Mine's a treble! South Shields pub celebrates hat-trick of Good Beer Guide titles

The Steamboat, in Mill Dam, South Shields, has scooped the South of Tyne Pub of the Year title for the third year running.

It now hopes to collect the award for the best in the North East in the next round, which it has won for the last two years.

The victory comes after more than 600 Campaign for Real Ale members in the Sunderland and South Tyneside branch nominated their favourite bar, with each to feature in the Good Beer Guide to be in the running for the title.

Kathleen Brain, who manages the venue and has worked there for 16 years, said the bar staff of nine and licensee Joe Mooney were “over the moon” at the result.

She added: “Our customers say we’re a really friendly pub.

“They like that we support local breweries, because we feel it’s really important to support local businesses, and they like that we hold regular beer festivals and meet the brewers events.

“They also say the beer is nice.

“We’re so pleased with the award and the fact we’ve now got this three years in a row, which is brilliant, and that’s all down to the staff and customers, so a massive shout out to them for their support.

“We hope to do well in the next round, because we’ve had that for the last two years, and to be the best pub in the region, as well as Sunderland and South Tyneside, would be really good.”

The Steamboat’s current hand-pulled beers include Swedish Blonde and Double Maxim from the Maxim Brewery in Houghton, Culpeper’s Elixir from Durham Brewery and Dogger from Cullercoats Brewery.

David Brazier, regional director for Camra, said: “I know the pub very well and it is a very well liked and very well-run pub and that’s the sum of it.

“I’ve been a director for eight years and the quality of pubs in the South Tyneside and Sunderland area has improved hugely.”

The regional round will see the Steamboat go up against the best from Darlington, Durham, Tyneside and Northumberland, with more than 1,000 pubs between them.

The 11 pubs voted for in the local branch after the Steamboat, in order, were the Ship Isis, Fitzgeralds and The Dun Cow, all Sunderland, The Alum Ale House, South Shields, The Harbour View and The Ivy House, Sunderland, The Steps, Washington, The Chesters, Sunderland, The Black Horse, West Boldon, The William De Wessington, Washington and The Grey Horse, East Boldon.

The top three clubs, in order, were Mid Boldon Club, Boldon, Ashbrooke Sports Club, Sunderland, and Boldon Cricket Club, Boldon.