Blacksmiths Arms in County Durham

A hidden gem of a pub. We were recommended by a friend to seek out this place just off the main road between the Eden Arms Roundabout and Newton Aycliffe. Good friendly staff. Food was lovely .Little Jill had the Pie of the day, Chicken and Ham, I had the Gammon. Both were really lovely. The only gripe i had was the overflowing wall mounted cigarette bin at the main door it was unsightly and off putting to us non smokers. Maybe move it or empty it more often. Only a little gripe and will not put us off returning.

Unimpressed. Although there were few diners, we were sat at an uncomfortable table (sewing desk) on poor chairs in a nasty position. Waitress was surly and not particularly helpful. Bar lad was in dire need of training and bordered on rude. Food was mediocre with the beef and vegetables overcooked and the Yorkshire rubbery. Would not set foot in this establishment again, far better options available.

No veggie option for Sunday lunch sorry there was one, Sunday lunch without the meat. So daughter asked if she could have an extra pudding. At time of payment she has been charged for a full lunch (with meat). and 50p extra for a pudding! This is not good, I expected better when I recommend you.

OUTSTANDING FOOD!! 5/5 Food portions were so generous and tasted incredible! 2 meals off the menu and 1 special. Trust the staff they know what to recommend!! Service was friendly and so welcoming.

New years eve meal. 1st time here and I will definitely be going back soon. The place had a lovely homely feel, the ambience was just right. The food was impeccable, extremely tasty and just the right amount. Definitely in my top 10...probably #1 to be honest.

This is our second visit to Hammer and Pincers and won’t be our last. Warm, welcoming and hospitable, semi rural location but still nice and close to home. The atmosphere is calm and cosy but most of all the food is sooooo bloody good! We both had fish and chips this time and they are the best we’ve had in a restaurant setting. Dessert was spiced winter berry eton mess and it was unreal! Definitely a regular spot for us in future.

Could not believe it was almost empty for a Saturday night. Not the way i remember it when the past folk owned it. The food was poorly presented and very bland. no salad no vegetable. New owners in the New Year, they will have to pull out all the stops to bring it back to its Glory Days.

Happy to see this great pub still serving food whilst awaiting new owners. Food is as good as ever, though a little pricey for the NE. But you get what you pay for and we will definitely be returning

Had a fab weekend here with the northern bygones. Good caravan site, clean and tidy. Fabulous meals in the pub. Thank you

I've been here a couple of times with my family now and note their consistent quality of food. Service: This is good, prompt, and feels quite personable. More your local feel to it, like you're an old friend than a customer. Location: The location is nice, and the grounds are okay. The parking can be a little tight when it is busy. Food: Consistently of good quality. The fixed menus are also good with plenty of decent options. My wife had steak, and I've had the Chicken Parma at least twice. The pigs in blankets are delicious, but the side salad looks and tastes like they're dragged straight out of a packet. Desert is also of a good quality. Price: Not too steep if going for the fixed menu. The drinks are extremely expensive, so if you want more than one beverage, prepare to feel the sting in your wallet. Summary: This place is currently undergoing a change of ownership. This could be a good or bad thing dependent on the vision and attention of the new owners. At present, the food is good, the service is also good, hence our repeat custom. We also considered this place for a wedding function, although revising the area, they'll need to invest to give the grounds and external tent some TLC.

Visited the Hammer and pinces today for family Sunday lunch, lovely food in clean and pleasant surroundings with friendly and pleasant staff.

We visited the Hammer & Pincers for a Wedding and stayed the night in our camper. The Wedding day/night was fantastic, the staff worked extremely hard, were polite and professional and the camping area was clean & had everything we needed. We had planned to stay for Sunday lunch but unfortunately had to change our plans. The kitchen staff were very accommodating and gave us a take away instead. Thank you for everything.

