According to a lot of the Real Ale guides, Tilleys is one of Newcastle's better pubs, and despite me visiting every other pub near here, it took me until June 2001 to actually do this one! From the outside a little unassuming, Tilleys is pretty cool inside, and boasts the city's only "Cheese and Pate Bar" (although it wasn't open at 6pm on a Saturday when we visited). The drinks bar is pretty small but there were plenty of bar staff on and I got served as quick as anywhere. There's a small pool alcove at the back with not much room to swing a cat, and I thought they bar area was a little smokey, but overall Tilleys is quite a friendly place. It's supposedly a student pub, but everyone is made to feel welcome.

From the outside, The Trafalgar looks like a really dodgy pub, but thats just down to the buildings and surroundings - once inside, you'll be harder pressed to find a more friendly place anywhere else nearby. Beer is a lot cheaper than in nearby Newcastle, big screen football is shown, and there's a great mix of customers from young to old. The pub is located right underneath the big Gateshead Multi-Storey Car Park which featured in the film Get Carter with Michael Caine getting chucked off the top.

Set downstairs just off Northumberland Street, Trillians is Newcastle's most famous rock bar and has been entertaining the city now in various guises for the past 30 years. Superbly refurbished, Trillians hosts live bands at least once a week (entry charges will sometimes apply) and at other times a wide selection of rock and indie music is played, including selections from the free jukebox behind the bar! Drinks are reasonably priced for the City Centre and the bar staff are all friendly are get you served quickly. The pub has a late licence until 1am Thursday, Friday and Saturday so you can remain here and dance the night away if you cant be bothered going clubbing! Watch out for the CD's set into the bar, very nice!

Not the easiest pub to find, especially if you're drunk, Turks is located between Grey Street and The Bigg Market in Newcastle's City Centre. The pub gets very crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, like most places in the area, although not uncomfortably so, and remains popular throughout the day too. Plenty of Fruit Machines and games for those who like them, and loud music will get you into the party spirit!

The Tut And Shive was a quick port of call on a recent pub crawl, and I only feel sorry for never having visited before, as this must be about the most un-pretentious pub in Newcastle! Everything about this place says laid-back, from the posters on the wall through to the punters! The bar is only small but they have a wide range of beer on sale, and there are often live bands playing in the evening. Food here consists of peanuts, crisps and sandwiches, but what more do you need? Sit back, sample the beer, and enjoy yourself.

The Union Rooms was Newcastle's first Wetherspoons pub, and has become an instant success. Drinks prices are considerably cheaper than many other nearby pubs, as with all Wetherspoons, and good quality food is served for most of the day, again at value prices. The building has lots of rooms, many with tables and chairs, so there's plenty of space if your looking for somewhere to chat, but the two main rooms are more lively, which appeals to people "out on the town". A nice pub, and not really your typical Wetherspoons, which is a good thing. Handy hint - get served quicker by going upstairs at weekends!

Another Ultimate Leisure Clone Pub, pop into the Vault if you like being squashed by burly looking blokes in to ogle the topless dancers while downing their Bacardi Breezers! Only kidding, or am I? Well get here on the right night and you can be entertained by naked women, but mainly you can expect to queue for ages at the bar and to pay over the odds for another pint of Fosters. Just like any other Bigg Market pub then!!!

Hidden away right at the end of the Quayside is The Waterline, and its definately worth a visit. Through the day the pub can be fairly relaxed but the place is packed out on a Friday and Saturday evening, with a DJ playing the latest music and the obligatory high drinks prices. A friend who was with me when we were here last remarked that this pub is just like the type you'd find in the trendier parts of London, and judging by the high ratio of classy young ladies in business suits, I'd tend to agree!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its another Wetherspoons pub! But its quite a large one, so there's plenty of room, although it can get quite busy at times. As with all pubs in this chain, food is served, no music is played, beer is cheap, and there are a few fruit machines to keep addicts like me happy! Its also slap bang in the middle of Sunderland close to the Rail Station so no problem to get to when on an all day pub crawl!

Not the easiest pub to find in South Shields (well OK, only if you're from Newcastle and have been drinking all day), but I would rate it as one of the best. Its your standard Wetherspoons, but is very spacious and has two floors, including plenty of seating if you're having food. A wide range of people drink here, and the atmosphere is usually pretty good, with the standard Wetherspoons drink promotions being carried so you can get drunk cheaply.

A recent addition to the Yates' Wine Lodge empire, their Newcastle pub fits in nicely with its surroundings and attracts a mix of people similar to the nearby Wetherspoons. This building boasts three floors, one of which can be hired out for private functions and the like, but even if you only get as far as the ground floor, there's still plenty of space and you'll get served quickly at the long main bar here. As with most Yates' there are bouncers on the door most nights to keep out undesireables, but the atmosphere here is generally better than in most Bigg Market pubs just up the road. An especially pleasant place to visit on a cold Sunday afternoon.

I think Yel is my favourite Bigg Market pub - I don't know exactly why, I just think the atmosphere is more friendly than some of the other places. There are nearly always ludicrously cheap drinks promotions on, the DJ plays a good mix of music, and the barmaids sometimes wear bikinis! The pub itself is downstairs but you don't really feel claustrophobic with the nifty lighting and cool decor. Definately a place to head towards the end of a night out, where you're ready for a dance!