Back Down The Pub

Tag: Hexham

  • Hexham #1 – April 2026

    Hexham #1 – April 2026

    Back on home turf and a rail ride up the Tyne Valley on a delayed Northern service.  Who knew?  The delay did help to work up a thirst and made the beer at the Platform Bar even more welcome.

    Launch Pad – Durham

    The Waiting Room

    Area: Durham
    Style: Railway Snug
    Visit order: 0 – the prologue

    Beer pump for Vaux Premium Pilsner at The Waiting Room, Durham Railway Station.

    Ventured into Pilsner territory for our traditional prologue pint.  A new one for me from the reincarnated Vaux Brewery.  Cold and crisp, a bit like the weather station platform, we should have stayed in the bar.

    BreweryBeerABV
    Vaux BreweryPremium Pilsner (keg)4.8%

    Hexham

    Platform Bar

    Area: Railway Station
    Style: Cosy Railway Pub
    Visit order: 1

    Serving area of the Platform Bar on Hexham Railway Station

    This turned out to be a lovely place, perched right on the railway platform itself.  They do a nice line in real ale, coffee and a bit of food, making it a good stop for those who are after more than just a pint.  Given our slower than planned arrival, it felt like the perfect place to get things underway.

    BreweryBeerABV
    Hexhamshire BreweryShire Gold3.4%

    The Heart Of Northumberland

    Area: Market
    Style: Gastropub
    Visit order: 2

    External view of the Heart of Northumberland Pub on Market Street in Hexham

    A great name for a pub and happily it lives up to it.  Friendly staff, even if they were far too young to appreciate the Jilly Goolden reference from my drinking partner.  Oh, how age will get you.  The burgers and fries looked spot on and the beers more than held their own.

    Snug seating area inside the Heart of Northumberland Pub on Market Street in Hexham
    BreweryBeerABV
    Metalhead BreweryOld Knacker3.8%
    Anarchy Brew Co.Wor Beer4.3%

    The Forum

    Area: Market
    Style: Wetherspoons
    Visit order: 3

    Bar at Wetherspoons Forum in Hexham showing various real ale pumps and bottled drinks

    Our traditional pitstop in Wetherspoons.  This one is housed in an old cinema with some of the character remaining in its fittings.  In addition to the usual Spoons real ales, there were several local brews on offer.  Food and an Erdinger to ensure maximum value in the meal deal, then a local beer to top it off.

    High ceilinged seating area in the former cinema that is Wetherspoons Forum in Hexham showing tables and diners
    BreweryBeerABV
    Erdinger WeissbräuereiErdinger Weißbier (bottle)5.3%
    Yorkshire HeartQuaffer3.4%

    The Tannery

    Area: Gilesgate
    Style: Traditional, trendy and food
    Visit order: 4

    External view of The Tannery Pub on Gilesgate in Hexham

    Time for a bit of nostalgia.  We recreated an old selfie here and were both slightly stunned to realise the original was taken 14 years ago.  I’ll spare you the comparison.  Happy to report that the beers were still in great shape even if we aren’t.

    Interior of The Tannery pub on Gilesgate in Hexham showing a wall full of pump clips and drinkers at tables in the bar area
    BreweryBeerABV
    Purity Brewing Co.Mad Goose4.2%
    First & Last BreweryEquinox4.1%

    The Globe

    Area: Battle Hill
    Style: Traditional
    Visit order: 5

    External view of The Globe pub on Battle Hill, Hexham with a traditional frontage

    A proper traditional boozer, this one.  Great bar and a nice snug area behind it.  We got chatting to a couple who make the trip from Carlisle every Friday just to spend time here which tells you plenty.  Good to see Boddington’s is back on cask too, now brewed by JW Lees.

    Looking through to the bar from the snug of The Globe in Hexham. The view is through a decorative glass screen
    BreweryBeerABV
    J.W. Lees & Co.Boddingtons Cask Conditioned4.0%

    The Victorian Tap

    Area: Battle Hill
    Style: Trendy traditional
    Visit order: 6

    Victorian Tap in Hexham showing pub signage and outside seating.

    Formerly the Tap & Spile, I think. Still a good stop, with a relaxed atmosphere and a reliable selection of beers to keep things ticking along nicely.

    BreweryBeerABV
    Firebrick BreweryStella Spark4.4%
    TheakstonYorkshire H’aka4.2%

    The County Hotel

    Area: Priestpopple
    Style: Hotel bar with a local feel
    Visit order: 7

    Looking along the bar at the County Hotel in Hexham with the bar to the left and drinkers to the right with the dining area in the background

    We had planned to visit the Grapes, but refurbishment removed that as an option.  A tip off from the couple in the Globe pointed us to The County Hotel instead, under the same ownership and, we were assured, just as good for beer.  Turns out that they weren’t wrong.

    BreweryBeerABV
    Hadrian Border BreweryTyneside Blonde3.9%

    Newcastle

    Gunner Tavern

    Area: Central Station
    Style: Trendy with atmosphere
    Visit order: Last

    Decorative stairs at the Gunner Tavern Newcastle showing the name of the pub picked out in the metal anti-slip treads

    The epilogue.  A quick decision and a quick beer in Newcastle between trains. Gunners got the nod, with apologies to The Centurian.  There’s always next time.  Anyway, the trip across the road was more than worth it for a bit of Northern Monk.

    BreweryBeerABV
    Northern MonkETERNAL // SESSION IPA4.1%
    Today’s Summary
    Total Pubs: 9
    Total Beers: 13
    Cask: 11
    Bottle: 1
    Keg: 1
    Strongest: 5.3%
    Mildest: 3.4%

    My first night out in Hexham was more than thirty years ago, and it’s fair to say it was all the gear and no idea.  This visit was a different story.  A bit more focus, a bit more appreciation, and just enough of a blur around the edges to know it was a day well spent.  A great mix of pubs, food and a few new additions made it one to remember.