Durham pub landlord expands Gateshead site with rooftop terrace

Graeme Robinson, who runs The Waiting Room on the Northbound platform of Durham Railway Station, took on The Central Bar in Gateshead last year but has faced a year of uncertainty and closure due to the pandemic. 

Mr Robinson, of Ouseburn Leisure Group, had a sense of relief when the second lockdown was announced.

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Taking on The Central Bar was a "calculated risk" he said, but has big plans in store for the Victorian pub as restrictions continue to ease. He spruced up the site last summer before welcoming customers back for a few short weeks. 

Mr Robinson said: "This has been in the pipeline for a while and when the pandemic hit, I felt it was worth the calculated risk. 

"This pub is iconic.

"We had a good few weeks trading with no bar service but when the no mixing households rules came in and then we were told to close, I was quite glad. 

"But now is the right time to reopen."

Rooftop terrace of the central bar. Picture: Graeme Robinson

He has been granted a pavement licence for The Central Bar, on the corner of Half Moon Lane, adding room for 30 people to the otherwise small capacity of the property's hidden rooftop terrace as he prepared to reopen on April 12. 

The rooftop terrace sits alongside an inside bar, meaning no journeying down the building's street stories to get a pint. It also overlooks railway tracks.

The pub was operating as a shop, when allowed, but resorted to online deliveries during the latest lockdown. 

Pubs have been given the green light to reopen on this date, but only outside. 

Mr Robinson added: "It's all weather permitting, though. I'm not covering the space over because it's just for a month, then customers are allowed inside again."

With several rooms, one which will be dedicated to live performances, comedy and music is set to be a big part of the pub's identity moving forward as it once was in its past. 

The Central Bar. Picture: Graeme Robinson

A new chef has also been hired, who has moved to the North-East from Edinburgh, with the pub's food menu currently being finalised. Mr Robinson did confirm there would be vegetarian and vegan options. 

The pub opens at 12pm on April 12. 

Mr Robinson said The Waiting Room, which also has an outdoor space, has been badly hit due to the pandemic and travel plummeting even as pubs were offered some respite last summer. 

It comes as more than 41,000 pubs, bars and restaurants have some kind of outdoor space which could allow them to reopen on April 12, according to new figures.

'The buffet room' bar is listed. Picture: Graeme Robinson

The latest monthly Market Recovery Monitor by CGA and AlixPartners has revealed that 38.2 per cent of licensed premises in the UK say they have space to allow them to trade.

Firms have said they will plan to utilise gardens, terraces, car parks and other areas where they can potentially seat guests to reopen when outdoor hospitality is given the go-ahead in the next phase of the Prime Minister’s road map.