a means of travel in Victorian times, in tandem with the demands of the era, there was a need for a First Class lounge for the distinguished gentry to prepare for their journey. The Centurion Bar is located in this room, but for years all it's elegant splendour had been brutally covered, but thankfully not destroyed. The interior has now been fully restored and has probably the best comprehensive display of Victorian tiling I have seen anywhere. Walls, ceiling, columns, all covered in a range of designs and colours. There is also a huge central rooflight and a frieze one end, showing a countryside/lake scene. The ambience is partially spoiled by a couple of fruit machines and especially the big pull down screen for football which covers the frieze,but this is after all a station bar. I did also notice a pin ball table in a corner.
Another big plus, for it's location and genre, there are five real ales in two sets of pumps, each side of the end wall bar. Jarrow Rivet Catcher, Prince Bishop Ale, Allendale Golden Plover and a couple of Black sheep Bitter which was on a £2.50 deal for the live Newcastle v Villa game.
Cheap food menu if you need to stoke up before the journey, eg chilli and rice £4.65, ham egg and chips £4.95, chip bap £2.50. Sounds like a better bet than the on board catering to me.
Obviously not a pub to settle into or use regularly, but if you get a chance, go and take a look at that tiling.
On 3rd September 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Centurion Bar
I will also give an 8 for ratings. Well worth a visit, glad I popped in as the ales were very well kept and to my liking, as am quite partial to Wylam, Jarrow and Hadrian and border. Will call in again.
On 6th October 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about The Centurion Bar
The interior tiled Walls and ceiling really make this place stand out let alone the restbof the decor. Upon approachingbthe bar the sheer number of keg taps at first put me off but there are hand pumps either side of these serving 5 ales, most of which were from local breweries. Will certainly be making sure we have to wait for a train here the next time we have to change trains in Newcastle station.
On 30th August 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Centurion Bar
You cannot fail to be impressed by the superb restored interior. it suffers a little from its station location, but the beer range makes up for it. Possibly one to visit when passing rather than spend the session in.
On 17th August 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Centurion Bar
Once upon a time this was the 1st class lounge for the station. But it fell into disuse and then became the local HQ and cells for the British Transport Police. During it's time with the BTP all the tiling, murals and columns were painted over. Luckily it's now all been restored to it's former glory and is probably the best station bar around. 5 handpumps usually selling beers from Hadrian & Border, Jarrow and Wylam along with the occasional one from further afield. Apart from the fantastic interior they also have occasional live bands AND they still have a pinball machine (Addams Family). I always call in here when I'm in Newcastle. I took Ms CAMRA in for the first time last weekend and she loved it. She says the red wine's OK as well.
On 16th April 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]