The Diamond Inn, Ponteland is an iconic North East boozer. Established in the early 18th century as an old coaching inn, the hostelry served as a watering hole and lodgings for travellers and has since remained at the heart of the Ponteland community.
Today, the Diamond is renowned as a purveyor of fine food and drink and offers accommodation in its adjacent hotel. The pub is even reportedly a favourite of a certain former Number 9, so Northern Insight’s two bustling centre forwards (myself and son Jack) thought we’d review the experience.
After a particularly “January” working day, we headed up the A1 and were soon revelling in the Diamond’s cosy embrace. On hand to meet us was Paul Holliday, owner and resident diamond geezer, who was happy to provide a tour of the rooms.
The Diamond boasts 12 en-suite bedrooms which are set in a quiet spot adjacent to the hotel itself with 24 hour access. Rooms are priced very reasonably with singles from £65 per night, standard twins from £79, deluxe doubles from £85 and a full suite from £99. We thought this offered a great alternative to a taxi fare home for those visiting the area especially with a slap-up breakfast included.
Needless to say, all rooms are impeccably decorated and very well-equipped. Our twin bedroom featured an LCD TV, telephone, writing desk, tea & coffee making facilities and complimentary wifi access.
Nicely settled in, we agreed that a good bellyfilling was in order. Admittedly, Ponteland is blessed with many great eateries though on a bitingly cold evening we chose not to stray from the cosy confines of the Diamond. We were not to be disappointed.
The pub serves up a number of wholesome, traditional English dishes which are all cooked from scratch. This means waiting times are slightly longer than usual though we didn’t mind drinking in the atmosphere. A real log fire sputters in its grate whilst there’s a bountiful selection of real ales to choose from.
This was no-nonsense cooking which would really put smiles on our faces. Jack chose the bangers & mash with authentic Cumberland sausage and a rich onion gravy whilst I opted for the homemade beef burger with onion rings and thick cut chips. Sometimes only unabashed comfort food will do and I must say, those dishes really hit the mark.
Following our meal, we lingered (longer than we should have) into the night over a few pints before retiring next door to our rooms. Owing to the quiet village surroundings, there’s a nice tranquillity about the rooms and we rose the next morning after a restful nights sleep.
Breakfast is included in the room price and is again cooked to order. Jack enjoyed freshly scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast whilst yours truly despatched a wonderful 3 egg omelette with all the fillings. All in the name of media fuel, you must understand!
The Diamond Inn is a pub with a lot to offer. It possesses the feel of a historic country pub yet also offers easy transport links to Newcastle, the airport and theNorthumberland coast which makes it the perfect dwelling place for travelling executives or those simply looking for a change of scene.
Added to the mix is a spacious, upstairs function room with a capacity exceeding 100 persons. “The Rock” is a venue with a contemporary twinkle featuring bar and lounge areas, not to mention a private balcony.
All in all, The Diamond Inn remains a multi-faceted gem.
