Sometimes, even royalty must take off the jewels, slip into their comfy pants, and embrace the true food of the people: pub grub. No Michelin stars, no artistic smears of jus on a plate — just hearty, comforting food that fills your belly and makes you sigh with contentment. When the King and Queen want this kind of feast, The Old Mill at Metal Bridge is where the royal carriage takes us.
And yes, loves, this is not a new fling. The Old Mill is our old faithful. Being Durham born and bred (though now living under sunnier skies in Florida), we always, always make a trip here every summer when we fly home. Tradition is tradition — and let’s be honest, chips taste better when they come with a side of nostalgia.
The Old Mill has a long history. Built back in 1813 as a Paper Mill, it later did double duty as a Corn Mill too, until 1890 when the business packed up and moved. Since then, the building has worn many hats, but since 2000 it’s been in the hands of Key Inns Ltd — a family-run business with a mission to serve up quality food, drink, and accommodation. Translation: it’s a proper pub, with all the charm you want from an old building with a few creaky corners.
This time, the King and Queen weren’t alone. We dined with our dear friend Kathryn — and let me tell you, Kathryn is the kind of friend you want at your table. Her royal palate is basically a clone of mine, and most importantly: she shares. Because really, what is friendship if not the willingness to let someone eat your mushrooms? Exactly.
We rocked up, sat down, and the waitress hit us with: “It’ll be an hour wait for food.” An hour?! Darling, we were on a lunch break! But then I remembered something crucial — I’m the boss. So, what did we do? We did what any self-respecting royals do. We ordered wine and decided lunch break could stretch into wine o’clock.
Now, let’s get to the good stuff:
No dessert this time — but not because we were full. Oh no. It was because the wine was calling louder, and sometimes you’ve just got to lean into that.
Now, we dined here not once, not twice, but three times in the four weeks we were back in the UK. That alone should tell you everything. But since you love my breakdowns, here you go:
Overall: 8/10. The Old Mill isn’t trying to be fancy, and that’s why we love it. It’s the definition of “does what it says on the tin” — good old British pub grub, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