What a beautiful restaurant on our door step The food was lovely the staff are nice They couldn't make you feel anymore welcome The food is well presented and very tasty

My daughter and I were travelling north and broke the journey at a nearby Inn. We did not want to eat on site, so googled places nearby. This pub was just down the road so we popped in. The staff gave us a warm welcome and, despite not having a reservation, were happy to find us a table. The food was fresh, delicious and very reasonably priced. Would definitely visit again if in the area.

Had catch up with a friend & we where so busy chatting that hadn't looked at menu whe the lovely waitress came to take order her reply was no rush girls which was nice. We both choose pie of the day steak & ale. Very nicely presented individual made pies. Chips came in small fryer basket, peas in a bowl & a gravey boat. Freshly cooked, hot & tasty. Well worth the wait.

What a lovely place, with such friendly, polite staff that genuinely want to give you a good service, which is so rare these days. I rang a couple of days prior to book and told them I was vegan and they catered a vegan roast for me which I was over the moon with. I could tell they were struggling to get us booked in as a party of 6 due to other large tables, but nothing was a problem to them and they sorted us a table out on short notice. Food was lovely. No complaints from us and we will definitely return. Thinks parmos were eyed up for the next visit!

Only one word to describe this Pub Campsite “Grim”. Booked our campervan in for two nights for a pitch with EHU in November at £28 per night. At this price I expect a high quality pitch. Our hard standing pitch was small and surrounded by mud. We also discovered that a busy train line passes right through the bottom of the site which adds to the noise already generated by the nearby A1. The facilities were disgusting and should really be condemned (see pictures) We decided that we would only stay 1 night and left early the next morning. Sadly there was no one available to raise our concerns. Avoid!

Had a fantastic lunch with my 2 aunts. Not just the usual pub or the usual service or staff. Ben is a great front of house with a lovely engaging manner. The fish Friday specials were outstanding...especially the fried crispy skinned salmon with smoked salmon mash and crayfish sauce. Yum. Cannot recommend highly enough!

One of the best places to eat in the north … can’t recommend The Hammers highly enough. The staff are amazing, helpful, friendly. The chefs are outstanding. I eat here a lot, with my husband, my family and with friends. Never had a bad meal and their parmos are fantastic. If you’ve not had a parmo before then this is the place to try one and they can’t be beaten! The atmosphere is always cosy and friendly too.

Went here with good friends, lovely atmosphere and amazing food. Service was fast and very friendly. They even have little homemade jams etc for sale. Would defo recommend

Since calling up 15 minutes before to leaving the door the service was amazing. A happy hardworking team that know what they are doing, Liz Truss should come and do some Work Experience here to see how a joined up team work hard together to...

Fab, fab, fab Sunday Lunch. Food excellent, service impeccable! We were made to feel very welcome as was our little dog, Lyndy. Thankyou so much to Rachel and her team. 👩‍🍳🥂😍🥰

Went for family meal July 16th 2022, 7 adults and one child, menu was terrible and food was shocking.

Had a wedding lunch here wedding was small and intimate staff were absolutely fabulous. Food was delicious nothing to much trouble made the day very special exactly as the bride and groom wanted. Five stars is not enough for the hospitality given.

We have visited a few times now and the service has always been good and Ben is always very pleasant! The deal on a Wednesday is fab and the food is lovely.

Visited recently. Sorry to say very disappointed in actual portion of meat which was 1 very small slice of pork. Yorkshire pudding was cold and there was only 2 tiny pieces of broccoli to share in small bowl of veg. Must say however service is...

Great staff, lovely food and friendly atmosphere, a warm welcome and nothing is too much trouble, highly recommed a visit.

Will not be returning or recommending to anyone, starters were okay but nothing special, mains were extremely disappointing steak was tough and tasteless and peppercorn sauce was very watery, the steak pie was clearly shop bought, very small, thick pastry and very little meat inside,...

Stayed in the caravan park and went for a couple of drinks on the first night with the dog which was very good, the next day left the dog and went for a relaxing meal which was lovely but very filling, next time no starters,...

