The Colpitts Hotel, Durham

My best pub discovery this year. Straight out of a Harold Pinter 'kitchen-sink' drama, it has genuine 20th century northern charm...and a genuine coal fire which really throws out the heat. I would never have expected tarnished glory such as this to attract the pre-club crowd, They were all there in one corner (most wearing eye-wateringly short skirts) having a whale of a time amongst the more senior regulars. The Sam Smiths is very well kept and of course good value as you'd expect from the slightly barmy Smith family. It's the staff and crowd that make this pub: warm and jovial. Think Coronation Street (circa Ena Sharples & Elsie Tanner) brushing lightly with Hollyoaks. Brilliant

28 Oct 2010 09:13