The Good Beer Guide 2025 by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has officially been released this week, with a total of 179 pubs in the North East published in the latest addition.

In the annual guide, there are 31 new pubs (out of more than 900 UK-wide) from the region included, located in County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.

The popular beer and pub guide is celebrating its 52nd edition with not one but two covers featuring two of the UK’s favourite locals: Coronation Street’s Rovers Return Inn and Emmerdale’s Woolpack.

Iain Macleod, ITV’s executive producer for continuing drama has written the guide's foreword, which says: "...the story which threatened one of our pubs the most was also the one which most resonated with our times. In 2023, the Rovers Return closed its doors. A combination of the lingering legacy of the Covid lockdowns and the cost-of-living crisis meant that landlady Jenny Bradley couldn’t afford to keep it open. The characters – and the viewers – lamented the news like the loss of a loved one. If it were needed, it was a timely reminder of the central place the nation’s pubs have in our lives and in our affections.”  

The Good Beer Guide, which lists 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK aims to help those seeking the best pints in the nation’s pubs (and it’s on sale now).

Information in the guide is collated by thousands of CAMRA volunteers who give up their time every year to select the best of the best across the UK.

How many North East pubs are included in Good Beer Guide 2025?

County Durham – 80 (four new pub entries)

These include the likes of the Old Well Inn located at Barnard Castle, the Bay Horse in Bishop Auckland and the Frog and Ferret in Spennymoor.

Northumberland – 40 (13 new pub entries)

These include the likes of Harry’s Bar in Alnwick and Castle Inn, Bamburgh.

Tyne and Wear – 59 (14 new pub entries)

These include the likes of Microbus in Gateshead, Bacchus in Newcastle city centre and the Bridge Tavern in Newcastle Quayside.

You can see the full list of North East pubs in this year’s Good Beer Guide.

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CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins commented: “The Rovers Return Inn and the Woolpack represent the UK’s love of their local, and to have them featured on the covers for this year’s Guide is very exciting.

“CAMRA’s mission is to ensure support from the Government as well as tangible legislation to protect pubs in this country.

“By next year’s edition of the Guide, we want to be talking about the beer and pub trade growing with the support of communities and parliament alike.”   

The Good Beer Guide 2025 was published on September 26, 2024.