Slaters Arms in Darlington has been nominated by customers in The Northern Echo's best pub competition.

The sports pub on Bondgate is one of the town's "historic institutions", and has a group of loyal regulars who enjoy the traditional atmosphere, spacious beer garden, and a plentiful selection of live sport. 

John Wilson has been the landlord at the Slaters Arms for 15 years, and has a strong trade from loyal customers, as well as from popular bank holiday events. 

Though it is predominantly a racing pub, it screens a variety different sports - and is filled with football racing and boxing memorabilia. 

For landlord John, being nominated for the Echo's best pub award "doesn't really bother [him]", as trade is good with and without promotion - but he is glad customers think so much of the venue. 

John said: "Every bank holiday we open it all up, even the car park, and have a few bands on - it's usually packed out."

The next event will be on the August bank holiday weekend, with two bands playing. 

The beer garden - which was converted during Covid so that the pub could still trade when some restrictions were still in place - is the establishment's crowning glory, and John is expecting plenty of people to turn out for upcoming events. 

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The full list of our finalists are here:

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

You can vote for your ‘Best Pub 2024’ by picking up copies of The Northern Echo, and filling out the 'Best Pubs' form.