Under new management The Cooperage is buzzing again, with great beers, top music nights and the spring back in its step.

The Venue
The Cooperage has gone through quite a few changes in its long history. It’s the oldest secular building still standing in the city, dating back to the 13th century. It became a cooperage in 1876, a business which lasted for five generations until it relocated in 1974. It’s most recent incarnation was as a Polish bar, but before that it won accolades for its real ale.

Now it’s really motoring under the aegis of Leon Gingell, a local lad and former TV exec and who seems to have hit a hitherto overlooked gap in the market by giving the kids what they want and putting on very successful drum’n’bass, live band and indie nights in the rooms upstairs.

Inside, it’s all suitably atmospheric and crumbly with low, beamed ceilings and exposed stone walls in the two small front bars. Seating is on small round green stools, creamy bucket armchairs, Chesterfield sofas and winged armchairs and there are copper lamps and tall wooden kegs serving as drinks’ ledges.

The People
A neglected crowd of brightly clad young hipsters, cool chicks and boys in bands swarms here at the weekend and on Monday nights, in particular for the already mythical music nights. Having regained its status as a real ale heaven (it’s back in the Good Beer Guide), you get the real-ale buffs too. It all makes for a surprisingly successful mix.

The Food and Drink
You’ve got Strongbow, Guinness, Peetermans, Stella, Foster, John Smith’s, Woodpecker and what’s meant to be the best pint of Guinness in Newcastle on draught, alongside four real-ale handpumps which change between mainly local breweries such as Wylam, Mordue, Allendale and Northumberland. In bottles, meanwhile, there’s Leffe, Estrella, Cobra, Hoegaarden, Foster’s, Tiger, Magners, Bulmers and Coors Light.

The food here is certainly home comfort style but doesn’t tread the same old dreary road of other taverns. Instead, there are hot garlic rolls, and main meals like mince and onion pie (£3.95). Breakfast is £4.95 and a jam roly poly and custard is only £2.50.

The Last Word
With its unique approach, The Cooperage is rocking. It’s also reputed to be haunted and you can imagine a ghost lurking among the shadows upstairs. Watch out when you go to the loo or throw moves on the dancefloor.

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