The Blackbird wins big at North East Tourism Awards

The historic North East venue The Blackbird are celebrating after winning a top accolade at a prestigious awards ceremony.

The Blackbird on Ponteland Road was named Pub of the Year by the North East England Tourism Awards, with the venue judged highly for its quality service and al fresco offering.

Accolades for the Pub of the Year were also presented to The Blackbird in praise of how they adapted to problems of the pandemic.

The pub has since expanded its outdoor area to welcome a new, permanent outdoor tipi and street food kitchen along with a takeaway service that was introduced over lockdown.

Takeaway services from the Blackbird included a series of themed event boxes for diners to enjoy from the comfort of their own home.

Stuart Young of the Northumberland Pub Company, which operates the Blackbird, was delighted to be recognised by such a respected awards body.

He said: “We are over the moon to be named Pub of the Year at the North East England Tourism Awards.

“This award is a testament to the hard work of our whole team, who pride themselves on going above and beyond and delivering the best possible experience for our visitors.

“A great pub would be nothing without great customers to fill it and we are very grateful to everyone who has stopped by to support us by drinking and dining with us over the last seven years.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to know that all of our hard work during the challenges of the last few years have paid off and we couldn’t be prouder to become an award-winning venue.”

The Blackbird offers a changing seasonal menu featuring locally sourced ingredients wherever possible and is also available to book for events and special occasions.