A GROWING cluster of chefs are creating a Northern pub powerhouse to feed a rising demand for fine dining in informal surroundings in the North-East and Yorkshire.

With more than 20 per cent of the places on the 2016 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list being revealed as inns in the North of England, industry experts said inns in the region were challenging their Southern rivals' traditional dominance in the coveted rankings.

The 2016 list, which was announced by celebrity chef Tom Kerridge and is decided by blind tastings, mystery diners and votes from hospitality industry leaders, saw Yorkshire pubs the Pipe & Glass Inn, at South Dalton, and the Star Inn, at Harome, near Helmsley, secure second and third places on the list.

Four gastropubs in the North-East also to feature on the list include the Rat, Anick, near Hexham (13th), The Broad Chare, Newcastle (28th), The Staith House, North Shields, (31st) and The Bridge Tavern, Newcastle (49th).

Steve Dunn, manager of The Broad Chare, said the region was seeing a rising demand for quality food in informal surroundings being fostered by an increasing number of astute operators.

He added: "People want to come out and experience value for money and are coming to pubs such as the Broad Chare so they can have great beer with their food."

Four of the northern pubs on the list have chefs who trained under Andrew Pern, of The Star Inn, who credits the rising number of gourmet accolades to the area's abundance of quality produce, which can be offered in more generous portions than in the South, where fixed costs are higher.

The menu at the 14th Century thatched-roofed pub, which was one of the first pubs in the country to be awarded a Michelin star, includes North Sea octopus carpaccio with black olive sorbet, roasted peppers, soft boiled quail egg, anchovy fritters and garden lovage mayonnaise.

Mr Pern, whose pub has featured near the top of the list for 20 years, said in previous years the list had appeared to be London-based, but this was being reversed by chefs tapping into the North's character pubs and drinking heritage.

He added: "When the list was announced this year there was the feeling that the North was taking over a bit."

John Calton, who cites Mr Pern as an influence and is a Masterchef finalist, has run The Staith House on Tyneside since renovating the run-down Dolphin pub, also won the Gastropub chef of the year title in the awards.