Member Article

Black Horse Beamish marks a decade of success

A restored pub at the heart of the Beamish valley in County Durham is racing towards a new chapter in its history as it celebrates its tenth anniversary.

The Black Horse Beamish, which is located within 33 acres of countryside, was bought by entrepreneur Bob Fountain in 2006, who dedicated four years to restoring the building to its former glory before it re-opened to the public in 2010.

It has since become one of the best-known gastro pubs in the region and has branched out to become an increasingly popular wedding venue and corporate event space.

This summer, the team launched The Orchard Marquee – a 6000 sq ft permanent marquee, which was purchased from Roda in Germany and can accommodate up to 250 seated guests or 500 standing. It boasts panoramic views of the Beamish conservation valley and features its own bar, beer cellar, kitchen and gazebo. Further plans are also in motion for outside seating, a hot roast and BBQ area overlooking the orchard.

The Black Horse property, on Red Row, was originally constructed around 1690 when it was one of ten cottages built on the estate of the infamous Bobby Shafto, MP for County Durham. It was the first and largest of the cottages which all had red tiled roofs, hence the name Red Row. Leases were given to build the cottages on the condition that one able bodied man from each cottage was available to work on the quarry or down the coalmine.

Thanks to the 1851 census, it is known that 28 people lived in the Black Horse, including domestic servants, scholars and colliery workers and their children. People also gathered here for drinking and gambling sessions due to its remote country location. Eventually, the pub became a licensed drinking spot around 1850.

The Black Horse since closed and fell into disrepair until Bob Fountain, who also owns the adjacent Aston Workshop, bought it and embarked on a major restoration project to bring the pub back to life, blending original features such as flag stone floors and open fires with a modern adaptation of bar room classics, featuring a ‘field to plate’ dining approach, thanks to a specially created on-site vegetable garden.

Bob Fountain said: “Time has flown since I bought the Black Horse as a run-down property back in 2006, and it’s certainly been a labour of love to restore such an important building in our local history. I’m delighted that, centuries after it was first built, the Black Horse has once again become a thriving pub for locals to enjoy, and that we can now offer weddings, parties and corporate events on a larger scale than ever before in our new marquee. Here’s to the next ten years!”

A Wedding Open Day will be held at The Orchard Marquee this Sunday, October 16 from 11am to 4pm. Entry is free. To make an appointment to speak with a wedding coordinator on the day, please email info@blackhorsebeamish.co.uk

Download a wedding brochure from http://blackhorsebeamish.co.uk/people/images/wedding_b.pdf

To find out more about The Orchard Marquee, visit www.blackhorsebeamish.co.uk, call 01207 232 569, or email info@blackhorsebeamish.co.uk

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This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Aston Workshop .