Washington's The Courtyard bar celebrates 20 years of featuring in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide

A popular Wearside bar has been given a special award to mark its 20th consecutive entry in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide.
By Tony Gillan
Published 29th Sep 2023, 12:21 BST
Updated 29th Sep 2023, 14:09 BST
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The 2024 edition of the annually published “drinker’s bible” is the 51st. Each of the last 20 has included The Courtyard in Arts Centre Washington on Biddick Lane.

Entries are selected by local CAMRA branches whose volunteers visit eligible pubs throughout the year to check on the beer quality.

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The Courtyard has eight handpull beers available at any one time, plus two real ciders. The bar has a policy of concentrating on small breweries, mainly from the North East and including Maxim and Darwin.

Ian Montieth-Preston of CAMRA presents Martin Thompson of The Courtyard Cafe Bar at Arts Centre Washington with a certificate marking 20 successive years in the Good Pub Guide. Sunderland Echo image.Ian Montieth-Preston of CAMRA presents Martin Thompson of The Courtyard Cafe Bar at Arts Centre Washington with a certificate marking 20 successive years in the Good Pub Guide. Sunderland Echo image.
Ian Montieth-Preston of CAMRA presents Martin Thompson of The Courtyard Cafe Bar at Arts Centre Washington with a certificate marking 20 successive years in the Good Pub Guide. Sunderland Echo image.

The pub hosts two popular beer festivals over the Easter and August bank holidays. It serves meals daily and is leased from Sunderland City Council to support the arts centre. It has been run by licensee Martin Thompson throughout its two decades in The Good Beer Guide.

The guide says: “This light and airy cafe/bar is located in the Washington Arts Centre offers a warm welcome to drinkers and food lovers alike.”

A delighted Martin Thompson said: “When I came here 20 years ago we had two handpulls serving national beers. I put a third pump in to try to get some interest in smaller local brewers. Over the years that grew to eight pumps.

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“I can source the beers, bring in something different and quirky for people to try and move away from the national brewers and support the smaller ones.

Ian Montieth-Preston of CAMRA (right) with Martin Thompson of The Courtyard Cafe Bar at Arts Centre Washington, celebrating the pub's 20 successive years in the Good Pub Guide. Sunderland Echo image.Ian Montieth-Preston of CAMRA (right) with Martin Thompson of The Courtyard Cafe Bar at Arts Centre Washington, celebrating the pub's 20 successive years in the Good Pub Guide. Sunderland Echo image.
Ian Montieth-Preston of CAMRA (right) with Martin Thompson of The Courtyard Cafe Bar at Arts Centre Washington, celebrating the pub's 20 successive years in the Good Pub Guide. Sunderland Echo image.

"I do all I can to help that and make sure the beer’s good to sell. But the level of success is down to the customers really; without them the quality beer wouldn’t be there.

“It’s a constant rotation of the handpulls. We don’t have any house beers and stay away from national brewers as much as we can.

“We thank all our customers who support us. Long may it continue.”

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The Sunderland and nearby pubs in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2024
The Courtyard is leased from Sunderland City Council to support Arts Centre Washington. Sunderland Echo image.The Courtyard is leased from Sunderland City Council to support Arts Centre Washington. Sunderland Echo image.
The Courtyard is leased from Sunderland City Council to support Arts Centre Washington. Sunderland Echo image.

Twenty-two bars in and around Sunderland are listed. They are: Sunderland: Chesters, Dun Cow, Fitzgerald’s, Ivy House, Peacock, Ship Isis, Guide Post, Avenue, Harbour View, Lighthouse. Washington: Courtyard, Steps, Sir William de Wessyngton.

East Boldon: Grey Horse, Mid Boldon Club. West Boldon: Black Horse. Whitburn: Blues Micropub. Seaham: Hat & Feather, Coalhouse. Seaton: Dun Cow. Leamside: Three Horseshoes. Shotton: Royal George.

Related topics:WashingtonCAMRA