The Ship, Mount Road, Gateshead

Mar 15 2009 by Eddy Eats, Sunday Sun

Telephone: 0191-4160273
Food served: Noon to 5pm
Drinks: Pint of lager £2.70, pint of bitter £2.70, glass of wine £3, double gin and tonic £3.80, fresh orange £1.30

Character: 4
Quality: 4
Service: 3
Value: 4

Rating: 15/20

MRS E was on a mission this week. The neighbours have been decorating and bought a fancy new leather sofa, so she came back from next door with a head full of ideas.

She seemed to have forgotten there’s a credit crunch on, so I put my foot down when she plonked down a load of brochures for three piece suites.

A man can only take so much sulking, though, so I finally agreed to take her to the big B&Q in Washington to buy some paint. She soon perked up.

In the end she couldn’t decide between Potter’s Clay, Chalk Blush or Vanilla Mist. They all looked cream to me, I told her. She shot me a look that could’ve frozen a penguin in its tracks.

To straighten the face again, I suggested we stop off for Sunday lunch on the way back at a place called The Ship in Eighton Banks. It’s not far from the Angel roundabout off the A1.

The last time Mrs E and me ventured into this nautical-themed pub was five years ago, according to our Sunday Scran library, and we’d been mightily impressed by the mammoth portions.

Well I’m pleased to report that the credit crunch hasn’t led to any scrimping here – the plates were as piled high as I remember.

She Who Must Be Fed turned into ‘she who has a short memory’ though, insisting on starters despite the likely size of the mains.