Built in 1859, The Strawberry has provided booze and joy to Geordies all around for over 160 years.
Located across the road from the beloved St James’ Park, its safe to say that non-Newcastle fans are not welcome here.
The journey up to the pub could be considered a form of pathetic fallacy, as the rain came crashing down all the way there, which symbolised what would be a disappointing night of football.
Upon entering, The Strawberry’s walls were littered with Newcastle United memorabilia, Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer’s faces could be seen on nearly every surface within the pub.
Even the toilets had NUFC relics plastered above the urinals, whilst also having the Strawberry’s logo on one of the toilet seats.
The pubs architecture had a somewhat retro look about it, through its mahogany tables and bannisters paired with the old football jerseys that were scattered about the place.
Unusually, they also had a Star Wars pinball machine downstairs, just to prepare for people who have a real craving for an intense pinball game on Naboo before the match starts.
Hats, scarves and other merchandise made by The Strawberry can also be bought, just in case you want a souvenir from this famous spot.
The pub also had an upstairs seating area to watch the game called ‘The Terrace’, which was where the atmosphere was most lively on the night.
The pint of choice for this game was the ‘Tynside Blonde’ pale ale (£4.30). Which although it looked like it had been scooped up from one of the thousands of muddy puddles outside; it had a surprisingly sweet flavour and was overall a tasty beverage.
The matchday covered when visiting this pub was Newcastle vs Everton on Thursday 7th December. Everton and Newcastle fans have had a recent feud over which club is the biggest, so it was sure to have an electric atmosphere.
In truth, the pub was emptier than had been expected. But chants were still being sung by the ‘Toon Faithful’ as they eagerly awaited the upcoming match. If you’re a Newcastle fan and you watched the match, then you’re probably reading this through teary eyes as you know what’s about to come.
Everton dominated Newcastle for the majority of the game, with the Magpies only having a handful of chances throughout the 90 minutes. Two mistakes from fan favourite Kieran Trippier, led to a pair of goals being scored by Everton in the 79th and 86th minute by McNeil and Doucoure.
However, the passion never wavered by fans in The Strawberry, as one supporter optimistically shouted in the 87th minute
‘Haway lads, make it 3-2 come on!’.
Unfortunately, the enthusiasm shown by fans in The Strawberry was not reciprocated on the pitch by the Newcastle players, as Everton striker Beto made it 3-0 in the 96th minute.
As the game finished fans were understandably disappointed with the result as heartfelt cries of ‘inconsistency’ and ‘Trippier’s crap’ echoed throughout the pub. But as they began to calm down the Newcastle supporters became upbeat and started looking forward to the next game, in the hopes of bouncing back after this tough loss.
Overall, The Strawberry’s atmosphere didn’t match its reputation in terms of the number of fans who visit on matchdays. However, this may be due to the game being away at Goodison park instead of at St James’ Park, which encourages more people to watch the game from the comfort of their own homes. But, from the fans that were present, its clear to see that the pub would be much louder for a big matchday taking place in Newcastle.
The pub’s audience was also older than the previous pubs that have been reviewed by NUFC Pub Trips, but that shouldn’t discourage younger people from visiting this popular place.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 6/10
Drinks Prices: 6.5/10
Seating: 9/10
Service: 7/10
Danger (Higher= Safer): 5/10
Safe to take an away fan (Higher= Safer): 0/10
Overall: 5.6/10 (If you’re a Sunderland fan)
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