Welcome to the Red Lion at Cotherstone. CAMRA Good Beer Guide Entry.

LocAles, craft ciders, open fires, beer garden, darts & dominoes. We sell craft ciders, real ales, cask beers & bitters from local craft micro brewers. Always stocking, Yorkshire Dales Brewing Company (Butter Tubs, Golden Best Bitter & Aysgarth Falls, Blonde Ale) and Kemp's Vintage Cider. We’re situated 4 miles from Barnard Castle and 6 miles from Middleton-in-Teesdale in the historic North Riding of Yorkshire. Please browse through our pages and discover some of the charms of this cracking little pub set in the heart of Teesdale. Please note, "No Paws Indoors," assistance animals only. The Red Lion has a no pets indoors policy. We're happy for you to bring your pets into the beer garden but ask you not to bring them into the bar area, thank you.

A surprising bitter news!


With today’s small tax cuts announced will we all be marching down to the Red Lion and raising a tankard to George’s ‘Aspiration Nation’ or was it just providing a little extra 3p of fuel for thought over our flat line future?

He's the wrong man in the wrong place at the worst possible time for the country. It's a downgraded Budget from a downgraded chancellor.”

I simply can’t disagree with the quote but I relish the thought of the opposition even less.
It was pantomime season on the opposition bench, finger poking fun and audience participation farce. All of which won’t get Labour back into power, the time for real content is needed! The heart of the working man is slowly turning from red to purple with policy apathy and you can faintly see the mark of a branded sterling pound!  

So what of our budget, what will be my gains?

Well as spring equinox is upon us I liken the OBR’s forecast to that of ‘Punxsutawney Phil’ and sadly he emerged to the stage, saw his shadow and declared winter for some time to come.
That’s right; we’re stuck in a groundhog day! Same forecast year, on year, on year…It’s wet, cold and I’ve no money in my pocket. You could have slashed 10p off a pint and the public house would still be empty. It’s like dishing out milk to the lactose intolerant, a saving you can’t benefit from as it will leave you in the shit! The home purse is too stretched with rising utility and food costs. Fuel is hitting an all time high and luxury items are firmly off the shopping list. The consumer either can’t afford or is frightened to spend. We need growth and consumer confidence. Is Europe bleeding us dry?

1p off the pint. Escalator scrapped. A small victory achieved.
I feel there is a slow shift in the political realisation that the public house isn’t the cause of Britain’s alcohol problems. Though there won’t be any noticeable difference in the price of your pint, it may yet still increase as production costs go up. At best I would say that I was pleased not to be absorbing more price increases to keep my competitiveness within the market.

So for now, cheers George, thanks for the rest bite but a little bit of growth wouldn’t go amiss!


Regards

Landlord.