We’re officially in spooky season and with Halloween being just less than two weeks away, we thought we’d share some of the South Tyneside pubs that have ghostly tales behind them.
The borough is not short of eerie drinking spots, with tales of a poltergeist who haunts toilets or an ale house occupied by the spirit of a giggling Irish prostitute.
Whether you believe in ghost stories or not, these South Tyneside pubs are definitely a must try this Halloween.
5. The Black Bull, East Boldon
A ghostly toddler has been seen sitting at the bottom of the cellar steps. Gaming machine alarms mysteriously going off and bottles ‘rattling violently’ behind the bar are among other strange phenomena reported. | Google Maps
6. The Britannia Inn (Toby Carvery), Cleadon
A spectral Cavalier and a Catholic soldier who fought for the Royalists are said to haunt the pub, with legend having it they relate to Civil War-era tunnel which runs under the former coaching inn. A new pub was built on the site of a much older tavern in Victorian times. Other tales from the pub include a phantom coach and horses, as well as a yarn involving a one-legged sailor who supposedly died on the premises in the 1800s. | Google Maps
7. The Alum Ale House, South Shields
One of the town’s most historic pubs is reputedly haunted by a number of characters, including a phantom barman, a Victorian gentleman, a Grey Lady and Giggly Meg - the latter said to be the spirit of an Irish prostitute with a taste for booze whose haunting laugh lives on. | Google Maps
8. The Steamboat, South Shields.
A classic riverside pub sat on a cobbled street, a visit to The Steamboat feels like stepping into South Shields past. And, legend has it, spirits of the past linger there still. An old sailor who fell down the cellar hatch, and the ghost of a murdered Tyne pilot are both said to be behind the hauntings. | Google Maps