Newcastle’s iconic Tyne Bar on what makes the perfect pint

Where's the best place to have a pint in the UK? You don't even need to ask.

Newcastle is well-known for its thriving pub scene and the city was recently named the best spot in the country to get a pint.

The award was given by business researchers Bionic, who crunched the stats behind pub reviews to score cities across the UK.

It's no surprise that Newcastle came out top thanks to its independent bars, unique beers and plethora of options for locals.

One of the most popular and iconic Tyneside watering holes is Ouseburn's Tyne Bar and NewcastleWorld.com went along to find out the secrets behind pub success in the city.

The Tyne Bar has sat proudly on the banks of the River Tyne since 1994, where it opened after a colourful history as The Ship Tavern and even as a brothel in the 1960s.

It's been all change since then and now the bar is cherished by locals for championing independent beer in a unique environment.

Tyne Bar manager Hollie said: "I think the great environment is mainly due to the other pubs in the area.

"We are all individual but all help each other out, doing events together for instance. Other businesses opening down in Ouseburn and the pop-up restaurants have helped us as well. It's nice being out of the centre of town too, it's a different vibe."

Even when it first opened, Hollie admits that the Tyne Bar has endured periods as a "rough place" - she references an infamous brawl that once happened on the hill outside the bar.

That hill is now, unsurprisingly, closed and it's a much different atmosphere at the bar.

Hollie said: "We have a lot of regulars down here which is great. We get a lot of tourists and students here too, but not loads - it's people who find out about us and keep coming back. We get people coming down before and after going to The Cluny too."

Part of Bionic's scoring system included commending bars that used independent breweries, something the Tyne Bar now holds at its core.

Hollie said: "In town, you'll often get the Carlsberg, Fosters, Carling... we do things a bit different in Ouseburn.

"I like to get hold of different beers and use local breweries too... it's best to support local breweries. We try and get world bottled beers in too.

"It makes people try things. When I first started putting on these different beers it was quite hard to sell them but now we've got a good reputation for it."

Finally, NewcastleWorld.com asks the manager what it is that makes that perfect pint the city is renowned for.

Hollie said: "There's a lot of things. It's down to glassware, cleanliness, keeping the beers fresh, cleaning the lines every week and presentation. "You've got to have a good seller mentality with it all too... a lot to keep in mind!"