Yorkshire & North East

The Bamburgh

South Shields, Tyneside

A determined real-ale campaign launched by pub manager Graeme Jack two years ago has paid rich dividends for drinkers at the

Bamburgh. The pub has received a well deserved Cask Marque accreditation and is now a regular entry in the Good Beer Guide.

The success is almost exclusively down to Graeme, whose dedication to the cause has made the coastal pub a firm favourite with a growing number of drinkers. Their custom has led to healthy returns for the pub's owner Greene King, thanks to an 11% growth in cask ale sales over the past 12 months.

The Bamburgh enjoys a big surge in business over the summer because of tourists

exploring the rugged beauty of the north east coast. But cask ale sales now hold up so well over the winter that four pumps are retained on the bar for the whole year.

Greene King favourites such as Abbot Ale, Ruddles County and Old Speckled Hen rub shoulder with changing guests, which could be Black Sheep one month and Timothy

Taylor's Landlord the next.

Graham comments: "Sales went particularly well during the fine summer when we had lost of extra visitors coming to enjoy the views from the pub. We have a large outside patio facing out to sea and it proved very popular in a climate that might have

suggested lager ruled the roost. Sales were running up to 30% ahead at one stage over the summer."

Passion and cellar work

Graeme employs a rigid line-cleaning and cellar-maintenance programme to ensure his beers are served up at optimum quality.

"If you want to get a reputation for real ale, you have to have a passion for the job and cellar work and line-cleaning are an essential part of it. It is hard work, but the rewards are great if you get it right and I was delighted with the Cask Marque award and the Good Beer Guide entry. They have given the pub great publicity and now drinkers are actively seeking us out, which is very pleasing," Graeme adds.