Above: The Mayor was given the honour of pulling the first pint
It was pouring in Gateshead this week – and everyone with a love for the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and a taste for fine ale was absolutely delighted!
The first pints of Mordue’s special 10th anniversary Millennium Bridge Ale were carefully drawn at The Central in Hill Street, Gateshead by the Mayor of Gateshead Councillor Joe Mitchinson – who promptly called for a toast to “The Gateshead Millennium Bridge”.
The beer has been specially commissioned by Gateshead Council to enable Geordie drinkers to raise their glasses in praise of one of Tyneside’s most popular and eye-catching landmarks.
The beer is now available for a limited period in pubs throughout Tyneside from Tuesday – in time for the Bridge’s tenth anniversary on 17 September.
Councillor Linda Green, Gateshead’s Cabinet member for Culture, says: “When we asked the Mordue Brewery to create a special celebration ale to celebrate the opening of the bridge in 2001, it turned out to be a brilliant success and one that really captured the public’s imagination.
“In fact, it became so popular that it was already in short supply by the time we actually opened the bridge to the public!
“We thought there would be no better way to mark the bridge’s 10th anniversary then to invite Mordue’s to re-introduce their Millennium Bridge Ale and they immediately agreed. And I’m delighted to report that their new brew is every bit as delicious as the original!”
This is the second time that Gateshead Council has commissioned the beer from the North Tyneside-based Mordue Brewery. In 2001, the council invited the brewery to produce a special celebration ale to mark the public opening of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge - and their hugely-popular Millennium Bridge Ale was the result.
The help celebrate the Gateshead Millennium Bridge’s tenth anniversary, Gateshead Council asked the Mordue Brewery to re-introduce its special celebratory brew so that Geordie drinkers could once again raise their glasses in praise of one of Tyneside’s finest bridges.
Millennium Bridge Ale is now available in bars throughout Tyneside but is expected to sell out quickly.