Head of Steam and The Victoria are always on my list in Durham.

Anyone know of a decent place to eat down the A1, normally stop at a toby but can't find one. Got to have a brecky on the way

It is 3 weeks since was last there! I guess I am thinking more in terms of what they are actually like, rather than if they serve ale. I am from DH1 yet a few miles out of the city centre - it isn't as compact like LS1 in Leeds. The better ale pubs tend to be more on the outer edges of the centre but that is no bad thing as all the rabble go around the new bit where the Gala Theatre is.

This would have been a 'home' fixture for me but ironically I'm at headingley at the cricket on the saturday. SJP will be a great venue for the MW though as town is literally two minutes walk away. I'd recommend the strawberry which is right outside the gallogate end, rosies a small tetleys pub at the end of stowell street (chinatown) which is a minutes walk from sjp - head under the chinese arch and your there. Behind this is the gate which is a similar development to the light in leeds which has a fair few bars including the ubiquitous wetherspoons. Tiger tiger is next door. A further walk down and your on the bigg market but avoid this its a dump for the most part. Beyond this are the pricey bars on collingwood st and up onto grey street, Grey st itself has some nice restaurants and is well worth a look for its architecture. Alternatively instead of turning up grey st head down dean street which will take you down to the quayside to see the bridges or cross teh millenium bridge to gateshead and the museums

theres a toby and a harvester just outside the metro centre and about 2 miles further up at the kingston park/airport turn.

The Surtees ?

Its ok in a sort of "Huh, its ok" sort of way, its a pretty typical stag and hen sort of Travelodge basic standard before they did Travelodge up sort of thing, if you're a train spotter you'll love it if you get a room at the back, keep the curtains closed when you go to bed or you'll awaken to the 6.30am X-Country from Edinburgh parked on the viaduct three yards from your window waiting to get into Newcastle station.

If it is this place then stand at the upstairs bar window after midnight and keep an eye on the kebab shop over the road, Dean Street is quite steep there and the number of lasses who fall off their heels trying to counter the effects of alcohol, the hill, and balance two kebabs in one hand while grabbing for a non-existant lamp post is remarkable, its worth staying sober to watch.


PS - there is a "Gentlemens Club" just underneath the hotel where for a sum of money not exceeding the national debt of most small countries you can get a lady to dance in front of you, or so some big boys told me anyway.

Always safe at a Spoons Big breakfast and it makes me laugh when they ask what drink and 95% of the standard punters say "Lager" at 8.15 in the morning

Thanks for the info lads

That's the badger - we were in Cyprus when they announced that the magic weekend would be played in Newcastle so, several very cheap litres of Efes, a smart phone and a dodgy wi-fi connection later we booked the first hotel we found that wasn't fully booked.

After we got home and read a couple of reviews on Tripadvisor and tried to book somewhere a little less... tired, but alas the nearest hotel with any vacancies was in Ripon.

My plan is to stay out quite late, consume a couple of shandies then we wouldn't be too bothered about the state of the hotel.

We thought the same when we went on a stag weekend a few years ago but when we got there it was ok, room was clean and it was quiet even with the trains being almost in bed with you. There is an NCP car park right behind the hotel that does 24 hour pricing and you're right in the centre of things within walking distance of the ground and zillions of bars and restaurants, its not a bad choice as long as your standards aren't aimed too high, I've stayed in much worse

if you see 4 idiots dressed as batman n robin or winnie the pooh themed onesies on the train up from sunderland that will be me, the mrs and the in laws so feel free to say hi

Travelodge Whitemare Pool - Gateshead. Anyone know it ?

I know Whitemare Pool, just near the Tyne Tunnel, a decent drive out of town In fact I'd question their advertising because its in Jarrow or Hebburn at least, easy enough drive into town though, the road links around the Tyne are very good thanks to the pioneering work done by contractors in the 1970s *cough, I thang-yew*



If anyone is looking for a change of scenery on Sunday morning and wants the cobwebs blowing out of your beer sodden brains then I'd recommend a drive on the Coast Rd to Tynemouth and a cup of coffee and cake, there has to be cake, at Crusoe's on Long Sands beach, get there early mind.

Yep, has an onsite Burger King, rooms standard Travelodge fare. If your driving you are only 10-15 minutes from Newcastle, nearest Metro is Felling or there is a bus stop right outside the hotel. Not much else in the vicinity of the hotel I'm afraid.

Thanks Jerry and Rixy. We don't plan on spending much time in the hotel !