The owner of a North East brewery has told of his disappointment after the National Trust called time on his Garden Tap Pub at a popular North East site.
Bosses at Gibside and Blaydon’s Firebrick Brewery teamed up last year to launch The Garden Tap Pub at the Rowlands Gill National Trust site. Head brewer Alistair Lawrence worked on converting a .former bakery in the Market Square area into a pub with a bar and pizza oven, with seating inside and outside.
The company had provided beer for Gibside’s cafe for a number of years, so jumped at the chance to launch a standalone pub to run throughout the summer months, especially as Gibside would once have run its own brewing operation. Mr Lawrence said it also marked an extension of the brewery’s ambitions to play a key part in the region’s heritage, having launched in 2012 and grown to operate bottle shops in Blaydon and the Grainger Market in Newcastle, while also supplying a number of businesses through its wholesale operation.
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The Garden Tap Pub was run by the brewery on Gibside’s land and, as the National Trust has a membership fee, normal admission charges, which helps funds the charity’s conservation work, still applied.
But last week Mr Lawrence was told that the agreement to run The Garden Tap Pub would not be extended.
He said: “We made the National Trust members so happy, seating well over 200 people each evening in the warm spring and summer months. We spoke to people who had joined the National Trust specifically to be able to partake, and so many people told us at the end of the season that they would be renewing their memberships, despite the difficult economic climate, because they wanted the same again the following year.
“Many of our full time brewery staff voluntarily joined the shift staff at Gibside after work, to help, because they believed in the project and enjoyed the customer reaction they experienced from giving such good service. Throughout that first season we saw the young staff we trained blossom and develop into very able employees, it’s such a shame that opportunity will be denied to young people this coming year.
“Although the decision has been made and there is nothing I can about that I would like to apologise to the National Trust members who will be disappointed by this development. Firebrick Brewery will now concentrate on its brewery wholesale business and its shops in Blaydon and The Grainger Market in Newcastle, although I am not against looking at another pub and pizza venture if a suitable opportunity arises in the future.”
Eric Wilton, general manager at Gibside, said: “The Garden Tap pub was an enjoyable part of the visitor offer at Gibside in 2022, especially during our extended summer evening open hours. We are very grateful to Firebrick Brewery for being part of the offer we provided. This was always a temporary trial and after review, we have decided not to put a formal lease in place.
“As a charity we need to ensure our resources are carefully managed so that we can help people and nature thrive long term. For Gibside, this means improving what we offer to our visitors during our regular daytime opening hours, and ensuring our resources are sustainable long term.”
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