Tap and Spile in Northumberland

This is a pub that understands how to look after and serve real ale. Always an excellent, ever changing selection. Friendly staff make it a great local. Could be improved with light bar snacks. Often have good live music.

A brooding den filled with a coven of self-loathing alcoholics. It will be difficult to turn this business around until this lot either drink themselves to death or move on to spoil another pub. However, the Tap and Spile has a long history of managers who seem to actually like this kind of clientele, and while it has repeatably been driven into the ground through poor management it seems to spring back up in its inevitably poisonous form. The Tap & Spile exists to show that you can live right by the banks of the Tyne and not be a Tynesider!

After a great night out for a meal in Hexham our family group visited The Victorian Tap for a nightcap. Two of the party wanted lager, and one a glass of wine. I wanted a pint of real ale, similar to a ‘traditional’ bitter. The barman told me there was no such thing anymore and I would have to explain which tasting notes I wanted. As the pointless discussion dragged on I ordered a Guinness and left him to his esoteric ramblings. Hopeless.

Absolute gem of a boozer ! Gary and Simone are the most lovely couple , great staff and great customers who are so friendly! Felt at home at the min we walked in! In my humble best pub in Hexham The kind of ol school boozer where you walk in a stranger walk out a friend ! See yall soon x

Poor custodian’s, what a lovely pub spoilt by people who don’t have a clue. Visited for a quiet pint after seeing some lovely sites in hexham and I was treat like a person of no interest, a sign outside said Gary and Sim welcome you, well I didn’t get that welcome, it was grumpy all the way. I recommend the Globe, at least they are polite

what a cracking little boozer this is. the owners said that they had just re opened after being shut for some time. i hope it works out for them, as its a lovely pub, they have a great selection of ales & all in tip top condition. we will be back!

Visited the Tap after not having been there for a long time and was very pleased we did. We found it a lovely friendly place and both landlord and landlady made us very welcome. I ordered a port and lemon which I haven't had for many a year(don't think the landlord had served one for a many of year) lt was as good as I remember. The others had beer which they also said was good. We sat in the corner beside the log burner and on a cold day found it really cosy and homely. A visit to the ladies found hand cream, hair spray,deodorant, wipes,etc,etc all for customers use free of charge. Overall this was a very friendly place and worth a visit.

We were visiting Hexham and wanted a pint and a snack. We found the Tap and Spile run by Gary and Sim who are very friendly and helpful. There is a good choice of beers, which are well kept. The snacks are all homemade. The pork pie, which was made that day was prize winning in our opinion. They also have 'jumbo' sausage roll, samosa, and scotch eggs which are - plain, black pudding or sweet chilii. There are also nuts, crisps and olives. We enjoyed our first visit so much we returned the next day. There are also live music and quiz nights according to the black boards.

We called in to get out of the rain and we’re really pleased we did. A good choice of beer, pork pie, home made sausage rolls and scotch eggs and a friendly and helpful landlord. While we were there another customer asked if they had anything sweet like a bar of chocolate. She was told unfortunately they didn’t sell sweet snacks. 5 minutes later the landlady appeared and gave her a piece of homemade chocolate cake that she had upstairs. Lovely hosts. Wish them lots of luck in their new pub.

Friendly and knowledgable bar staff. Quality beer and wine. Stopped off for a drink before going for an evening meal. Good selection of beer and wine. It was quiet at 6.15pm but still a friendly atmosphere. A nice find in Hexham.

Popped in with my other half for a pint on a visit to Hexham after visiting Vindolanda. One of the best pints I have had in a long time!!!! I always appreciate good line cleaning and the effort it takes to keep a good bar. Will definitely visit again and really lovely couple of lads that served us. Thank you.

Cracking little pub, great selection of ales friendly welcome, wish we had a tap and Spile back home!

It's great to have the Tap back - newly re-opened and a nice refurbishment. Bar very attractive with excellent range of interesting beers. New tenant is very nice and knows her trade. Nice, cosy atmosphere- much much nicer than before its period of closure. Well recommended.

Fab pub, has been newly refurbished and is looking fantastic. Super friendly staff, great selection of drinks and a generally chilled out and welcoming feel to the place. Called in for drinks prior to eating out, we were impressed with the renovations and the beers and spirits on offer were really impressive. Staff were super helpful and friendly. We will defo be back soon.

Whilst my wife went shopping I called in with the dog for a pleasant hour in the bar. There was a nice friendly atmosphere with a good range of beers.

