After reading ‘Store Wars’ in the Guardian, I decided that a more localised Newcastle version would be more appropriate within my life. So equipped with a few pennies and my best friend I took to Pink Lane last Thursday evening (September 22) to see what the following two delightful public houses had to offer.
THE FORTH HOTEL
Background: The now laid-back local was once famous for hosting Victorian boxing matches. And the location of the pub was rife with prositution only 50 years ago. However, the atmosphere now could not be more contrasting as the Forth is definitely somewhere to kick back and relax and is amongst the most amazing venues in the city.
First Impressions: It is 9pm and fairly busy for a Thursday. From the exterior the Forth isn’t particularly appealing, rather shabby paintwork and a small door. However, the inside is beautifully decorated. The walls are adorned with art, ranging from Newcastle college students to established local artists. Tastefully draped curtains and fairy lights complete the look of shabby chic between the large mirrors and beautiful fireplaces.
What’s on Offer: Ten speciality beers and ciders, five real ales and tremendous but a little bit pricey pub grub!
Best Buy: My favourite strawberry beer – Fruli. It’s quite expensive at £4 per pint but worth every single penny!
Service: Bar staff were chirpy and charismatic. (I did get ID’d, but took it as proof that my anti-wrinkle cream must be working wonders).
Regulars: Thursday nights are student nights if you know anything about Newcastle nightlife. The Forth offers a nice and sophisticated alternative to necking a treble or a pint of skittles. Mostly packed with stylish males or young professionals, The Forth is certainly a place to go if you’re not wanting to socialise with freshers. If you’re a regular to Newcastle, you might be interested to know that whilst consuming our drinks, we spotted none other than headphone guy (apologies if you have no prior knowledge of him).
Overall Rating: 8/10
An evening well spent, although the fairly pricey food lost the 9/10 that I had originally awarded the pub.
THE TOWN WALL
Background: New to Newcastle’s pub scene, The Town Wall boasts excellent food and a lively bar. A thorough renovation of what used to be ‘CoCo V’, this pub is truly unrecognisable.
First Impressions: Again from the exterior, you would not be blamed if you were to walk past this charming new venue. In a fairly quiet part of Newcastle, the pub is perfectly located away from the hustle and bustle of drunken students on the ‘diamond strip’. Quite dark inside but overall very pleasant and has lots of room for those wanting to sample the food on offer.
What’s on Offer: Wide selection of local Ales, cider, fruity beer and truly scrumptious food!
Best Buy: Both the house white and rose wine were really nice and well priced for both large or small glasses.
Service: There were some members of staff who were a lot more cheerful than others. Also our dirty plates were left on our table for over half an hour, something which I personally don’t enjoy!
Regulars: I noticed there were a great deal more men than there were women in the Town Wall. Again, it’s a perfect place to come for a casual drink and avoid drunken freshers as it’s well hidden. Regulars include a mixture of young professionals, mature students (if they exist?) and large proportion of people on first dates!
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
I couldn’t have a draw, so I have awarded the Town Wall as my winner this week due to the fabulous food which we experienced (the desserts are a MUST, my chocolate brownie was almost bigger than my face).
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