Ye Olde Cross in Gateshead has been named among the 16 best pubs in the UK by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and is now in the running for the national Pub of the Year title. The announcement was made early on Thursday morning, timed to coincide with the Bank Holiday weekend when beer-lovers might visit the top pubs.
Community-owned pub's journey
The community-owned and family-run Ye Olde Cross, in Old Ryton Village, has already impressed CAMRA before, winning a Pub Saving Award in 2019 and featuring in its 2026 Good Beer Guide. The pub now joins the 15 other best pub winners from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for the next round of judging to decide the 2026 Pub of the Year.
The original Cross Inn dated from the mid-19th century and was partly rebuilt in 1909. After it closed in 2018, local residents rallied to breathe new life into the building. Despite never having run a pub before, they set up the Ryton Cross Community Society cooperative, raised money by selling shares, applying for a grant and securing loans. Over 18 months, and overcoming the challenges of the pandemic, they transformed it into a community hub, serving local brews and creating a function room upstairs.
CAMRA's description and next steps
CAMRA's description reads: "It's an attractive Edwardian half-timbered local in a beautiful setting by the village green, and is very much a centre for the local community. It hosts events and local activities, such as street food vendors on the weekends, as well as pop-up supper club events." The now 117-year-old pub opens daily except Mondays and runs a busy events programme including open mic nights and weekend food pop-ups.
As it advances to the next stage, a 'final four' pubs are set to be announced in October, followed by the naming of the overall National Pub of the Year winner in January. Competition coordinator Andrea Briers said: "We have a formidable top 16 this year, with both familiar faces and some first-time winners in the mix." Urging people to show support over the Bank Holiday weekend, she added: "Behind each one is a deserving and hard-working team, running an amazing pub for their local community and serving brilliant cask beer."
Industry struggles highlighted
CAMRA used the announcement to highlight ongoing struggles faced by the trade, urging the Government to make tax changes for pubs and brewers, addressing VAT and draught beer duty as well as high energy bills. It also wants to see 'fairer' business rates to help pubs compete with cheap supermarket alcohol, on top of the additional year of rates relief announced for pubs in England by Prime Minister Andy Burnham last month.
CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: "CAMRA's Pub of the Year competition highlights the very best that the UK has to offer but, unfortunately, it's much more common that licensees are struggling with day-to-day trading."
