Crafty’s Ale, Whisky and Wine Bar opens in Darlington
Iain Minto, 49, and Sara Benson, 50, have taken over the former Crafty Merlin’s and transformed it into Crafty’s Ale, Whisky and Wine Bar.
The first-time landlords first welcomed punters to the Buckton’s Yard micropub last month, having transformed the space and even adding a handcrafted yew bar.
It’s now home to a curated range of craft beers, real ales, whisky and other wines – plus a special addition from the pair’s recent trip to Cavtat, in Croatia.
That is the organic Dalmatian red wine Babić, which is grown near the coastal city of Šibenik.
Crafty’s first welcomed punters over the late May bank holiday weekend and is the realisation of the couple’s dream to open a bar in their hometown.
Fundraising manager Sara said: “We only wanted to serve wines we’d personally tasted.
“Babić was full-bodied and delicious, and we knew straight away it belonged on our menu.
“We’re also offering mango spritzers, which we discovered while abroad, and a unique Greek orange wine from Crete called Lyrarakis.”
Iain, who runs Northern Janitorial Services at Aycliffe Business Park, admitted he used to be a lager drinker but switched to real ale.
He explained: “One day, when I was out with friends, I had a pint of real ale – and from then on, we never went back.
“Thankfully, The Orb in Darlington opened, and we discovered craft ale, especially Two by Two, which is brewed in Ouseburn, Newcastle.
“That’s when my love affair with craft ale began.”
As previously reported, Crafty Merlin’s announced last December that it would be closing the doors for good on New Year’s Eve, thanking customers for their support.
At the time, former owner Chris Corr explained that there had been a number of difficulties for the bar from the cost of living and health issues.
Since then, the space has been transformed, with Iain and Sara enlisting the help of their Darlington friend, who own joinery, plastering, plumbing and heating businesses.
“The building was a real challenge,” Iain admitted.
“But with the support of family and friends, we managed to open on time and create something we’re really proud of.”
And despite only being open a matter of days, Sara said they have already been “overwhelmed by the support from the community”.
She explained: The opening weekend was incredible, and we’re so thankful to everyone who came out to support us.
“We’re taking on board all the feedback and are committed to making Crafty’s even better.”
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Crafty’s will continue to host regular live music events, including this Friday’s performance (June 6) by Pikes Peak, a double bass and banjo duo, from 7pm.
There will also be a quiz night on the last Wednesday of every month.
You can see more from Crafty’s on its Facebook page.