The Courtyard

Real ale bar within Arts Centre Washington on Biddick Lane in Fatfield, run under lease from Sunderland City Council with proceeds supporting the venue's arts programme. Licensee Martin Thompson has held the bar's entry in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide for its entire run, marking 20 consecutive years of listings in 2023 and continuing into the 2025 edition. Up to eight handpumps serve cask ale alongside a daytime food menu, and CAMRA members receive a discount on cask beer. Two beer festivals are held each year, over the Easter and August bank holiday weekends, drawing drinkers from across Wearside. Sharing its building with gallery and performance spaces gives it a different rhythm from a typical high-street pub, with daytime cafe trade alongside evening drinkers.