The Sutherland Arms

PPPG SAYS: SAVE THE SUTHERLAND ARMS!

PPPG is presently involved in efforts to save the Sutherland Arms in Newcastle, as reported in the Sentinel. It dates back to the late 1881 century in its original form, but was rebuilt in 1938. The hostelry is under threat of demolition, with the land being thought to be earmarked for a housing or shopping development.
Licensee Mandie Colley has kept the pub for a decade, and has four years still remaining on her lease. She has staged various themed evenings in the past, based around line- dancing, "dungeons and dragons", punk music, classical music and more.
Mandie is circulating petition forms around various pubs including the Full Moon, Limes and the Old Bull's Head in Newcastle. PPPG has collected around 100 signatures, 23 of them coming from the good folk at Burslem History Club. Merv has visited the pub (which opens at unusual times) on several occasions.
It has served the wider community very well over the years, and was used by members of the Newcastle Players theatre group in the 1940s. It was also popular with farmers prior to the closure of the adjacent Cattle Market in 1994 and nowadays is one of the few music venues in the town. Its interior very much reflects this. There are numerous murals depicting Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osborne and the Beatles, and there is very much a rock music feel about the place.
PPPG's involvement with this particular campaign may seem strange to some, but it must be recalled that we supported efforts to save another music pub, the Wheatsheaf in Stoke, back in 1998. Also, the musical tastes of group members vary greatly, and this is a chance to celebrate that diversity.
(Extract PPPG Grapevine May 2003)


LANDLORDS across Newcastle have thrown their weight behind a campaign to save an historic town centre pub.
The Sutherland Arms, a popular venue with drinkers since the 18th century, faces demolition to make way for a major shopping or housing complex.
Nearly 600 people have already signed a petition put up by landlady Mandie Colley and now fellow landlords in the town have given their backing. They say the pub, in Blackfriars Road, pulls in drinkers from miles around with its celebrated rock nights and provides an alternative to the cluster of trendy wine bars which have opened in recent months.
It is also seen as a key part of Newcastle's heritage, borough planners used it as a temporary home in the 1940s, and it was a regular drinking spot for cattle farmers until the 1990s.

Paul Cope, landlord of the Full Moon in the town centre, which hosts similar music events to the Sutherland Arms, said: "We have always had strong links with the Sutherland Arms. "We have a similar kind of clientele and play the same kind of music. I believe that any competition is good competition and would welcome anything that would keep the Sutherland Arms going."

Nick Berry, of the George and Dragon on the Ironmarket, said: "If people want more shops in Newcastle they should put them in the new Castle Walk development. "There are still a few premises in Castle Walk which can be targeted before we start talking about knocking down a pub. "Nobody wants to see a place like the Sutherland Arms close down. It is has been around a long time and a lot of people like going there."
Other pubs to offer their support include The Old Bull's Head and Limes Cafe Bar.

Developers, Peregrine, want to knock down the Sutherland Arms to make way for a development which senior councillors believe could be the finishing touch to the regeneration of Newcastle's main shopping area.
The pub, which opened in the late 1700s and was rebuilt in 1938, came under threat six years ago when the site was earmarked for a multiplex cinema before Warner Village pictures opened in a building opposite instead.

Mervyn Edwards, of the Potteries Pubs Preservation Group, who is trying to rally support from other pubs, said: "We want this pub to stay open because of its community history and the fact it is exceptional for live music. "Mandie deserves our support and I have lots of contacts in pubs who can help us keep it alive".
Ms Colley said: "It's pleasing to see other landlords agree this pub should stay open, and my customers have also been fighting hard to keep us going."
(Extract courtesy of Sentinel newspaper 5/4/03)

The pub was eventually demolished, but the land still remains undeveloped in 2008.