This used to have great real ale and was a lovely local. Great on a winters day with the fire roaring. It no longer seems to be open during the week - what a waste!

Called in as a group of six for a few drinks at about 5pm on a Thursday evening It has been a number of years since I was last here and we made the visit based on my recommendation as to how I knew it used to be ...... a friendly ,popular and good local pub offering a selection of real ales and a homely atmosphere.How things have changed . On arrival there were three other customers in the entire pub so no atmosphere at all. Staff had stuck ‘out’ labels on at least six of the drought beers and lagers they were purporting to be selling so the choice became very limited. When asked why so few beers were available we were given some waffle regarding issues with the cellar . So in essence about three beers/ lagers available which when you consider its the festive season is simply not acceptable The bar also had no snacks available ( crisps nuts etc ) and incredibly were only accepting cash payments as they had no card facilities available Saying that the beer we did have was reasonable in itself and not overly expensive Needless to say we didn’t stay long as there are plenty other pubs in the town centre So unless the management get their act together I do something to provide a service to the customers I would suggest steering clear of this establishment at look at others nearby We certainly won’t be returning anytime soon unless there is a significant improvement

We have not visited here since the new landlords took over. We arrived here about 8.30 with friends and expected to spend the rest of the night here with lots of Christmas cheer and banter. But this was not the case they called last orders at 9.30. ARE YOU JOKING????? This was Christmas eve when the general public go to bars and parties and celebrate with a drink or two. I just can't understand this early closing. Two weeks ago we tried to visit the tap and spile and low and behold it was closed at 10.00pm. I'm not sure why you would have a bar and not open it.I'm not sure the last time this bar had a deep clean but it definitely wasn't recently.

My Husband and I noticed the Tap and Spile had opened again after seeing it closed for a while, so we called in for a drink and I loved the Oldy Worldy feel of the place! We ended up having a couple of drinks and the Land Lady was so Friendly and talkative about the place and the Bands they have started to get in on a Sunday! I just loved the old fashion feel to the place and do not rate the modern pubs at all they are too clinical and no atmosphere, whereas in here there was a lovely man called Andrew who sold me some photo post cards he was so charming! I hope the pub is not revamped to a modern standard as these kind of pubs are hard to come buy! Had a lovely afternoon here and can't wait to come back! Would recommend to anyone visiting Heham Town Centre!

Popped in for a quick drink whilst waiting for our table across the road at the Greek restaurant. Pleasant staff,and a nice selection of drinks. Worth a visit.

Plenty of choice of beers including real ales . No music but plenty of time to chat and have a good beer . It’s what you call a traditional pub . Not a restaurant that sells beer like most of them are now a days . Nice venue worth a visit for a good pint

This was my first visit to this pub and had to go based on very favourable reviews. I was disappointed. Very traditional pub with basic furnishings but clean with friendly staff and a nice ambience for drinking. It appears to be a very well run pub with a safe environment and you wouldn't be worried about taking your lady here! Will definitely be making another visit on my next trip to Hexham

Does what it says on the tin. Good beer. good atmosphere friendly service and customers and allows dogs. Ideal if you want a pint and a chat

Sadly this once-proud local boozer continues its decline under yet another new manager. The barmaid at lunchtime today was incompetent, rude and hostile. The management should consider hiring some staff who possess rudimentary service skills and who are less obviously contemptuous of their customers.

After eating we looked for a bar in Hexham to have a few drinks in and found this place. Great beer and the staff were very friendly and service was quick.

New Management has made it's mark, so nice to see a happy face behind the Bar. Great Real Ale and aslo now does a good Toasted Sandwich, I understand that "Geordie Tapas" are soon going to make an appearance. Brilliant background music to !

Another lovely couple of pints in this friendly local pub. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Did not come all this way from London to be offered" London Pride". Should stick to the local micros. They are excellent.

Solid locals pub that offers no nonsense craft as well as the usual beers. No food apart from snacks that I could tell but it's a good place to sample a geographical variety of ale.

Lovely, friendly atmosphere in a traditional pub whose name relates to the bits and pieces of a beer barrel. Comfortable and welcoming and a nice place to have a quick sit down during a Hexham visit.

Este es un agradable pub en la encantadora ciudad de Hexham en la esquina de una de las carreteras principales a través de la ciudad. El pub está limpio y tradicional y ofrece una cálida bienvenida. Es claramente un gente pubs que sirven una buena selección de cervezas. No tiene nada de malo en absoluto y nada fuera de lo normal. Un buen lugar para una pinta. No comí allí, así que no puedo comentar sobre la comida. Tiene un piano, así que si eso es lo que te gusta. . . . Excelente.

