The Wheatsheaf Hotel Bar and Restaurant, Corbridge, Northumberland

...mother where travelling over to the North East from our home in Carlisle. It's a journey we make quite regularly, as we are originally from Sunderland and still have an awful lot of family there including my elderly Grandmother. However on this occasion our purpose wasn't to visit relatives, but to celebrate my 32nd birthday at the Take That concert being held that night at the Stadium of Light and so we planned to stop somewhere along the way for ...
...hotels to choose from along the A69, we decided on The Wheatsheaf Hotel at Corbridge. Just off the A69 and around 18 miles west of Newcastle, Corbridge is a Roman garrison town in close proximity to Hadrians Wall and has a bustling tourist industry. The Wheatsheaf is pretty unmissable as you enter Corbridge from the west side, being the first large hotel you see.

One major attraction in our decision to choose the Wheatsheaf was it's ... more

A couple of weeks ago myself and my mother where travelling over to the North East from our home in Carlisle. It's a journey we make quite regularly, as we are originally from Sunderland and still have an awful lot of family there including my elderly Grandmother. However on this occasion our purpose wasn't to visit relatives, but to celebrate my 32nd birthday at the Take That concert being held that night at the Stadium of Light and so we planned to stop somewhere along the way for a meal.

Having a plethora of quaint little villages with plenty of pubs and hotels to choose from along the A69, we decided on The Wheatsheaf Hotel at Corbridge. Just off the A69 and around 18 miles west of Newcastle, Corbridge is a Roman garrison town in close proximity to Hadrians Wall and has a bustling tourist industry. The Wheatsheaf is pretty unmissable as you enter Corbridge from the west side, being the first large hotel you see.

One major attraction in our decision to choose the Wheatsheaf was it's secure off road parking for patrons. Having stopped by in Corbridge a few times beforehand we had had difficulty parking on roadsides and parking tolls were pretty steep. This car park was free, although you had to pass a lever arm to get in and obtain a code from the bar staff to exit to stop abuse of the facility.

Entering the bar and restaurant of the hotel I was momentarily disorientated as it's quite dark. A formal conservatory restaurant is situated to your right, however we wanted to eat in the less formal bar area, and were greeted and shown through by a friendly waitress. We were quite late to be eating lunch, it was after 2 pm, fortunately this bar/restaurant serve food all day from 11.30 am until 9.30 pm and so we settled down, and were actually the only people eating for a short while.

The decor of the pub is very traditional in dark oak panels. The seating is a mix of large pew style benches with wooden tables and leather couches. A large fireplace dominates the bar area, alas as this was June it wasn't lit. The bar seemed pretty clean, a couple of tables hadn't been wiped down since their occupiers had left but were quickly dealt with. It has a kind of 'shabby chic' feel about it, like a traditional old pub.

We chose a pew style table and picked up the menu's. These were a bit disconcerting as they where just sheaves of A4 paper held in a cheap plastic folder, they didn't look very professional and were a bit crumpled and stained. The menu was quite substantial, we had already decided against a starter so I skipped this section. The main courses varied from the usual pub food staples, to steaks and more specialised dishes which I did consider to be a bit on the pricey side. The menu promises that all meals are home cooked from fresh locally sourced ingredients, and we both decided to go for the Home made steak and ale pie at £7.95 each, and ordered a couple of cokes as well.

Our meal was brought to us within 20 minutes. The cutlery was already on the table, in a jug with several sets ready wrapped in a serviette. I have to say I am always uncomfertable with this, having seen it done a few other places too. I may be slightly neurotic, but I can't help worrying what people who had sat there previously might have done with it. I thought about asking for a clean set from the kitchen, but my mum wasn't keen I did and I have also worked in restaurants myself, it was probably no safer to annoy the staff! Although to be fair I can only say good things about them as we received excellent service throughout.

Our meal was absolutly delicious and screamed home made yumminess, the gravy in particular being absolutly delicious and the steak very tender and fresh. The puff pastry top was light and crumbly and the chips were also very very good. You do get a generous portion, although not overwhelmingly so, and despite clearing our plates we decided we definitely could squeeze in a pudding.

Back to the shoddy paper menu and perusing the desert menu, we decided to order 2 different puddings and share. At £4.95 each I did think they were on the pricey side, but it was my birthday! We ordered a sticky toffee pud with ice-cream and bannoffee pie, along with 2 coffees. The drinks came first and were presented beautifully with little biscuits on the side. Unfortunately neither of us were as impressed with the puddings. They were quite mean portions, while the sticky toffee pud was nice enough, the banoffee was very disappointing, mainly consisting of whipped canned cream.

Our total bill came to £34. It's probably about average-bordering on slightly more expensive for a 2 course meal for two. However the main course was absolutly delicious I have no complaints there. I don't think the dessert deserved it's price tag and think at least a £1 cheaper would have been more reasonable.

I did pop into the loo's before leaving and found them just ok, although there was a towel strewn across the sink and soap in the sinks, obviously more care could be taken to keep this area cleaner.

Overall our meal was quite pleasant. The waiting staff were polite and attentive and we were served quickly and efficiently. The atmosphere and decor of the pub definitely scream old style country pub, which while not gleaming clean and spanking new, I do feel comfortable in. I think in the winter months the log fire would be amazing and could imagine myself sitting there for hours having a few drinks and putting the world to rights, and I would eat from the home cooked main meals range again, as it was wholesome, delicious fresh food. However I wouldn't recommend this pub/restaurant for a special occasion and I certainly wouldn't be keen on paying the hefty prices of the more elaborate meals.

If your passing by on this road, or walking in the area, it's a nice enough place to stop by. I didn't see any children in here, and while I'm sure they are permitted it didn't really strike me as a particularly child friendly place.

I did notice a chalk board when leaving advertising Curry nights, seafood night, Steak night and as it was near, a Fathers day special so this pub seems to offer regularly specials, and private functions can also be booked here.

There is a hotel attached to this bar/restaurant of the same name. I have never been in any of the rooms so can't comment on them. However if your interested in either the restaurant or hotel, details can be found at www.wheatsheafhotelcorbridge.co.uk

 

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