THIS YEAR’S Tyneside CAMRA Pub Of The Year has been rescued from receivership, and will henceforth be known as the 'Head Of Steam at The Cluny'.
The bar has been acquired by Tony Brookes, whose Head of Steam chain has outlets in London, Liverpool, Huddersfield and Scarborough. But our readers will be more familiar with his Newcastle operation, opposite the Central Station.
The new name might be a bit too much for regulars to swallow, but there will be plenty of new ideas to wet their lips at The Cluny.
New manager Dave Campbell has run the Newcastle's Head of Steam for the past few years, and has recently built its basement room into the city centre's premier live music venue.
"Short term, there'll be no major changes at The Cluny," Dave told Newcastle Stuff. "We'll be keeping all the good elements," he added.
"But we'll be concentrating on getting the atmosphere right in the bar. We've found the dimmer switch for the lights, and immediately that was turned down, the level of conversation in the room rose."
There are plans to replace some of the furniture with couches and coffee tables, to develop this homely atmosphere. And Dave says there'll be soundproofing between the adjacent music venue and the bar.
Since Dave introduced live music to the Head of Steam it has hosted the best local bands; and hardcore legends from America to Finland have played in the usually rammed room.
So he's looking forward to building The Cluny into the city's best medium-sized venue.
Food at The Cluny is being provided by Rachel Newton - although Newcastle Stuff has already had one complaint about the service. A regular reckons he ordered a meal, lit a tab, and the food arrived before he'd finished it - unheard of, in the past.
"We're aiming to bring the laid-back ambience from the Head of Steam down to The Cluny," says Dave. "So at closing time, you won't be seen off with loud Bavarian marching music."

• On a personal note, Newcastle Stuff would like to wish Davey Bruce and John Jenkins all the very best for the future.

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FIVE TOON FANS who legged it from a restaurant, leaving United boss Freddy Shepherd to pay the bill, have finally coughed-up.
The Geordies enjoyed a slap-up meal in a Turin bistro before watching their team play Juventus in the Champions League last month.
When the bill arrived they spotted United's chairman Shepherd, and told the waitress he would foot the bill - before making a run for it.
And Shepherd paid up, as he didn't want the Italians to get a bad impression of his team's followers.
But last month a cheque for £150 dropped through his letterbox - full payment for the food and wine, from the Turin Five.
Shepherd was pleasantly surprised, saying: "Thanks lads. You are good Geordies after all."

NO NEED to do a runner from Newcastle's Rupali restaurant - owner Abdul Latif says he'll accept your possessions as payment.
He claims he'll take virtually any quality goods in exchange for food, but it's probably best to agree on his valuation before getting stuck in.
You've got until early January to shift your unwanted tat.
Mr Latif is also offering a free curry to the value of £10 to 50 female Toon season-ticket holders, if United beat Fulham on November 17th.
"We are offering this to ladies only because many times we have offered free curry to season ticket holders if Newcastle win, but they never do," said Mr Latif. "We are hoping this time Lady Luck will be with them."
The relentless self-publicist first hit the headlines when he bought the title 'Lord of Harpole', and has enjoyed a high profile in the local and national press ever since.
In fact Viz Comic has been taking the piss out of him for years, much to his delight. He has replaced the sign above his door which said 'Very Recommended', with one that proclaims: "Featured in Viz".

PIONEERING street café the Grainger Coffee Bar has been demolished, in a move to improve facilities at the Grainger Market.
Long before Starbucks and Coffee Republic started annexing our paths, patrons outside the Grainger have whiled away the hours between Bingo sessions with a warmish mug of instant.
Admittedly, the roof of the Grainger Market compromised the al fresco experience. But the gust in one's hair as a sixty-a-day pensioner cleared their lungs nearby, did give it a ring of authenticity.
However, connoisseurs of such local delicacies as the gristle-burger will find their cravings still catered for, at the nearby Sarah's Tuck-In.

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