Revealed: The lost pubs of Sunderland which you loved most

We posted a photograph of The Fort on social media and asked you all to name your own favourite hostelries from times gone by.

The response was enormous.

An impressive 43,000 of you got involved and hundreds came up with the pubs they loved and missed.

Keith Wood reckoned the Brewery Tap was the best and called its demise an “unnecessary demolition of a great old Sunderland pub.”

But he also highlighted others such as the Argo Frigate, the Aquatic Arms, the Grand Hotel foyer bar, the Imperial Vaults and the Caledonian, Theatre Tavern and the Bridge Hotel.

Colleen Curran joined in the debate and said there were “Quite a few” to recall such as Liberty’s, Gillespies, harleys, brogans, slys. She added: “The good old days... Also flares was a canny night.”

The Upper Deck was mentioned by numerous people including Julie Holmes Parr who also highlighted the “Black bull, old twenty nine, painted wagon, finos and upper deck best years ever and oh god fusion the best ever !!!! Cxx”

Peter Napier said: “The brewery tap,impy vaults,digbys,continental,and especially the old 29,the Londonderry,the upper deck,5th avenue,Marlowe’s”

Neil Casey said: “The Upper Deck (now the bridges) nice little pub where you could drink outside and watch the shopper’s below, before the glass roof was installed.”

And the comments kept on coming.

Others included;

Jan Foley: “Deffo the Old 29, black bull and as for nightclubs loved the Vestry and crashing the La Strada just to upset the more mature crowd.”

Brenda Robson: “Digbys!!! Had some of the best times of my life in there!!!”

Tony ‘Foz’ Foster: “The old 29, upper deck, the blanford and the beer was lovely in the brewery tap.”

Carol Stoker: “The continental, vestry , beehive, the Greens , Black Bull ,”

Courtney Begg: “The underground ku flares annebells boulevard brogans pzzazz.”

Tovix Trovix issued a challenge and said: “I would Love a vote by the echo to name the best lost pub in sunderland we can all name loads but let’s pick the top 5 so come on echo do a vote please.”

We love a challenge and watch this space!

In the meantime, more suggestions poured in including The Bay Hotel from Paul Webster.

Kenny Ashton referred back to our original photo of The Fort and said: “Met the wife in The Fort when I was doing Karaoke in there so that has to be the one for me.”

Others to come forward were;

Tarith Lawrence: “Annabels, slys, marlowes, digbys, finos, boulevard, gillespies, gossips, chambers.”

Martin Ellwood: “Roker baths road has lost 2 legends The Red Lion & now The Fort match days never be the same

David Bray: “I loved the pilot cutter down Roker the atmosphere on match days was great had a juke box with proper rock songs a pub with real carachter.”

Tom Booth: “Mowbray bar or Toppers as it was called, great first call on a weekend. Blueberries, great tunes from the Dj.”

Mark Kennedy: “I know it’s not a pub but Chambers Nightclub was the boyo.”

Shaun Orrell Henson: “Londondery was good in its day old 29 .boulivard...digbys....5th avenue.”

Leslie Coburn: “Old 29 was the best continental, imperial vaults, Borough, beehive, trax best night club Barbary coast.”

Ian Waller: “Got to be the Upper Deck.”

John Pallas: “Fusion. Londonderry. Upper Deck. Old 29.”

Ian Murtha: “Old 29, Gannett and The Vestry to name but a few...”

David Major: “Gillespies... only cos I worked there. ......”

Ian William Tudberry: “The Bay and The Brewery Tap.”

Thanks to everyone who took time to give us their responses.

If you have more favourites, email [email protected]