What a gem of a place! First class customer service, welcoming and lovely ambience and the food was excellent- good quality and well priced. Recommend the green lentil and vegetable lasagna, the fish and chips were some of the best and the burgers were perfect....

The most adorable restaurant with a lovely ambience in a wonderful setting. A true hidden gem. We were greeted on arrival by the friendliest lady and the service was absolutely faultless, so attentive throughout. Every course was an absolute delight - the pork cheek being...

We had the absolute pleasure of visiting the Hammer and Pincers as we were staying at the Premier Inn down the down in Newton Aycliffe. What can we say, from arrival to leaving we had an exceptional experience. The staff were really friendly and attentive,...

My wife, son and I were staying overnight at a nearby Premier Inn, prior to our son taking part in the Great North Run on the following day. We booked a table in the restaurant at very short notice, our son's telephone booking being noted...

Booked the camp site for 3 nights only stayed one very disappointed dirty toilets and showers ,terrible smell coming from the refuse area nobody to be seen to complain to will definitely not be going back , not sure why they have a camp site...

Came here to meet friends and have a meal …. And we’re not disappointed! Not only was the food fabulous - but nothing was too much trouble for the amazing staff. They were so welcoming and funny. Thank you to everyone involved.

Shocking site, used as a stop gap on our way home from holiday. Rang to book a table at the pub for food on the night of our stay and was told the pub was closed due to staff shortages so was disappointed with that,...

We stayed at the small camp area at back of this pub.. While here we decided too have a meal.. Absolute superb quality.!!! We chose chicken, in a garlic & cream sauce, with home made chips.. And it was delicious.. The selection of mains has...

2nd time at this lovely pub for sunday lunch ... generous portions...all homemade, attentive service.. great atmosphere...Adhering to all guidleines.. so worth a visit

Unfortunately the regulars at this site think it is ok to be extremely noisy late into the night with no regards for others will not return

On the way to the Northumberland, we stopped over for a couple of nights to break up the journey. Caravan site is directly behind the pub with barrier access up a slight slope, site is open and flat, pitches well spaced. Toilets not the best...

Pleasant friendly staff, both our meals were excellent and wouldn't hesitate to come again, the specials are £20 plus drinks free

This was our first meal here and it didn’t disappoint. We will definitely be back! The service was welcoming, friendly and efficient. We had starters, mains and dessert - every course was timely and delicious. The early bird special and steak night offers also made...

We really enjoy visiting this place for Sunday Lunch. The food is always delicious and the staff are very friendly. Would definitely recommend it.

Had a 3 course meal here with my husband this is evening, food was beautiful, staff were very helpful and the restaurant had a lovely atmosphere. From the service on the phone to the goodbye when we were leaving the whole experience was brilliant. The...

This is my favourite watering hole and never fails to please. I have brought visitors from Russia here who were mightily impressed with the Corned Beef Pie!! Others who I have brought here and been equally impressed with whatever took their fancy. The staff are...

Very cozy and welcoming, we had a lovely 2 course meal and it was faultless, nicely presented and very enjoyable. Will definitely be returning.

Had lunch with family prior to booking a wedding here. I can't begin to explain how helpful and attentive every single member of staff was. The whole place is beautifully decorated . Well done Racheal and team x

Honest food at honest prices. Decor a little dated but a homely feel and the staff are excellent as is their gluten free menu. Keep up the hood work

Wonderful little pub with very friendly staff. Great menu choice and everything I had was well presented and delicious. The campsite at the rear is a great addition with a view of the east coast main line.

I rang on Friday to book for Sunday lunch. The person who answered the call was very polite, pleasant and helpful. He made a note to get us seated at the area we prefer. On arriving with our friends we were immediately taken to our table and a pleasant waitress took the order for our drinks which arrived within a few minutes. The order for starters was taken and served very efficiently followed by the main meal and then desserts. We all enjoyed our meals and the efficient service we experienced. The new fire place looks lovely too. We had a very relaxing and enjoyable lunch. Thank you for your courtesy. Katsambis.

