Wylam’s newest Quayside boozer… isn’t really new at all. You might remember it from its Hop & Cleaver days, back when BBQ was The Thing. It’s been seven years since that closed, and it feels like a lifetime.
Now it’s The Sandhill Arms, and pies are the thing. The building’s stood here since the 17th century, so “new boozer” is a stretch. And while it’s Wylam on the outside, it’s Vaulkhard Group on the inside.
In short, it just about does the job. Inside, it’s nice! Lots of those signature exposed beams, and the same ancient wonky stone floor. They’ve added a courtyard bit in the middle, which is a smarter use of the twisting space. It’s a welcoming place to come for a pint. It will not surprise you too much.
There are 8–10 Wylam taps, £7+ a pint, as it is now. Hickey, Jakehead, Cold Condition, Lush. Reliable. Disappointingly, no stouts or porters to go with your big steak pie, short of Guinness.
As a pub, it’s fine. Manages to feel like a pub that’s been there for years. The nooks and crannies are where you want to sit, particularly those inviting ‘look out onto the Quayside’ window seats. But if I had to pick, The Redhouse next door is still more interesting, it has more character, and the side rooms and fireplaces beat the ‘beer hall’ sized main room here. Still, it’s a step up from the dozens of other average boozers, or god forbid, the glut of faux-Irish bars.
In terms of food, they’ve just pressed copy & paste on The Redhouse format from next door. For the uninitiated, the two are literally one and the same building, so it makes sense to share a kitchen and play it somewhat safe.
That means pie, mash, peas and gravy for £15. Not much else — a few sides, and a couple of desserts. It works, it fits, it keeps the kitchen team light. The Redhouse has been doing it successfully since 2012, so it should be dialled in.
Back then, the pies came from The Amble Butcher, which you can see on my Redhouse post from thirteen years ago 😱. Well, the butcher is out, and in come pies from Pink Lane Bakery. I do like all of their things in and on pastry, but, really, again? No shade to Pink Lane, it was just nice to have ‘something else’ before.
They’re predictably solid and do a lot of the heavy lifting here. Whether you go for safety of steak and ale, cheese and onion, or wilder with (my pick) lamb and feta, or peri-peri chicken, they’re all well-made and better than you’ll get in any average pub. Short pastry, hefty with plentiful fillings, nicely juicy. Absolutely zero complaints on the pies, as you would expect. More an indictment of how bad pies tend to be in any given boozer…
But…I preferred the Amble Butcher ones. They better suited the space. ‘Proper’ butcher’s pies, with simple but big flavours. Which echoes my wider sentiment on Wylam venues in 2026: ‘They were better back then…’
You’d think, with the pies outsourced and little else to do, the kitchen could nail the rest. But it’s a bit Sizzling Pubs, to be honest. Beyond the pies, it’s chips, mac and cheese, mushy peas or cheese sauce. Not that hard.
From best to worst: chips are clearly ‘properly homemade’ in a comforting way. It is always a pleasure to see pease pudding, which is loose and savoury and should be on more menus, pie or not.
Mash is…fine, no more. Feels a bit mean on the peas portion (really?). Cauli cheese (an additional £5.50 side) is a large, dirty bowl brimming with cheese sauce, with a reassuring taste of cheap pre-grated cheddar. You could probably make better at home, but it’s still smashable. On the disastrous end is the peppercorn sauce (above), so thick and congealed you can stand a spoon in it. 😫 Stick to the red wine gravy.
It’s all really symptomatic of Wylam since the merger with Vaulkhard. It’s much like Newcastle Brown Ale in 2026. Still has this strange place in your heart, but you know it’s not ever gonna be as good as it was.
So, The Sandhill Arms — well, it’s The Bridge Tavern mk2. If nothing else, I’m glad to see the old building put to good use, unlike The Cooperage rotting away just down the road. There’s lots to like. A good pint of Jakehead (like mine was tonight) is still godly. And Wylam venues can, at their best, elicit a vibe that’s ten times that of your average pub. They’ve at least been thought about a smidge.
I liked the pies better before. I definitely liked Wylam better before. Change is inevitable. For now, The Sandhill Arms might never match the halcyon days of The Bridge Tavern, but it ‘does the job’, and no more. And that’s fine.
Contact: sandhillarms.co.uk
Opening: Mon–Thu 12pm–11pm, Fri–Sun 11am–12am
Address: 44 Sandhill, Quayside, NE1 3JF
Good to know: Dog-friendly
