Having been thwarted on my attempt to visit Quilliam Brothers on Saturday – it was closed for refurbishment – I was delighted to get a second swing today, when my friends L & A were in town. L is a tea lover, so I knew she would like the range of brews on offer, but what I really had my eye on was the stottie sandwiches. Disappointingly, my absolute favourite wasn’t on the menu – last time I was here I had a ‘Geordie rarebit’, made with Newcastle Brown Ale and possibly the most delicious thing I have ever eaten in my life.

This time I had to be satisfied with the cheese and ham toasted stottie without the ham – though since it was bloody delicious, this wasn’t a hardship. L had the lentil and squash salad and pronounced it good, while A went for the falafel stottie, and was equally impressed. (He was also pleased to be introduced to the Geordie word ‘scran’).

Sated, we had a potter around Blackwell’s bookshop and said our farewells, all of us planning to return.