Camerons Brewery to create Tynemouth Head of Steam pub

Camerons Brewery is going full steam ahead with plans to convert one of its bars to be more like the successful Head of Steam pubs.

The Hartlepool-based firm bought the chain, which includes Newcastle’s The Cluny, Gateshead’s The Central and its self titled bar in Durham, back in December.

And now it is to turn one of it’s boozers – the Aspire in Tynemouth – into a Head of Steam, with cask and keg craft beer, a new food menu and live music.

“I have visited all of the pubs within the current Camerons estate and after viewing their outlets the site in Tynemouth stood out as the ideal venue to launch our newest The Head Of Steam concept,” said former Head of Steam managing director Tony Brookes, who has stayed on with the company.

“It was crucial for both Camerons and myself to identify only a premium venue to adopt The Head Of Steam name and Tynemouth is a location I had always hoped to open a new site.

“I am particularly excited about this pub as the building was one of the first real ale off licences in the north east between 1981 and 1985, when it was called ‘Legendary Yorkshire Heroes’.

My wife, Carolyn, and I developed that off licence chain (which had branches in Heaton, Jesmond, Fenham and Durham) – each selling a huge range or real ales, scrumpy ciders and bottled beers from around the UK and all over the world.

“The Tynemouth off licence was phenomenally successful, and how exciting that thirty years later, the same building will be changing and improving the entertainment scene in Tynemouth yet again!”

The Aspire on Front Street will close its doors today and aims to reopen as The Head Of Steam on Friday May 2 – but it could just be the first to make the move.

“The purchase of The Head Of Steam group in December was a huge move for Camerons as we look to develop our retail estate,” said Joe Smith, pub estates and operations director at Camerons Brewery. “We are looking to raise the quality of our existing pubs and this is one of the first steps in this process.

“Working closely with Tony and being able to draw on his years of experience in developing The Head Of Steam group of pubs has been essential.

“Tony’s passion and commitment to this project has been fantastic and he has been key to the development of this new site.

“The team at Camerons are delighted to be able to open a new The Head Of Steam pub with Tony and we are confident this will be one of the best venues in the group”.

In addition to the opening of the new Tynemouth Head of Steam, Camerons says it is looking to “enhance” its other managed pubs and is particularly focused on offering its tenants a selection of cask ales from local and national UK brewers, as well as world beers.

The project named ’10 Green Bottles’ will offer a selection of rotating cask, keg and bottled brands from suppliers, with brands such as Budvar, Erdinger and Chimay introduced.

“Our aim is to transform the Camerons Brewery retail estate so it will soon become the highest-profile, sought-out set of pubs in the North of England – we intend nothing less than being the best,” Joe said.