Historic Sunderland pub reopens as The Tipsy Cow

Mark Adam and Debra Woods recently bought the City Tavern in Sunderland’s Bridge Street.

Ploughing tens of thousands of pounds into the venture, it is today re-opened as The Tipsy Cow.

The couple both have previous experience of working in bars and hope to attract those going out for meals in the popular Sunniside area of the city. Eight mostly part-time jobs have been created with the move.

Mark, 33, said: “There has been a pub here for a long time but it was really run down before.

“It was last properly refurbished in 1993 and it had a bit of a bad reputation before and we want to change that totally.

“The feedback we’ve had so far since we did a preview night has been amazing.”

Debra, 42, added: “It’s a massive improvement. We’ve not had one negative comment about the place.”

“We like the fact that it’s close to the city’s restaurants and the cinema. There’s a little bit of a circuit developing in this area of Sunderland and that’s why we’re opening up here.”

The Tipsy Cow name was thought up by Debra, with the bar having an “ale farm” theme, complete with barn doors.

Renowned Wearside artist Frank Styles has even been in to replicate the bar’s logo on its walls.

“The place was borderline derelict before so we had to gut it and start again,” added Mark.

“The only thing we have kept is the tiles so almost every inch has of the pub has been re-done.”

As well as specialising in gins and rums, the Tipsy Cow also offers its own real ale as well as Wearside favourite Double Maxim.

Mark and Debra also say they are looking into offering food with locally-sourced ingredients.

“We’re aiming really at couples who want to come and have a bottle of wine after or before they go to a meal,” said Debra.

“We’re trying to go for a different atmosphere, a more relaxed environment, rather than some of the other noisier places in town.

“Because we’re one of the closest pubs to the Wear Bridge, we still expect to be busy on match days and when events are on at the Stadium of Light, such as Rihanna.”

The Tipsy Cow is open from 11am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, from 11am to midnight on Friday and Saturday and from noon until 11pm on Sunday.