Not only did I make it to Newcastle, I reckon 3 hrs 45 from Cambridge might be a record, so I reckon Si is right about a lot of fuss about nothing over the Beast.
Sadly, Mrs RM chose not to join me on the temperamental Metro to the centre, put off by the possibility of being stuck in the Bigg Market with hordes of bare-chested Geordies (sounds fun to me).
Seven Tyne & Wear GBG pubs to do, two in Newcastle, so I started with the easy ticks and an instruction to bring back some curry.
Newcastle never disappoints, and an estimated 17 feet of snow hadn’t deterred the revellers as I exited at Haymarket.
The “famous” Strawberry is one of those GBG pubs I’m sure I’ve done before on a trip to St. James Park. But the master spreadsheet says otherwise, and the spreadsheet is never wrong. I reckon I’m confusing it with the “famous” Trent House.
And here it is, round the corner from the Chinese Arch.
Suddenly I feel an urge to switch from Indian to Chinese.
There are few pubbier places to be than outside St James Park on match day. Tonight it was an Under 23 game against Aston Villa, the sort of fixture in a blizzard that only the Pubmeister can warm to.
A busy Strawberry seemed more interested in the pool than the team news for tomorrow’s defeat at Anfield. and the pub had the cheery feel you only get when a pub doesn’t rely on meals.
It’s a very typical town centre Geordie pub; multiple TV screens, Shearer and Gascoigne, adverts for two pint glasses (I resisted),
I went for Rivet Catcher for sentimental reasons, but Jarrow’s finest seemed a little tired despite being a decent temperature (NBSS 2.5/3).
But the lacings were exemplary, and as you know lacings are everything.
retiredmartin 
“Snow”
(in my best Crocodile Dundee voice)
Snow? That’s not snow. This is snow!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8gZcsiNnTuA6C8y03
(and that line of snow up above their heads was how deep it was — before they started digging!)
“Sweet and Sour Cat available here”
That would be the Canton Cat, as opposed to the Peking Duck? 😉
“Pool in a proper pub”
And a Skittles commercial on the telly. 🙂
“But the lacings were exemplary, and as you know lacings are everything.”
From the photo below that is some damn fine lacing. (thumbs up)
Cheers
LikeLike
Have to ask about this: “adverts for two pint glasses (I resisted)” –Were they selling pint glasses? I have a weakness for branded pint glasses, though they are all too hard to find over here, so I’m in no danger of buying them too frequently. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They were selling the 2 pinters to drink (same principle as selling beer by the jug to limit queueing); I’m sure they’d have sold you one !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Both times we offered to buy glasses the publican just gave them to us. Oddly, this generosity causes you to stop asking.
LikeLiked by 2 people
On my gravestone it will say “nice to.his mum but nicked Bass glasses”. You can guess from where.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think I know. Those are prizes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a beermat from this boozer with all the Toons fixtures on the back but never been there…great point about a pub that has more fun without food…
LikeLiked by 1 person