The Northern Echo Best Pubs: The Bay Horse, Middridge

The Northern Echo's Best Pub Competition is well underway - and we're featuring each of our finalists before voting closes.

Around the North East, you aren't short of great pubs and bars to choose from where you can grab a tasty craft ale, a cold pint or a smooth pour of whisky. 

Pint being poured at The Bay Horse, Middridge. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

This means our top 10 are the best of the best - and we've been speaking to each of them to find out a bit about them, their pub and why they should cinch your vote.

Today (July 30), we chatted with the owners of The Bay Horse Middridge in Newton Aycliffe.

64-year-old John Burdiss owns the pub alongside Mandy Richardson, who have now spoken of their excitement at the nomination as voting continues.

John said: "We've been here for over 20 years now, and The Bay Horse used to be a managed pub, by Mandy, before the tenancy came up. 

"We thought we would give it a go and that's what we have done and have built up a load of clientele in that time."

Part of the pub's draw lies in their food according to John - who says there is a huge emphasis on fresh produce.

He said: "We do such a wide range of things - we have always said that we would do fresh food to the best of our ability. 

"Our fish comes from Hartlepool, our meat from a butcher near Newcastle and our vegetables come from a greengrocer in Newton Aycliffe. We try to keep it local as best as we can.

"When we spend money, it goes back into the area."

As for being nominated to win, it's a first for The Bay Horse.

John said: "We have never tooted our own horn, it's just something we don't do. But, to have people nominate us in this competition is just fantastic. 

"It's never happened to us so it's a feather in our cap. Everyone has been really pleased!"

The full list of our finalists are here:

• Baydale Beck Inn, in Low Coniscliffe, Darlington
• Crafty Merlin’s MicroPub, in 6 Buckton’s Yard, Darlington
• House of Hop, 4B Houndgate, Darlington
• ORB Micropub, at 28 Coniscliffe Road, Darlington
• The Bay Horse, at 45 The Green, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington
• The Bay Horse Inn, at 28 West Green, Heighington Village, Newton Aycliffe
• The Bay Horse Middridge, in 42 South Side, Middridge, Newton Aycliffe
• The Copper Mine, in 26 Job’s Hill Bank, Crook
• The Fox & Hounds Neasham, in 24 Tessway, Neasham, Darlington
• The Slaters Arms, in 50 Bondgate, Darlington

Recommended:

• Voting is now open to find The Northern Echo's Best Pub 2024

Get more content including the stories that matter to your community from The Northern Echo.

Voting is now open, and we'll be featuring each of the pubs over the next ten days so we can learn more about what makes each one so popular - so keep your eyes peeled.

You can vote for your ‘Best Pub 2024’ by picking up copies of The Northern Echo in the following days as we profile all the lucky finalists.