Top regional tourism award for Ponteland pub

The county won 10 of the 15 categories, with The Blackbird in Ponteland successful in the Pub of the Year section.

It was judged highly for the quality of its service, its al fresco offering and how the team adapted to challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, among other reasons.

As well as expanding its outdoor area to welcome a new, permanent outdoor tipi and street food kitchen, the venue introduced a takeaway service during the lockdowns and created a series of themed event boxes for diners to enjoy at home.

Stuart Young of the Northumberland Pub Company which operates The Blackbird, said: “We are over the moon to be named Pub of the Year at the North East England Tourism Awards.

“This award is a testament to the hard work of our whole team, who pride themselves on going above and beyond and delivering the best possible experience for our visitors.

“A great pub would be nothing without great customers to fill it and we are very grateful to everyone who has stopped by to support us by drinking and dining with us over the last seven years.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to know that all of our hard work during the challenges of the last few years have paid off and we couldn’t be prouder to become an award-winning venue.”

Other gold winners from Northumberland included Beacon Hill Hideaways at Longhorsley, St Oswald’s Farm in Wall, The Alnwick Garden and Kielder Observatory.

Andrew Fox, chairman of Visit Northumberland, said: “Year after year, Northumberland sees fantastic results in the North East England Tourism Awards, and this year is no different.

“It’s fantastic to see our tourism businesses celebrated for their award-winning and outstanding services, particularly after the difficulties they, and the whole industry, have faced over the last two years.

“Tourism is extremely valuable in Northumberland – in 2019, the industry brought in £1.04billion and employed over 13,000 people directly. That’s why it’s important that we commend the individuals who work hard to offer outstanding visitor experiences.”