Go to page 145 of the 2008 Good Beer Guide for a superbly accurate description of the characterful and historic Victoria Inn. I simply can't describe it better. It is old fashioned in the finest sense. The pub is a delight. The letting rooms are small, but immaculate and the welcome genuinely friendly. The breakfast with free North East banter chucked in, is well presented and tasty. Go there!
We assembled after a brief kip, in the public bar which is pictured. The gimlet eyed and astonishingly thin matron running the show gave a commentary for us on our proposed pub itinerary. It went along the lines of "Aye, canny that one", "Fine", "Just doon the road and a good one" until we came to the Colpitts. "You divent want to gan there" quoth she. "It's full of shites." Malc took the situation in hand and inquired as to what constituted a "shite" in this case. "Why" she said, "the folk there'll pick a fight wi' ye and cut yore face"!
I won't bore you with the sorry tale of boozing that went next, except to say that the Elm Tree had poor beer (Adnams was particularly dire) and high prices, the Half Moon was superb, nearly a classic in fact, with lovely toasties at a mere £1.30 a pop and excellent beer from the Durham Brewery. Our last call was the Dun Cow, a great pub too, with a traditional corridor, a warm welcome and well kept beer.
What about the Colpitts I hear you cry? Did you brave it and emerge unscathed? Indeed we did. It was warm, welcoming, characterful and friendly. The only shites there were us and we didn't cut anyone's face. The beer was traditional Sam's and our usual round of three and a half pints cost under a fiver instead of the usual £8.50+
To be fair, she probably phoned ahead to warn them you were coming.
ReplyDeleteDo you wear an anorak on these expeditions?
ReplyDeleteAh, never mind. I'm just envious of your little pub excursions. It makes me cry.