Award winning pub makes CraigDavid the star of new beer mats and posters

The award-winning Free Trade Inn is making its Rum Tum Tugger-like regular CraigDavid the star of his own beer mats and the pub’s new promotional posters.

The cat, who was adopted by landlord Mick Potts and his customers after repeatedly wandering into the pub looking for food and warmth in February 2013, has captured the hearts of drinkers – one of whom suggested his musical moniker – and bar staff alike.

And now visitors to the Byker boozer, which is Tyneside and Northumberland Camra’s Pub of the Year for 2013, can’t escape the watchful eye of the friendly feline – as he stares up at them from beneath their pints.

“It’s just a bit of fun,” said Mick, who claims his feline friend is taking minor stardom in his stride. “Everone is so used to seeing his face around the pub so we thought we’d have a lot more of it, even when he’s not in.

“The old saying goes that you’re never more than six foot from a rat – and now when you are at the pub that’ll be true of CraigDavid.”

Craig arrived at the pub during the winter, initially tentatively sitting outside the window looking in, before over the course of a week looking to make himself more at home.

“It was one quiz night to the next,” said Mick. “He appeared and was quite timid, but he warmed to people, and then one morning I came in and he walked through the door and never left.”

Since then the cat has developed his own following among the pub’s customers, with 242 befriending a Facebook account that was set up in his name, and many bringing him packets of his favourite treats, Dreamies.

As well as the beer mats – which will see a second run that are just and image of his face – Craig also features as Guy Fawkes on the poster for the pub’s Bonfire Night Fire and Smoke event, which will feature a number of smoked beers, whiskeys and cheeses, on November 4 and 5.

 “We’ve a cask of Tyne Bank’s Rauchbier which has been aged with Ardbeg Uiegedal whiskey oak chips, a new black wheat beer from Hadrian Border Brewery, with cloves, cinnamon and lime, and Shamblemoose Brewery’s Smoked Porter, from London,” said Mick.

“On keg we’ll also have Schlenkerla’s Rauchbier Märzen and their Urbock, plus five or six guest whiskies and cheeses.”

But even before then the pub will on Halloween play host to the launch of Tyne Bank Brewery’s Imperial Mocha Milk Stout and barrel aged Heavenly Porter.

 

Photos of CraigDavid Pubcat

For more photos of CriagDavid Pubcat visit his Facebook page.