We had our family lunch here again and again it was very well prepared and served by friendly staff -----every part of the meal was enjoyed by all of us-----never fail to provide good home cooked food-----

We found that the food was very good the staff were very friendly, but best of all it's very nicely set up would strongly recommend

Food was absolutely gorgeous, staff were so friendly and helpful... lovely cozy pub and restaurant, I would highly recommend this to both couples and families .... will definitely go again and again

Booked a table here with friends for lunch .The staff are so pleasant , nothing was too much trouble Eve the restaurant manager was so nice and helpful. Very chatty but not intrusive. Starters were a little small I thought but the main course was hot , tasty and reasonably priced. Puddings were to die for asked for extra custard and got it. Friends said it was a lovely meal , set them up for their journey home to Yorkshire.

My wife and I called in yesterday to pay the balance on a Christmas menu and decided to have lunch. A young guy who was the waiter pointed out that we could have a lunch for £5 each from the golden years menu which was on a blackboard. The only criteria was we had to be 60 years and over in age which we were so we decided to go for it. Both ordered Scampi that came with chips, salad and coleslaw and I have to say what great value it was. The waiter was really friendly and made us feel very welcome, and even talked me into having a treacle sponge with custard for an extra £3. It was lovely and light and my wife had a cappacino coffee which she said was the hottest she had ever had.

Great venue for a large family celebration, especially if you want to please vegans / foodies / oldies. Menu matches diverse needs and the staff are extremely helpful. Also not that expensive and you don't have too do the washing up later!

We haven’t visited here before, and we called in on our way home, and the staff were very friendly and helpful, and accommodated our party of 7 at short notice. The food was lovely, and as a vegetarian, the options were good, which isn’t too common! There was 4 adults and 3 children in the group, and zero complaints! The food was all delicious, and everyone’s tummy was full. Great value too, at £85 for 7 meals, 4 desserts and drinks! Will definitely be back!

Top notch. Lovely warm welcome. Good selection of beers and wine. Very good menu. Lots of choice but not too much to be worried it won't be fresh. Black pudding and haggis croguettes with blue cheese sauce was amazing. Veg perfectly cooked. Nice bite and healthy amount of butter. Stuffed chick breast was divine. We're staying in the camper overnight. Simple booking, good sized pitch. Close to pub. 5 stars recommended.

We stayed on this site, on our way to Scotland in May 2019. Quiet site, clean and tidy. We ate in the Hammer and Pincers, the service and food were excellent.

A lovely Sunday roast, Good value for money, Great pint of beer, With really friendly service. What more do you need?

I visited The Hammer and Pincers with the family following a recommendation by a friend and we were really impressed! The food was great and the staff were lovely. We'll definitely be back!

This has certainly improved since my last visit. Staff friendly, great bar manager. One suggestion, miss the salad off hot meals and warm the plate instead. Girls chatting need hot food!!

The Hammer and Pinchers has been around for a while now from its previous incarnation and the Blacksmiths Arms. We have visited a number of times over the last few years and have had variable results. The last visit the food was good - but the prices are a little high for the location.

My family and I decided to stop here for dinner while traveling. We were refused service. So if you aren’t from the UK just keep going instead of taking a chance here.

Super friendly welcome. Great choice and lovely food. We have rediscovered this pub and love it. Excellent service, good atmosphere and reasonably priced food.

Keep well away from this place. Camped for three nights. These owners are happy to accept large groups playing Lound music until the early hours, also no concerns with them smoking dope, shouting and using abusive language towards my family . Electric hook up constantly going off so don't expect that to work either. Complaints made to owners that made no difference. Please think twice before going here.

We would like to say the biggest thank you the Rachel, Peter and all the staff for just the best weekend ever.

