What is it?
A pub… but so much more. Its Twitter profile hints as much: “Iconic (whatever that means) old school boozer. Good food, local beers, top banter with a few pictures on the walls.”
A board outside explains the name, something about nuns tending nearby strawberry fields… but unlike in the song, they weren’t forever. Today the Toon Army’s pub of choice is the only Strawberry to be seen.
The Strawberry pub in Newcastle city centre
Why is it smashing?
It would be a perfectly good old school boozer wherever it was in the city but its prominent spot opposite St James’ Park makes it a repository of indelible memories – of Newcastle United victories celebrated and sorrows drowned (rather more of the latter, perhaps, this not being the 1950s).
A favourite Only in Newcastle memory of recent times: stepping in on a cold winter’s night to raucous cheers. Always nice to get a welcome but this time the cheers were for a cracking goal at Wolverhampton Wanderers, courtesy of United’s Isaac Hayden that was shown and re-shown on the TV screens facing every which way.
The Strawberry Pub sits in the shadow of St James’ Park in Newcastle
Supporting the ‘Mags’ was probably never meant to be comfortable but this is a more comfortable place to do it than most… a commodious pub where many of the heroes to have worn the shirt are immortalised on the walls.
A pint of John Smith’s can be had but there’s a good choice of beers and lagers representing the big brewers and some of the highly regarded locals. The guest ale is invariably worth a try.
Food is served throughout the day. All-day breakfasts and Sunday lunches are popular. But mostly it’s the atmosphere you’ll want to imbibe. Pre-pandemic, Strawberry Place would become a river of humanity on match days and even now we can dream of those days. This is, after all, a place of dreams.
Website: www.thestrawberrypub.co.uk
Find them on Facebook
Follow them on Twitter
Address: 7-8 Strawberry Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4SF
Tel. 0191 232 6865
Words/Images: David Whetstone