Christie's Brasserie - The Zetland, Middlesbrough (Zetland)

Built c.1860 as a pub-cum-hotel, the real interest here is the spectacular lounge added at the rear in 1893, designed by local architect J. M. Bottomley for a private client and described as ‘luncheon bar’ on the earliest plans. It retains its superb display of round-arched mirrors with surrounding tilework in cream, browns and light blue, together with an ornamented plaster cornice and frieze.

The pub closed in 2015. Bought by Philip & Joanne Christie and in July 2017 they embarked on a painstaking restoration which included sourcing custom-made tiles from Craven Dunnill Jackfield - the very firm that created the tiles that adorn the walls of the spectacularly mirrored rear dining room over 120 years ago. The pub re-opened in September 2018.

The rear room now acts as a dining room so best to visit the pub at a quiet time to be able to view it.

All the way around the room is round-headed ceramic arcading – five arches on the west and east walls; three on the south and two on the north one. Between each arch are mirrored panels in pilasters with tiling above. The ceramic frieze features waterleaves, shells, cherubs, scrolls and baskets of fruit. There is an egg-and-dart-moulded ceiling cornice. Jacobean-style geometric-panelled plaster ceiling with moulded ribs.

Along the west wall the arcading contains ornate ceramic work and a mirror; also one on the north wall is similarly treated. On the east wall three contain plain plasterwork; two with windows. The south wall arcading also contains windows and the other north one is just plasterwork. Old photos show the lack of mirrors in the round headed arcading on the east wall and to the left of the entrance door– research would be required to discover the date of change.

There was some fixed seating in bays on both the west and south walls but this was removed in 2018; the only seating is now on the south wall and is new. In its place on the west wall there is now a dado of colourful tiling, some in relief, sourced from Craven Dunnill Jackfield. Prior to closure, there was a large modern servery on the east wall. Now there is a dado of more plainer tiles mainly in claret.

The restoration exposed other ornate fittings from the late Victorian times that had been hidden from view for many years. The entrance lobby has a ‘Zetland Hotel’ mosaic floor. Above it, having been covered by a false ceiling, there is a splendid tiled ceiling with octagonal centrepiece and ornate cornice. If you go down the passage on the rear right towards the toilets and into the rear lobby there is a skylight with a colourful stained glass sections that is also now able to be admired. Not accessible, there is a toilet upstairs with walls that are completely covered in colourful tiling.

The front public bar did have a modern servery on the back wall but this was removed from its position by the new owners. Now there is a traditional looking bar counter added on the front right hand side. The room has dado panelling that had been hidden for years by fixed seating. The two sets of inner doors in the entrance lobby have been sourced by the Christie’s from elsewhere. In the hallway leading to the rear room dado panelling has been added in the same style as that seen in the bar.

The restoration won the Zetland the Historic England Award for Conservation in the 2019 CAMRA Pub Design Awards.