Not been here for a long time. Really warm friendly greeting from barman. Shown to our seats drinks order taken and brought to the table. Given time to read menu, order taken at table. Food arrived nicely presented and very nicely cooked and tasted lovely. Service very good, good value food home cooked food. Will be back.

This pub was recommended to us for lunch, it is a little off the beaten track and we would never have found it had we not be given directions and the post code.

Nice country pub, wasn't too busy but we ordered from standard menu tasty fish starter in a ramekin then I tried the typical parmo tasty too better half had the chicken Kiev all round quite good great bar man forget his name big guy very chatty only thing as we left was a special board and offers which we missed and nobody mentioned hopefully next time worth a visit

Went with colleagues as we were staying at the premier Inn nearby. Starter was prawn cocktail which was good value and tasted nice. Main was beef and Guinness pie again lovely with stilton mash and peas. Nice people very friendly.

My family and I have used this pub/restaurant for 50+ years and it has never failed to disappoint. I've lost count of the number of lunches and dinners we have eaten there over the years. The most recent event was one afternoon late May with 40+ family and friends to celebrate a significant birthday (one of those with a zero on the end!) and it was brilliant. The buffet was excellent and many of my guests commented to that effect. The current management team is relatively new but Rachel and her staff could not have done more for us.

This is now our favourite local by FAR!

After hearing so many good things about the site I thought I'd book it and give it a go. Just arrived back after our weekend and we are so disappointed for many reasons.

I was at my nieces wedding hear on Saturday 22 June 2019,what a fabulous place to hold a wedding.They had there reception in the large tents and in the grounds we watched a wonderful band jd and the woodsmen.The staff where amazing and never stopped all day providing us with the most wonderful canapes on the afternoon and drinks.Later on we had a hog roast.They had a fire pit outside so when it became cooler we could keep warm although we had brilliant weather.Woderful Day had bye all.

We called in here ,having booked a table at quite short notice, though it wasn’t actually busy - maybe as was later on a Tuesday evening. All five of us very much enjoyed our food. It was Grill night which was excellent value so three of us took this option . The others had corned beef pie which is genuine home made . There was a small mix up with a side dish on one meal but they couldn’t have done more to put it right . The guy who is the lead staff member, taking orders and checking on meals etc can be summed up in the word -ebullient . Makes you look forward to going back

Was here last night and hadn't been for a while , we had the early bird menu and food was delicious and absolutely piping hot , can I also say a big shout out to the barman I've forgotten his name who was so polite and made us feel at home , will definitely be back

Saw a family member get married on the weekend, and the staff go out of their way to make sure the wedding and celebrations are enjoyed throughout.

We were staying in the area and needed somewhere for a meal and came across this wonderful place,Food was amazing staff very pleasant,chap on the bar couldn't do enough for you.All and all lovely fine pub and if ever back in the area will be coming back

Lovely comfortable friendly and warm kind of sums it up and to top it off the food was delicious!! Nice portion sizes nothing is to much trouble cant fault the staff or the food looking forward to returning

Camped for their annual Forge festival, over all we had a great time, unfortunately we could get in to eat in the main pub as we hadn't booked so can't comment on the meals.

Me and my husband came for Sunday dinner and it was just awful. Chicken was cold and gravy was lumpy. Bad service and they stood around talking. Will definitely not be returning

Over the last few months this has become our favourite eaterie! Lovely country pub, with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. All the staff are lovely but Ben stands out. He is such an asset, what a character! Food is consistently very good and reasonably priced. Good choice available with the addition of nightly specials and a discounted early evening menu. Always busy and I notice it is exceptionally clean and well maintained. Looking forward to trying Sunday lunch here soon!

Visited with a large party on Mothers Day. Obviously a really busy day for all the staff but we were looked after really well especially by Ben. everyone enjoyed their meals and it made for a lovely day with the family

Went to the Hammer and Pincers for the first time in ages. Lunch was very nice, all home cooked, really enjoyed the meal. But more importantly the staff were great, very helpful and accommodating, small portions for older people that sort of thing. A good Sunday lunch we will definitely visit again, I would certainly recommend the place.

