The Avenue

We were only booked in for one night but it was a lovely experience. The room had a very comfortable bed with great pillows and bedding. Breakfast was very good and the pub itself was welcoming and fun. Above all the friendliness of all of the staff really added to the whole experience. I don't know when we'll next be up to Durham but we'll certainly look to come back to The Avenue!

We stayed before and had a fairly basic room on the first floor which was enough for our needs. This time we were allocated a room in the roof which frankly is not fit for purpose and is a health and safety hazard. The good bits: A nice seating area with TV The very bad bits: The ceiling is sloping and is an assault course of beams that cross the roof space. My 6 foot 3 husband had to stoop for most of the stay - the only clear run across the room is where the ceiling meets the apex of the roof and that is barred by a full size wardrobe, necessitating him to stoop to get past. The bed is shoehorned into an unsuitable space and even my 5 foot 4 frame struggled because the space on the left side of the bed is about 6 inches to the wall and the roof slopes above it. I had to shimmy sideways and lean back at the same time to get in. I cracked my head on the ceiling making a drink at the tea making station which is not quite in front of a dormer window. The bathroom is OK but tired with cracked tiles and poor siliconing. This room needs a health warning and anybody who books it needs to be warned about it. It reeks of trying to fit a room into a space that is not suitable. Coupled with our shocking experience in the restaurant we won't be coming back.

Really nice food. Friendly staff. Nice chicken strips and hallomi sticks. Good portions of all food. Excellent chef and staff. Nothing is an issue for any of the staff. Good affordable prices would recommend the Avenue pub I. Shincliffe to all as a good experience for food drink and nights out.