A LITTLE HUG FOR NEWTON GRANGE

One commentor in particular on my blog has it in for those lovely Marstons people. I‘m quite happy for my beer to be produced in a giant beer factory in Wolverhampton, though actually their brands are still produced petty much where they always were.

Seating for oversized punters

I’m also aware many folk don’t rate Marston’s dining pubs that seem to spring up on every retail estate/chain hotel/urban backwater.

Durham What Pub.PNG

They’re not going to be greatly impressed by the Newton Grange to the north of Durham, particularly with its new “fun” name of Generous George.

Generous seating

That seat isn’t the provision for smokers by the way.

But I’ll say this. It’s open. On Monday. At 11am. And not all the pumps are turned round.

Decent choice for Durham

Serving Beer Guide standard Snecklifter (NBSS 3.5) with a smile. And I can wander round without being stared at. Try that in a micro pub.

Marston’s lampshade

In an hours’ time, when the toddlers arive, it might be yours and my idea of hell.

Max age limit applies Si

Particularly after three two many scoops of ice cream.

Mrs RM goes for chocolate, of course

But I won’t have a word said against it. My first tick of the week by 11.03am is something to celebrate.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

33 thoughts on “A LITTLE HUG FOR NEWTON GRANGE”

  2. I’m not going to comment on the beer. I will comment on this type of pub though – I wouldn’t choose to go to this type of place, but it suits a lot of people, so that’s good. If I Found myself in one then I would no doubt enjoy it. What is unusual are the locations, often you can only get to them by car or a very long walk. Does that mean that selling alcohol in volume is not the key aim?

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    2. After jesting I was kind of hoping you would comment on Sneck Lifter. We don’t see the style much over here. I happen to like the style, but I was curious what you thought of the beer within the style? Just curious.

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      3. You and family Southworth have the advantage over me there; I haven’t had Harvey’s Old for quite a while. The Sussex Best is a regular in the Kent free trade, their other beers much less so.

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      5. I did not appreciate Harveys soon enough. The bells really went off for me last time in the Royal Oak in London. Final night of a trip is a tough night for a beer to stand out, but the Old really was perfect. Amazing to me.

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      6. Must go back to the Royal Oak, perhaps with Dick and you if you do another night in London. my only trip there was on the 1st day of the 2005 Ashes, one of the most memorable days in English sporting history. Can’t remember the Best but the pub (showing the cricket) was in a state of ferment.

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      7. Our plan is to end there in May\June. Not sure if they only do the Old in winter, but I certainly would love to see it. Great place to meet up. A very chat focused pub in my opinion. Curry just up the street too. Hector’s tutoring has my head spinning. I missed your link to his site until rereading Bradford. What a curry paradise blog.

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      8. Had to look up the ashes details. Possibly the most inaccessible sport in the world for those who have never played it. Still hard to comprehend a sporting contest that lasts that long.

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      11. Snecklifter is okay, it’s a dark sort of winter ale with sort of fruity malty dark roast (not overly so) flavours. It’s typical of the winter/old ale types that many traditional brewers produced. There are many other similar brews and if done and kept well they can be very enjoyable. I’m mot a massive Theakstons fan but their Riggwelter is a nice example of one of these strong darker ales (probably Theakstons best brew?) Jennings of Cockermouth in Cumbria brew Snecklifter. Thing is Jennings are actually Marston’s which is the ‘front’ for a large brewing conglomerate called Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries (doesn’t have the same ring, and connotations to W.Midlands urban sprawl, does it). I’m sure you know that Marston’s are currently acting in exactly the same way as the ‘Big Six’ in the 70’s, buying up small breweries and eventually homogenising everything (it will come, economies of scale dictates they will source their grains from one source, rather than locally). Hence, on principal alone, I tend to avoid, wherever possible all Marston’s brands and pubs. After all, that’s why CAMRA was set up to fight against this sort of behaviour and to preserve independent local and regional brewers?

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  5. Our local marstons “family pub ” about a 20 min walk from home seems to favour diners who book tables & to get to the bar you have to run the gauntlet of staff asking if you have booked.We rarely venture down although watching the punters arrive for their “kiddies ” parties can be entertaining. !..PoppyFields Maidstone -next time you are visiting the in laws -check out the Trip Advisor reviews & remember to book if you require Rotisserie chicken !.

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  6. Have to admit the booking thing might have been more prevalent after it first opened but there does seem to be a bit of a booking culture still -& to think we were excited when we heard we were getting a new pub ,as our other local is a Beefeater(sigh )By the way the eating scene here has improved considerably over last few years so no need for the rotisserie

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      1. Blimey -being posh folk from one of the nicer parts of town, Wok inn has not been sampled by us -it has,however,been there for years so perhaps it is an in discovered gem for us !

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      1. No Hobgoblin but the beer served was quite nice, just can’t remember off the top of my head. I know they serve keg draught beers from a small brewery in Fernie (‘only’ 3 1/2 hours away by car). Pretty sure I had their Lone Wolf IPA. 🙂

        Cheers

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    1. It’s quite common in the pubs run by Marston’s, Greene King and Whitbread that appeal to family diners, though they’re largely a single soft vanilla dispense with a hundred choices of sprinkles !.

      They’re really restaurants with handpumps, though I bet they get a few drinkers in the places that are a mile from the next pub. Expect gourmet ice cream to be the next pub trend after garlic beer.

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