Lamborghini bar a highlight on day one of Licensed Trade International

HUNDREDS turned out to discover how the North East’s pubs and breweries could hold the key to revitalising the region’s economy.

The Licenced Trade International conference, which was officially opened at the Sage in Gateshead by MP Ian Mearns, aimed to help local businesses grow through networking with companies like Morpeth’s Anarchy Brew Co, Durham Brewery and Bourbon Cider, from West Allotment in Newcastle rubbing shoulders with major international drinks firms like Heineken and Molston Coors.

Among the highlights of the show was a Lamborghini sports car which had been cut in two and turned into a bar – though winners of the first ever LTI Benevolent Awards might disagree.

Durham Brewery was named Best Local Exporter of the Year and came runner up in the Beverage Manufacturer of the Year category to Hexham-based soft drinks maker Fentimans. The Bar of the Year prize went to No 28 on Nelson Street in Newcastle.