Mucha variedad de comidas disponibles para comprar y a un precio razonable, la gente local para asesorar en lo que es alrededor de la zona.

Este pub es de mis compañeros locales y estoy muerto. Buena selección de cervezas y cómodos asientos. Recientemente renovado, que ha mejorado un regalo sin dañar el ambiente.

El Grifo es un buen pub, con un ambiente genial gente. Buena variedad de cervezas, pero pobre en cervezas y cervezas. Buena onda. Buena música en vivo los domingos.

lovely beer garden and very chatty barwomen who made me and some friends feel very welcome. the range of alcohol is great and always available

In the middle of town, with a good bar, food available, a nice chatty owner/barman, this is a nice pub for most sectors.

Called in for a pint good range of real ales and ciders. Has lots of bar snacks and does toasted sandwiches.

Arrived to be greeted with double bed should have been two singles lads golfing weekend, no ensuite bathroom and up a right load of stairs able bodied only. Breakfast was of poor quality the bacon was that thin it was see through and the sausages must be the cheapest money can buy. The poorest bed and breakfast I have stayed at in a while. The pud itself was very good with a nice choice of brews. Hexham was a good night out with plenty of good pubs recommend Antz on a Friday live music was top draw

If you want to visit a pub that has its own character and is not a brewery chain clone. Then thus may be for you. Selection of real ales and feel a local pub right in the Main Street. The staff and customers were friendly and it's not a locals only! Give it a try. Age group 30+ on our visit.

I'll start by saying, I've stayed at the tap and spile before when the previous owners ran it, and although basic, the rooms were comfortable, and breakfast was hearty.However that was in the past.I booked a room for tonight online on hotelscombined through venere.comOn arrival I presented myself at the bar and gave my name, the owner looked at me blankly and said I was wrong, I hadn't booked a room. I showed her the confirmation email, at which point she stated she had never heard of venere.com or hotelscombined.She then started to argue in front of a bar full of customers that I was wrong.I phoned venere.com in front of her, to be told the hotel had processed my payment and I wouldn't be refunded as it was me cancelling my reservation?!?After around 15 minutes on the phone venere.com phoned the hotel and agreed to get me a refund.The whole saga was unprofessional and quite frankly ridiculous, i work away from home and stay in hotels 4 nights per week, never have I encountered such a fiasco.Needless to say I won't be back.Book the tap and spile at your peril!

Located within walking of all sights in Hexham, central to bus and train station and easy to use as a stop point for trekking Hadrian's Wall

Just what you expect from an oldie worldly pub.good staff pleasant patrons, with the added bonus of occasional live music

Down-to-earth pub with very friendly proprietor and clientele. We were there for the Sunday afternoon music and the place was packed with people of all ages having a great time. We spent two nights and were perfectly happy with our room--clean and comfortable. If you want fancy luxury, this isn't the place, but for a couple of thrifty middle-aged Hadrian's wall hikers it was just right.

Friendly pub with a good range of beers, live music on Sunday afternoons. Great meeting place, dogs welcome.

We used to visit this establishment very regularly until it was recently taken over by new management. Since then the new owners have obviously tried to increase their sales and clientele by introducing new features. Our last visit was just before Halloween and the pub was decorated with cobwebs, ghouls, ghosts and witches, assuming the owners were trying to attract families. It was a real shame that while there were a couple of young families having lunch, the landlady served a group of raucous, drunk and disorderly men who were swearing profanities and for which she did nothing to curb. In the end we walked out disgusted saying we would never return. The place has sunk to a very low level in our estimation.

Great pub in the centre of Hexham town. Stopped in for a couple of drinks and was greeted with a lovely and warmly atmosphere. Its not posh or pretentious its just a good old English pub, exactly how they should be and exactly how you want them to be. Thanks for making my evening relaxing and enjoyable.

A nice place for a good pint. Small with a friendly atmosphere. They have live bands on a Sunday which are mostly good. Jazz seems to be the main attraction.

Really friendly pub, we enjoyed a good few drinks in here, the ladies toilets are immaculate with a basket of sprays and toiletries such a little touch that makes a difference, good smoking area heat lamps and speakers to plug your phone to play music excellent little place.

