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ONE PUB ONLY?
Any in Darlington
CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND?
Darlington is nearby on the train
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT?
Dr Browns
|  |  Doctor Browns
135 Corporation St, TS1 3BZ T 01642 213213
G Eddie Buck and Mick Loughlan
F Home-cooked chef-prepared menu 12 to 7, not match-days or Sun
MP SK BM D
O 12 to 12, 12 to 1 Fri - Sat
When I visited last year everything was changing; the beers, the landlord, the weather, everything. A year on it looks great, a triangular street-corner bar with interesting bar architecture. It is very light and welcoming and buzzes on matchdays. The changes enhanced the selection of real ales. It is easy to say it is the best, (as it is probably the only real ale pub in the town centre) - however it is, and the ale is good. Convenient for the station and the riverside walk to the ground, it gets very busy on matchdays, when the town springs into life. My visit also found several groups of young ale drinkers sharing tales of student life and the merits of local micro-brews. Also very heartening, was the ease of conversation over the lack of alternatives within the city ale scene. The CAMRA guide talked of Middlesbrough piping their own TV coverage of the games to the pub. More important to know is the reputation the Doctor’s has for live music at the weekend. For me it was a seat in the window watching the locals trudging by, probably looking for a lager! The future of the Doctor is in young enthusiastic hands. Maybe that will rub off on some of the other town pubs one day.
BWV 13.1.05: Black Sheep Bitter, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Greene King Old Speckled Hen
BWV 10.2.06: Bass Draught, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Jennings Cumberland Ale | |  Ship
50 The High St, Wolviston, TS22 5JX T 01740 644420 W www.theshipwolviston.co.uk
G
F Fresh home-cooked fresh food served as fast as they can 12 to 1.45, 5 to 8.45
CP BM D
O 12 to 3, 5 to 11.30, 12 to 3, 5 to 10.30 Sun
This pub is also convenient for travelers to Hartlepool, being in the centre of a small village just south of the A689/A19 junction. Wolviston is a pretty "green village" with another pub opposite to offer some variety should you want to do the full Wolviston bit and avoid Middlesbrough all together This traditional village hostelry offers a choice of national ales that are ever - rotating, usually within two days. With no music and a wide range of food, it is very relaxing. The food and ale menu reflects Edna’s enjoyment of her craft. Freshly-cooked and “worth the wait” food is the speciality. I recommend the Ship partly because I am imagining people making a weekend of the visit by staying in Durham or Newcastle, and then venturing south on the morning of the game. We would have done the same, finding a good country pub, just the two of us, before going on to meet the lads at the game or in town. This is not a pub for coach loads or large groups of lads.
UPDATE: The beer range has changed and choice increased.
BWV 13.1.05: Black Sheep Bitter, Greene King Old Speckled Hen
BWV 10.2.06: Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Everards Tiger, Theakston’s Old Peculier | |  Star
14 Southfield Road, Middlesbrough TS1 3BZ Telephone 01642 245 307
Food: light bites, sandwiches, filled potatoes, house favourites (my description): served 11 – 7
MP SK BM
The Star sits amongst buildings of the University of Teeside campus, opposite the Students’ Union. Previously known as the Star and Garter, the pub has been given a design makeover. The resulting pub is big, bright and modern, with a large skylight, and large glass windowed doors that can be opened in the summer. There’s also a pleasant outdoor seating terrace at the front.
The pub’s split level arrangement offers one large main room, and other areas with quiet corners to hide away in. A mixture of seating includes stools, armchairs and brown leather booth-type seating. Interesting design touches include unusual lighting, and walls and flooring in a variety of colours and textures.
Enjoying an early lunch everything was quiet and peaceful. Things remained peaceful when the big screen TV was rolled down for the lunchtime kick off and the pub started to fill up with football supporters. Most were Boro fans, but a surprising number of away fans - including families - had managed to find the pub and mingled in well with the locals. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the pub didn’t become so crowded as to become uncomfortable.
Staff were friendly and welcoming – and there were enough on duty to cope when the pub got busy. Beers draw heavily on the Black Sheep range and other Yorkshire beers. There’s also a cask cider and a wide variety of wines.
BWV: 11/11/06 Black Sheep Best Bitter, Black Sheep Ale, Emmerdale, Riggwelter; North Yorkshire Flying Herbert, Theakston Paradise; Weston Organic Vintage Cider
The Star is a ten minute walk south from the town centre. It’s a longer walk to the Riverside Stadium, so I was surprised to see so many fans present. But with few other quality options in town, I agree with discerning Boro fans that the trip is well worth making.
Chris Ackrill | |  Wellington Inn
31 High St, Wolviston, TS22 5JY T 01740 646901
G Mark Lealman
F Specialised bar food menu to suit all palates 12 to 2, 5.30 to 8.30, 12 to 2 Sun
CP TV BM D
O 12 to 11 Sun – Wed, 12 to 12 Thu - Sat
Directly opposite the Ship is the Wellington, a pub with a real pedigree within its walls. It is a totally surprising place, with novelties of the interesting kind to amuse and entertain, and with a great pint to boot.
There are two separate bars, and the smaller locals’ bar is where the friendly action is found. Among the photos of The Sloe Gin Appreciation Society and “The Redolent of the Brakspear” caricature, you will find genuine locals who readily engage in the wonders of Wolviston’s long pub heritage. Keith is a long-standing landlord, creating the atmosphere of both a good eating house in the Forge bar and a locals’ pub in the other three rooms. Each room is particularly distinctive, i.e. bed-pans adorn one, equestrian tackle in another. It was in the front bar that we chatted with Tommy and Tom who were as equally non-plussed as I was with the reality that is Middlesbrough real ale life, or the lack of it.
Evidence of the rugby tickets on the bar suggests that trips to internationals play a big part in the gossip here. Those locals will travel out from Billingham for what is a great pub that, along with the Ship, makes Wolviston the ideal location for a small selection of ale well away from the rather desolate riverside location. It really is no more than 20 minutes by car to the ground but and that, unfortunately, in my own not-so-humble opinion, is the best option for those coming some distance.
BWV 10.2.06: Bass Draught, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Timothy Taylor Landlord | | | CLEVELAND CAMRA | | 
THE RIVERSIDE
| | LOCAL BREWERY
Cropton Brewery
Cropton
Pickering
North Yorkshire
YO18 8HH
Tel: 01751 417330
www.croptonbrewery.com
| | WETHERSPOONS
The Resolution 19 Newport Crescent Middlesbrough TS1 5UA Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
The Isaac Wilson 61 Wilson Street Middlesbrough TS1 1SF Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
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