When you live out in Bank Foot there’s nothing more frustrating than getting to a metro station and seeing the fatal words ‘next train terminates at Regent Centre’ ugh, so close yet so far. However more than once have we hopped on the train anyway and paid a visit to some of the great pubs that Gosforth High Street has to offer.
Despite Regent Centre interchange mainly servicing the small business park there, if you come out the metro station and turn right, you’ll find the first pub about 5 minutes down the road; The Gosforth Hotel.
We visited on a rain soaked Saturday afternoon (is there any other kind in Newcastle) and due to it being a massive sports day; 2 rugby matches and a Newcastle game, it was absolutely heaving. It’s what my dad describes as a ‘proper Newcastle boozer’ and I think that sums it up perfectly. Yes it was packed to the rafters with rugby fans, but you’re in Newcastle remember and the atmosphere was brilliant.
There are actually two bars. The main bar straight ahead of you as you walk in an a kind of ‘overflow bar’ out the back, which I presume they only open when they have enough staff as it was shut when we went, despite it being so busy the windows had steamed up. Lovely.
Down the the drinks. They always have an excellent selection of ales on, which changes regularly and there’s always a local brewery on offer such as Wylam or Mordue. The wine isnt going to win them any DWWA awards but it’s cold and less than a tenner a bottle. The decor is worn and traditional with dark wood and high tables with stools. There are a few lower tables and chairs round to the right as you walk in and more out the back if the second bar is open. They also serve basic pub grub daily and pretty reasonable prices.
It’s the kind of pub you can visit at 9pm on a saturday night or 3pm on a Tuesday afternoon and there will always be a nice atmosphere and there will always be someone in. I know, I know I always say I hate pubs that show non stop sport but hey, I’m a woman, I’m an enigma and I have exceptions to the rules. When you walk into a pub at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon and everyone is enjoying the beer, the sport and the banter, it’s impossible not to get swept away with the atmosphere.
The Gosforth Hotel is our favourite ‘start and end’ pub as we walk from and to the metro station for a night out on Gosforth High Street. Other pubs worth checking out along that Street is the Brandling, The Job Bullman (which is a Wetherspoons, but a good Wetherspoons) and The County down the far end.
Contact:
High Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1HQ
Tel: 0191 285 6617
Website: http://www.greatukpubs.co.uk/gosforthhotelnewcastle
You can find out where else we’ve been on our adventure here
The gosforth hotel sounds totally like my type of pub!!
Rachael xox
http://gatsbyandglamour.blogspot.com
Since the photos above were taken, “The Gossy” has had a refurb and now has an even better selection of real ales and craft beer.
Apart from its good beer, the pub has two claims to fame: the very first copies of Viz (now very valuable) were sold in there and, Sting reputable played in the upstairs room with one of his early bands, Last Exit.