Daughter treated me for Mothers Day. Three course meal for £19.95. Great choice for each course. All I can say is that each course was well presented and so tasty. There were five of us and each could not fault the food. The staff were lovely. Will definitely be returning

Sunday lunch and pudding, best in the area by far. Home cooked, hot and tasty. Well set out , friendly helpful staff. Quite busy, but managed to be seated with 20 mins notice. You won’t be disappointed..

Popped in this lovely pub when we came upon it by accident. Only had a drink but the staff were very friendly and chatty. We looked at the menu and special boards although we was too late for lunch that day. They had some nice dishes on both at reasonable prices. The decor was lovely. They are only open at certain times and not open all day long.

Loverly staff, very clean, good varied menu, & plentiful amount of food, nice relaxed & informal atmosphere - definitely will go again

Nice find We decided on corned beef pie and a parmo. Food was hot and plentiful with home cooked chips. Not able to fault the service at all very attentive. Good prices also

We have been going to the Hammers for a few years now as we can walk it from Aycliffe Village so we get some exercise too :) it has certainly improved under new management . The food is very nice and big portions , the staff are always friendly and accommodating. But we have been very impressed with a young man called Ben the last 4 times we have visited . This young man is just lovely and cant do enough for you . He has a great up beat personality and is just a pleasure to be served by him , he really goes out of his way to make sure you enjoy your time at the pub even if its just for a drink :)

Excellent pub restaurant... great food and super table service from the waiter .. highly recommended. Staff here were so friendly and very attentive, definitely returning soon.

I’ve yet to have a disappointing meal here. My friend and I were VERY hungry and decided on starters, main and dessert! Starters were the duck pancakes which were amazing. Then mains were macaroni cheese which my friend asked to be modified, which they did without question, and she said it was perfect. I had root veg with beef in Guinness and celeriac mash! Oh my gosh it was Devine and I finished every last piece. We weren’t going to have dessert as we were so full but after a long chat we had room. I had the Hammers Tiramisu and my friend had sticky ginger pudding with salted caramel sauce. We were in heaven.

Family lunch for fifteen---very good food and service---and as usual enjoyed by all the family----second time we have had xmas lunch here and so highly delighted we have booked for xmas 2019

Went with a big group after the panto for Sunday lunch. Nice selection of roasts as well as couple if other dishes too. Good service all round with serving, happy to change a few bits and pieces to meet our needs with a smile. Young man serving was a gem, great with the kids and good humour too. Veg was nice and fresh and not mushy as can be sometimes later in a service, great Brussles!!! Brought extra.roasts, parsnips and yorkshires too. Didn't think would.manage a pud ... but we did, great sticky toffee and home made rice pudding . They found some chocolate fudge for some too,.great all round.

Went for my Sunday dinner the meal was very good service from all the staff great well worth a visit young and old

We were visiting this eating establishment again. As we have been there several times before we knew the main menu. The food came quickly and was good and hot.

Steak £10 on Tuesday plus specials menu. Food always tasty,good portion sizes. Not long waiting time unless very busy. Staff always friendly and helpful.

We went here mid week with friends. The decor and atmosphere is lovely and it is very clean. The staff are welcoming and able to discuss the menu confidently recommending dishes. They have a grill night on a Tuesday.

Disappointed. Live local so thought we'd give it a go. Starter mushrooms - the garlic sauce was just like stock, very runny which I've never had before the sauce has always been thick and creamy, mushrooms just say cooked also. My corned beef pie was like slop, very mushy, maybe too much potato so you couldnt actually taste corned beef however lovely chips! Pudding of ginger sponge with salted caramel was awful, we both had to leave as it just tasted like someone had dropped a whole load of salt in it. Good service but maybe a little over the top but may suit some. Nice and warm pub and clean but not for us, have had much better elsewhere, sorry guys.