Campaign for Real Pubs: Durham

A stone-built pub situated at the sharp angle of two roads in a residential area to the west of the city centre, up a steep climb from the river. It features as a regional entry on CAMRA’s National Inventory. The interior consists of three rooms – the congenial main bar in the apex of the building, divided by a central fireplace, and a cosy snug and pool room on the opposite side of the dividing corridor.

It’s a Samuel Smith’s pub, with Old Brewery Bitter and their keg range at their usual keen prices. No food is served, but it’s popular with a wide variety of drinkers from the surrounding area including a substantial student contingent. On my visit I was amused by a group of students wrestling with a pub quiz that majored on 1970s and 80s popular culture.

The Half Moon, Durham DH1 3AQ

This pub is a traditional urban local just across the pedestrianised Elvet Bridge from the city centre. The interior comprises a front bar and lower rear lounge, connected by the semi-circular bar counter from which the pub reputedly takes its name. Both have plenty of dark wood and red leatherette bench seating. There is also a large beer garden at the rear overlooking the river.

There’s no food (although the website promises a new sandwich menu) and TV sport is shown, ensuring a lively atmosphere on match days. The regular beers are Draught Bass (very reasonably priced on my visit), Taylors Landlord and Durham White Gold, plus a couple of rotating guests. The pub has been in the Good Beer Guide for thirty consecutive years.

WHAT ARE REAL PUBS?

Real pubs are pubs whose primary function is still the original core purpose of pubs – for people to meet and socialise over a few drinks.

They may serve food, and very good food at that, but they don’t allow it to dominate to the exclusion of all else. They’ll probably have a strong core of regular customers, but still make casual drinkers welcome. They may well serve a good drop of real ale, but won’t be full of beer bores droning on about hop varieties and IBUs.

In many parts of the country they’re getting very hard to find. In recent years, the smoking ban, beer duty hikes, the demonisation of “one-drink driving” and the general anti-alcohol climate have all had their effect, but such pubs do still survive if you know where to look and deserve to be celebrated.

Although in many ways they are a laudable organisation, this blog is not connected with and does not in any way represent the Campaign for Real Ale.

The inclusion of a pub does not necessarily reflect a recent visit by myself, although often it does.

The Colpitts Hotel

The Half Moon