We visited on Valentine's Day after a long walk. Despite our muddy boots and slightly dishevelled appearance we were warmly welcomed by a very friendly young barman and a roaring wood burning stove. We enquired about the selection of real ales and were given a taster by the knowledgeable young man, before selecting a pint each. The beer was delicious and well looked after. We were starving after our walk and enquired about food. We were given the unusual menu, which was basically sausage or pie with various choices of mash, chips, peas and gravy. My husband is a vegetarian and we didn't hold out much hope of them having something suitable, but we were wrong. He was even accommodated with special gravy which wasn't on the menu. The food came, which was basic but really hit the spot after our walk. The decor in the pub is old fashioned, how pubs used to be and there was a table of people playing dominoes, something you rarely see these days. We loved it and stayed for another beer. Just before leaving I visited the toilets, again no awards for decor but they were functional and clean and I was very impressed with the basket of various products on the shelf (hairspray, deodorant, wipes, moisturiser and sanitary products) which were free for customers to use. Although the Tap and Spile won't win awards for its menu or designer interior, it is warm, friendly, comfortable, clean, sells good beer and hearty food. What more could you want from a pub?

The Tap and Spile has always been on my favourite pubs list and having not visited in a good number of years looked forward to calling on a recent visit to Hexham. Hasn't changed a bit - wonderful atmosphere with that 'proper pub' feel to it. A good choice of exceptionally well kept real ales.But, oh dear,oh dear, oh dear (no pun intended) - £3.60 a pint! - in Hexham! - what's that all about?Left after one round. Had intended to spend the afternoon there. At an acceptable £3.00 a pint our party would have spent £54 plus, instead we spent £10.80 and took our trade elsewhere. Still a great pub but at those prices will, unfortunately, not be back.

I went here with a group of friends, including our 5 children, and had a fab lunch. The pies are delicious. You get a choice of pie, 3 different kinds of mash or chips and 3 different peas or beans and 4 different gravys, all home made. I had the steak and ale, mustard mash, peas and red wine gravy and it was all sublime. If you don't fancy a pie they do the same with their sausages, which my friends daughter had. They also have a kids menu for the little ones. The staff are warm and welcoming and can't do enough for you. All in all fantastic food, fab service and a great atmosphere. Will definitely be visiting again.

The Tap used to be about the only Hexham pub worth visiting, and even then the high prices and scruffy décor meant that you rarely stayed too long.However as the prices continue to rise (I swear that the beer goes up every time I go in) other bars in town start to get their act together. The newly refurbished County Hotel and the re-invented Tannery have left the Tap & Spile in their wake. The pub has responded by decorating the back of the bar in horrible grey tiles and adding yet another 5p to a pint!Get a grip T&S!!!

This is a friendly little traditional pub. Nice staff and atmosphere and the usual beer and drinks on offer.

This is a real pub! Fantastic beer and the staff make this a real gem. After reading the other pathetic comments about this place, it isn't a restaurant so don't expect the food to be exquisite. It sells beer and snacks - just how it should be. We also stayed in one of their rooms which was perfectly clean and the following morning, breakfast was sensational. Nothing more to say...

Always an excellent choice of well kept beers - never disappoints. It's not really a foody pub. They only occasionally seem to serve food. Definitely worth a visit for the beer, and the live music on a Sunday afternoon.

I ventured into this hostelry in the early evening on a weekday. In part for a toasted sandwich but also out of curiosity as I had not, as yet, sampled the hospitality of this particular public house.The convivial bar lady was cheerful and welcoming and the repast was served in reasonable time and was quite acceptable. The glass of red (Medoc) was no more than average but this is to be expected in a hostelry where emphasis on real ale is paramount. The main menu was somewhat limited in comparison with other local dining establishments and the dining space equally restricted.There is a good selection of hand pulls for the discerning real ale connoisseur to choose from and indeed, several of that august brotherhood were present imbibing and enjoying their chosen tipple. I was of a mind to sample a glass myself but was deterred by the boisterous racket from a nearby table where three women and a man were sitting. By their accent and greeting of other customers they were locals and each and every comment and noise, however slight, generated ear-splitting shrieks of maniacal laughter. They threw open wide their mouths and united in a cacophony that is difficult to describe. At one stage I thought they were part of a 'Care in the Community' programme. A slight belch from one of their number convulsed them in a hyena din of unimaginable volume on the same decibel level and timbre as a pneumatic drill. One shudders to imagine the reaction an expulsion of wind from the other end would have produced. This aside, the food and wine were acceptable and the general ambience was friendly and good-natured.

