Riddle MagazineA Night Ooot Doon the Toon
Riddle’s guide to a night out in Newcastle
Article by A. Geordie
For those who love a great night out Newcastle is a must, the Toon and it’s nightlife are known far and wide for being the best night out in the UK. A destination suitable for all; whether you’re looking to host a hen or stag night, you’re a fun-loving person wanting to let your hair down, or a couple wanting a night away. From the small, chic places to infamous Geordie hangouts, the city has it all. Whatever your taste in music or people, there is something for everyone.
When you stay in the city you will need a central base - somewhere to come back to when you’re all partied out (and in the North East they party hard). The Hilton Newcastle Gateshead practically bridges the Tyne: it’s a delightful and dependable place on the Gateshead bank of the river, with an expansive glass lobby and sleek modern design that makes it the perfect place to stay. The hotel is within spitting distance of the Baltic Centre for contemporary art, for when you shake off the hangover and desire some culture.
The Malmaison is situated on the other side of the Tyne in the more established Newcastle, and offers unbridled luxury at decent prices. If boutique is more your style, then Hotel du Vin is near the Quayside area of bars and clubs and can give you decadence to go alongside your hearty portion of partying.
You will most likely be overdressed in Newcastle- not necessarily in terms of formality, but in quantity of clothing. Newcastle didn’t get it’s reputation as one of the finest party cities in the world for nothing; Geordies are weather-resistant and like to show off their going-out clothes just as readily in the queues outside as they do inside the clubs. They’re the ones that coined the phrase when talking of evening attire ‘piece of string, belt and heels’….
On your night out you will need to warm up and the best way to do this is in a stylish bar. Florita’s, near the High Level Bridge, is perfect. An exotic cocktail bar, with a small jungle and barbecue terrace, it’s popular with moneyed locals, who use it as a happening stopping-off point before really kicking off their night.
The Revolution chain has a bar here, just down the road from Florita’s. Massive and high-ceilinged, in an old converted office building, it’s perfectly adequate for shaking off what can be a cold winter chill (and sometimes a brisk summer breeze) but lacks the individuality to be found elsewhere.
Once you’ve warmed up, you’ll be looking for somewhere to let your hair down. Mega-club Liquid, near the bottom of Northumberland Street (the main shopping thoroughfare in the city) plays dance music nightly and stays open until the sun rises. Digital, in Newcastle’s own Times Square (a tad less impressive than New York’s), is smaller but more salubrious, and plays different music depending on the night.
Tiger Tiger is spread over three floors. It can be expensive to get in to - and sketchy at closing time - but is always busy; if you’re looking to meet the locals, come here. World Headquarters is very niche, the upper floor is barely bigger than a large sitting room, but if you’re into electronic, drum’n’bass and minimal music, then you’ll want to take a gander at it.
Tup-Tup Palace is where the rich and famous party, and is just down the road from Florita’s, where you may have started your night. Coming out of the club to see a centuries-old cathedral and the Castle Keep, a millennium-old castle, makes Newcastle what it is: a contrast of old and new, proud of its past but always looking to move forward and provide the best time possible.
There are countless more places to see and be seen in Newcastle. If you’re staying at the Malmaison, you need never climb a set of stairs, sticking instead to the lower ground of the Quayside and wandering from bar to bar, the view of the Tyne from the Pitcher and Piano is fantastic and they serve a mean cocktail.
The best ways to explore the nightlife of the city is to simply wander round and see where the night takes you. It’s one of the advantages of being in the eighth best party city in the world that you’ll rarely find a shady speakeasy. 