Category Archives: Pubs

The Queens Head

One of three old pubs in/off our street that’ closed since I moved to Gateshead, the Queens Head was, according to the planning application, to be converted into bedsits. We’d had some concerns that this could result in cut price rentals for local Lambrini drinkers (straight from the bottle, that is). 

However, our fears have now been allayed. 

Country

This evening, after a visit to see grandchildren, and with a day off tomorrow, I may have spent too much time with Eddie Noack. 

And some other blokes. I shall endeavour to take (drag) my second in command along one Thursday evening. 

Time was also spent with, Eels, Sam Baker and Cyndi Lauper. 

Hills are everywhere

We live on a big hill. Today we walked down to the Schooner. After a beer there, we walked across the river to the Tyne bar. 

And then along the (other) river to the Cluny. 

Where we had decent food. 

And, now, we’re in the Cumberland Arms. Or, rather, outside it. Good music on a Sunday afternoon. 

Most of these places also involved hills. 

Craig David

Sadly, Craig David has passed away. Like many other people over the past few years, I’ve posted pictures of the Free Trade Inn pubcat. 

The place just won’t be the same.

Takeaway

After a visit to the vegan festival in town, we’re now in Lady Grey’s. Where the barman laughed at Suzy’s No, Gary, not Jakehead. 

I’ve just re-noticed the takeaway place across the road. The middle part of the sign is missing, but the older one underneath fills the gap almost perfectly. 

Gyles Brandreth

When I was around 14 years old, I developed a dislike of Gyles Brandreth. 

He appeared in a childrens’ TV series called puzzle party. Mr Brandreth actually sang the (terrible) theme tune for the series.

The series was awful, with children having to do silly things for … Well, points. 

Anyway, Mr Brandreth, the host, simply annoyed the fuck out of me. 

Years later, he appeared as  a Tory MP, then as an occasional guest on BBC 1`s the One Show. 

Little has changed since my teenage years. His Tory-ness compounds my dislike of him. 

Is it true a Gnu only comes from Peru? 


Pterodactyl

I swear that dinosaurs aren’t extinct. Well, I had an encounter with one a few minutes ago in Newcastle. 

It was a huge Pterodactyl. I mean HUGE. 

While I didn’t exactly see the beast, the amount of shit it dropped on me meant it couldn’t have been even the biggest of birds.

Fortunately, the Gents’ in the Forth has running water, where a shit-on gentleman may remove dinosaur deposit from his jacket. 

Today was a good day

Today didn’t start very well. I’d planned an early finish, but messy deadlines at work meant that wasn’t possible. My second in command had a similar problem, finishing even later than me. 

We did, however, meet our goal of attending the annual Gateshead beer festival. 

I’ll return to the beer festival in a moment; while on my way home from work, the internet informed me that, after a prolonged wait, Guinness is now vegan. Ok, so I can’t buy a can or bottle yet; that’s still work in progress. But keg is now good (I’d never buy cans anyway). 

With a half hour to spare before meeting my second in command, I ventured to my local. Where I enjoyed my first pint of Guinness in a very long time. 

Here’s the press release, by the way. 

You might need to zoom in a bit. After enjoying my Guinness, we walked down the road to the Gateshead beer festival. Where I was surprised that I enjoyed a sour beer (Great Heck – fishless beer). And some other stuff. We also had veggie chilli. 

Afterwards, we called at our local again for a nightcap. I decided on Guinness. I also had a very nice vegan pie. Well, it’s also the annual Gateshead international pie festival (in my local, the Three Tuns).

Where I enjoyed a very nice vegan pie. With peas and gravy. There was mashed potato, but that was consumed by my second in command. 

I’d already eaten, but the pie was free. I’d have bought one anyway. Tomorrow, I may buy two. They have six vegan pies. 

I recall the first pie festival; there were a few vegetarian pies. Now there are many. 

We live in Gateshead. It’s not exactly the vegetarian/vegan capital of the north. But my local always has (generous) veggie alternatives at all of their events. 

Ceiling (part IV)

I’d intended completing parts four and five of the ceiling today. 

But my second in command suggested a pub lunch. As a result, part four was completed and we had a pleasant stroll down the hill to Station East. 

And we’re now in the Central. 

Back to the subject of plastering, though. My favourite plastering bucket, which Has served me well for several years now, is approved by the Vegetarian Society. I’d not noticed before today.