The most extortionate pub in Hexham. Hotel prices in a tiny little pub with big no sorry huge prices! Pint of Stella is £3.80 and it was average, not the worst pint I have had but far from the best!I feel my quote is justified. .....old quote but true Dick Turpin did use a mask when robbing you they don't put masks on but same outcome.They have bands on and it's chocka on a Sunday when they are playing but it's that small that 30 make it look full.Not for me the tap !

Great choice of real ales and guest beers which Tap and Spile are renowned for. A good pub atmosphere and with space limited by the number of customers we were forced to share a table which allows you to talk to complete strangers with ease... Something missing in many (empty) pubs sadly.

We ended up here as the only dog friendly pub between Morpeth and Hexham. The staff were welcoming, but it was really a drinking pub and the menu was limited. We settled for the toasted sandwiches, the Brie and bacon was tasty but the ham and cheese was very poor quality.

didn't have a meal just a couple of pints while meeting up with friends. If you like cask ale there is a good selection to choose from

I felt ashamed to be Northumbrian when i ate at tap and spile. Its really hard to find good English food these days. Plain ignorance and bone idleness has taken over. Even harder when trying to show a French man what English food is all about. Its a total shame. We had a choice of beef or lamb. Both cooked badly. Grey veg. Burnt yorkshire pudding. I need not to continue.

We didn't dine here, but had a few afternoon drinks. There was a wide selection of real ales and the atmosphere was great. If you like the brown stuff, drink here!

Always great to visit - can take over a table or two with friends and enjoy a wide range of beers - often have a local beer on tap. Not tried food yet!!

This is a tiny, winy old fashioned pub, the kind of place that looks crowded with 10 people in it. There isn't room to swing the proverbial cat. You walk through the door and hit the bar after two steps. In the unlikely event you are lucky enough to find a spare seat, don't expect to make yourself comfortable. I know I couldn't get comfortable sitting bolt upright on the rock hard seating. I thought it was expensive too. A pint of Black Sheep and a medium white wine was £7.30. Is that normal? I don't get out much. Partner said the beer was good. Staff were nice. There were lots of men propping the bar up looking happy enough, so if that's your style, this is for you.

It is just as a pub should be, could atmosphere, excellent service. Any time of the day and you can go in on your own, ladies!

I actually stayed I'n the tap an spile on a b&b basis with my family for a funeral I'n the local church . We booked all three rooms , the place was completely spotless the staff could not be more helpful . Great location . I would definitely stay again

A friendly greeting on arrival was followed by a beautifully presented room. The room was sparkling clean, towels ornately displayed on the bed linen, comparable to a boutique hotel.We had to remind ourselves this location is a real ale bar, with home cooked food on offer. As the visitor rooms are on the second floor, we were able to have a quiet time in the room or join the brilliant atmosphere in the bar and the covered rear (smoker friendly) area.We joined the locals for several drinks and were made to feel at home. All the locals we chatted with, also highly praised the current management team.The following morning, breakfast was served in the bar.Sitting cosily by the open fire, our hostess made fresh coffee, offered us a selection of cereals and fresh orange juice. This was followed by a full English breakfast, fresh toast and preserves.Obviously, not a hotel but a brilliant B&B for a "Stop Over" in the market town of Hexham.

Good selection of real ales, Lovely friendly staff. Also serves as a great B & B. Live music here also.

A traditional pub in the heart of Hexham which has very good bands playing there on a regular basis e.g. the Happy Cats.

Clean old fashioned pub with fantastic selection of well kept real ales. Well worth a visit!

We called in for Sunday lunch and found the pub to be very warm and welcoming.We both had the beef and along with the trimmings is was cooked perfectly.The yorkshire puddings were in my top five best and I'm an expert of the subject!!

ate here for dinner twice, food is cooked fresh and taste good. staff are friendly and helpful. beer was good at first but then on our last visit it was a bit of a let down :( maybe the barrel needed changing. would return.

There are very few venues in Hexham which allow dogs, and few have outside seating, so options are a little limited if you have a four legged friend with you. Happily, the T&S make dogs very welcome, and even more happily, it's a great little pub.They have a good selection of real ales, some of which are usually local (there's usually one from the Allendale Brewery, which is just up the road).Food is tasty & cheap without being fancy....but when you can have a toastie with a side order of chips, what's not to like?!...

Visited here during a brief stop to get lunch. The short menu was quite adequate and the atmosphere was very friendly. Not many places open in hexham that day so it was a relief to find a peaceful spot to have a relaxing lunch.