North Shields (and pub crawl Stalwart) has closed with immediate effect. I haven’t considered the reasons, but I suspect rising costs. In some quarters this was met with shock, from me not so much.

I was in over the summer, and it was quiet, with no ales on, and seemed to be struggling with its identity.

It’s a shame because, in its 00s heyday, it had a good selection of ale that did a canny feed, and it seemed to be always packed with drinkers, diners, or Gig Go-ers.. But since then there has been a noticeable decline, and even after its shock closure in 2017 and its subsequent reopening it never really seemed to bounce back.

Hopefully, they can open again and restore to their former glory, but in this economic climate and its position as just off the fish quay strip of bars it may not happen