About tynefolk

On the 17th April 1990 the Australian landlord and Yorkshire landlady of Ye Olde Cross Inn in Ryton met with Ronnie and Margaret Palmer, Dave Minikin and Ed Lawrence to discuss the possibility of starting a folk club in the pub. Following this inaugural meeting the first night of folk music was on Thursday 3rd May 1990.

We congregated in the bar amongst the regulars of the pub, and we attracted twelve folkies. There were 7 singers, 2 guitar players, an accordion player and a whistle player.

The folk music continued every Thursday night, with both singers and musicians attending regularly, and on one of these nights Danny McLeod and Alan Fitzsimmons came along. They both have become influential figures on the folk scene, and were instrumental in developing the club.

Current tynefolk Venue

tynefolk singers and musicicians

On Thursday 29th November we booked our first guest, Jim Sharp, a fine singer and guitarist - now a regular floor singer at tynefolk.

At this time tynefolk was know as 'Ryton Village Folk Club'. Over the years we have moved premises a couple of times: from The Cross to the Jolly Fellows and then to the Half Moon, all within Ryton Village. The next move was to The Black Bull in Blaydon (a Camra 2010 Good Beer Guide pub), a stone's throw from Ryton) and it was decided that a new name should be formulated.

Thus tynefolk was born, and is now renowned as one of the best folk music venues in Newcastle and the North East.

tynefolk New Venue : Ye Olde Cross Inn, Ryton, NE40 3QP

As from September 1st 2021, tynefolk will meet at Ye Olde Cross Inn at Ryton.

Ye Olde Cross Inn, which is community owned, has superb facilities with real ales, separate entrance to the upstairs room for singing, a lift and a disabled toilet.

This is a new exciting time for tynefolk, and soon we intend to arrange guests nights as well as the popular regular singing nights.

Ye Olde Cross