Newcastle pub is named one of best gastropubs in the UK

A Newcastle pub has been awarded a remarkable second place in a list of The 50 Best Gastropubs in the UK.

The Broad Chare, which already has a clutch of food and drink awards, again has been picked out for glory, this time earning a higher rating than Michelin star venues run by the likes of celebrity chefs Heston Blumenthal and Tom Kerridge.

The new list is drawn up by global site Big 7 Travel from a combined score using readers' suggestions from throughout the year, online reviews and views of its own editorial team.

The Broad Chare is placed second only to The Sportsman, Stephen Harris's Michelin-star venue in Kent.

The Broad Chare in Newcastle, pictured before the pandemic (PR)

The pub, named after the street - just off the quayside - where it opened in 2011 in a collaboration between Terry Laybourne's 21 Hospitality Group and Live Theatre just up the road, has become a huge favourite over the past decade.

With its focus on being a 'proper pub' serving 'proper beer and proper food', it has gathered all sorts of awards across the years, including entries in The Good Food Guide and a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand for quality and value.

And, despite the challenges of the pandemic, it's kept them coming, with its consistently high standards in Laybourne's seasonal menu which includes a popular Scotch egg and Lindisfarne oysters among its bar snacks and - served in the upstairs dining room - the current likes of dry-aged steak and lamb and smoked bacon pie for sharing.

It has a huge range of beers too, including its own-label ale The Writer’s Block, which is brewed by Newcastle's Wylam Brewery.

In a recent post on Facebook, The Broad Chare thanked people for their support during the challenging time and announced that, to give its "incredibly hard-working staff" some rest and family time, it had taken the "difficult decision" to close on Wednesdays throughout September.

Terry Laybourne at his restaurant 21; he also runs St Vincent in Broad Chare, near the pub (Newcastle Chronicle)

Its citation on the list for second place reads: "The Broad Chare is the type of gastropub you wish you lived right next door to: nothing fancy, nothing fussy, just honest and delicious food and properly local ales.

"The menu is perfectly British and fiercely seasonal, with a range of snacks to eat at the bar or more substantial dishes for a full meal."

Also included on the list, which ranges from London boozers to country inns, is Tom Kerridge's The Coach, ranked fourth, and Heston Blumenthal's The Hind’s Head at eighth. Here is Big 7 Travel 's top 10 pick.