The 77 North East pubs featured in CAMRA's 2025 Good Beer Guide

Pubs across the North East have plenty of reasons to celebrate as a local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale reveals its list of inclusions in the new Good Beer Guide which is being published this week. The Tyneside and Northumberland branch of CAMRA reveals that 77 local pubs will feature in the Good Beer Guide 2025 coming out on Thursday.

No doubt news of County Durham successes will follow - which is all great news for the industry. It also reflects the growing popularity of micro pubs although the Tyneside and Northumberland inclusions are across the board, says branch chairman Paul Hillhouse, with most being around Newcastle - which also has the most pubs overall - and Alnwick and Seahouses making an impressive show.

Paul said: "We have a wide range of venues in this year's guide from community-owned pubs and gastropubs to brewery tap rooms to small cafes that also happen to sell good beer. Alongside the quality of the ale, the other thing that unites all of the branch's entries is a sense of community that often develops around good pubs."

READ MORE:South Tyneside grotesque paedophile who raped two children jailed for more than 25 years

READ MORE:Famous Hebburn pub loved by Kevin Keegan and Newcastle United stars to close down

And if more reason were needed to celebrate, he added: "Research by CAMRA found that people who have a local rate themselves as significantly happier because of it!" The annual Good Beer Guide, dubbed 'the beer-drinker's bible', was first published in 1972 and is eagerly awaited each year by both experts in the trade and beer enthusiasts generally.

It is compiled by thousands of independent volunteers and is based upon top pub recommendations by local CAMRA members which are then rigorously reviewed, so a listing in the guide is considered a great achievement. Competition is tough and consistency is key.

The Tyneside and Northumberland branch has around 1,600 members who score the ale they drink across the year with the best pubs on average making the guide. Paul said this year's task had not been easy, due to "more pubs opening each year that showcase real ale as a key part of what they offer."

"Over the past few years, we continue to see the rise of the micropubs that may sometimes offer a smaller selection but sell it quickly and consequently keep it in great condition, seemingly edging out larger chain pubs when it comes to the quality and condition of the beer." Under 10% of cask-selling pubs made the cut this year, he said.

He thanked members for their support for the industry, saying the branch received around 20,000 scores a year to work from which - given an average cost of around £4,05 a pint - meant a contribution of £81,000 a year to the local economy. This year's Good Beer Guide - to be published this Thursday, September 26 - features 4,500 pubs in total across the UK.

It goes on sale with a choice of covers showing popular soap pubs: Coronation Street's The Rovers Return and Emmerdale's The Woolpack: see here.

CAMRA's 2025 Good Beer Guide - Tyneside and Northumberland

Here is the full list of branch inclusions in the guide. Most come from the NE1 area while the second highest postcode featured is NE66 - Alnwick and Seahouses - where nine pubs make the guide. Paul says that while The Red Lion remains the most popular pub name in the country, only one appears here, which is in Alnmouth, but there are 'three Ships': in Low Newton, Seahouses, and Holy Island.

Tyneside

Newcastle

Bacchus

Bodega

The Bridge Hotel

Fizgeralds

Five Swans

Lady Greys

Mean Eyed Cat

Newcastle Tap

Town Mouse

The Trent House

The Wobbly Duck

The Bridge Tavern

The Crown Posada

The Gosforth Hotel - Gosforth

The Victory - South Gosforth

Chillingham Arms - Heaton

Elder Beer Cafe - Heaton

Heaton tap - Heaton

Cumberland Arms - Byker

The Free Trade Inn - Byker

Full Circle Brewery tap - Byker

Two by Two Brewery tap - Byker

The Keelman - Newburn

Tyne Amateur Rowing Club - Newburn

Gateshead

The Microbus

Station East

The Old Fox - Felling

The Wheatsheaf - Felling

Ye Olde Cross - Ryton

The One Eyed Stag - Wickham

North Tyneside

Split Chimp - Whitley Bay

Rockcliffe Arms - Whitley Bay

The Dog & Rabbit - Whitley Bay

The Crafty Cold Well - Monkseaton

Enigma Tap - North Shields

Seven Stars - North Shields

Tynemouth Lodge - Tynemouth

Northumberland

Pont Tap - Ponteland

The Plough - Cramlington

The Lounge - Blyth

The Crafty Lodge - Seaton Delaval

The Melton Constable - Seaton Sluice

Wor Local - Prudhoe

Black Bull - Corbridge

Pele - Corbridge

Wheatsheaf - Corbridge

County Hotel - Hexham

Dipton Mill - Hexham

Heart of Northumberland - Hexham

Platform Bar - Hexham

Twice Brewed - Once Brewed

Holly Bush inn - Greenhaugh

Black Bull - Haltwhistle

Haltwhistle Comrades Club - Haltwhistle

Manor House - Haltwhistle

The Ship Inn - Low Newton

Greys Inn - Embleton

Joiners Arms - High Newton

Red Lion - Alnmouth

The Ale Gate - Alnwick

Black Swan - Alnwick

Harrys Bar - Alnwick

Market Tavern - Alnwick

Tanners Arms - Alnwick

Olde Ship - Seahouses

The Castle Inn - Bamburgh

Joiners Arms - Morpeth

The Office - Morpeth

Pleased To Meet You - Morpeth

The Tap & Spile - Morpeth

Narrow Nick - Rothbury

Cheviot Tap - Slainsfield

Atelier - Berwick

The Curfew - Berwick

The Pilot - Berwick

Crown and Anchor - Holy Island

Ship Inn - Holy Island

To pre-order a copy of the new Good Beer Guide, being published on Thursday, September 26, see here.