One thing I never realised is how many metro stations there are in Jarrow, which aren’t serviced by the Jarrow metro station, what do they think they are Jesmond or something?! Fellgate is a relatively new station in terms of the Metro Network and was opened in 2002 along with the rest of the Sunderland extension. The metro came along at the right time really as there were already plans brewing to create a rail network connecting the good people of Fellgate to Newcastle and Sunderland (a la Chester-le-Street). And I don’t know about you but I’d always much rather hop on the metro rather than a network rail service any day of the week!
Fellgate is pretty residential and has a rather imposing metro station, which I’ll be amazed if it isn’t visible from space. Good news is though, with a structure this imposing can only mean one thing, a pub cannot be far away. And far away it isn’t. Coming from Newcastle exit the platform and towards Wark Crescent. Follow the crescent around until you come to Calf Close Lane. Turn left here and walk towards the large roundabout ahead. Come to the end of the road and you should see the Prince of Wales pub over the road on the right.
The Prince of Wales is everything you’d expect from a chain pub (Flaming Grill being the chain du jour on this occasion) so in many ways you know you’re in safe hands. How bad could it possibly be? Hold that thought.
Inside is large, bright, warm and cosy so you know you’re probably not going to run into too much bother having the backing of a large chain behind them and it’s certainly a place than can be described as all things to all people. I can imagine whether you’re a family, a group of lads watching the sport on one of the (many) TVs or sharing a bottle of wine with friends there’s a place for you at the Price of Wales.
It was a freezing cold Thursday afternoon between Christmas and New Year when we visited and it was pleasantly busy. Our friends were meeting us there and got there before us, sadly it took them a lifetime to get served (locals being served way before other customers) and when they were finally acknowledged the ale they wanted (and was being heavily advertised) was off. Pub rules 101, if a beer is off, turn the label round on the pump.
I don’t want to sound too harsh of course this could have been a one off, there were certainly plenty of people there to contradict my opinion that this place is mediocre at best. On the positive note they do serve real ales which isn’t something that can be said for a lot of pubs on this section of the network, there always seems to be some sort of drink, or food or drink & food offer on at any given time; their ‘Fizz Weekends’ where you get a bottle of Prosecco for £9.99 would certainly make me less salty about hubby not being able to get his ale of choice.
All in all, it was a ‘fine’ visit but not somewhere I’d be rushing back to. In terms of the WBMT though if it were part of a pub crawl, we’ve definitely seen worse. I’ll let you judge for yourself which ones those were though…
Find out where else we’ve been on out metro pubbing adventure here