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Previous issues for Newcastle

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.

United Kingdom : Newcastle - December 2009

Country Code: Dial for United Kingdom

With its air of festive cheer, stunning cityscape picked out in lights and pantomime season in full swing, nowhere does Christmas better than Newcastle. Especially this year, when the city plays host to Amir Khan (fighting Dmitriy Salita on the 5th), Shed Seven (7th) and Ian Brown (14th). Marissa Carruthers braves the cold and heads up there

Getting around

Newcastle International Airport,

Train: Metros also run directly from the airport to various locations across the city centre. Trains depart every 15 minutes until 11.59pm. The journey from the airport to the city centre takes 20 minutes and a single ticket costs €2,66/£2.10
Taxi: You can pick a taxi up from outside Arrivals. The journey to the city centre will cost about €12/£10 and takes 10 minutes.
Tourist information: Newcastle Tourist Information Centre is at 8-9 Central Arcade in the city centre (tel. ).

CITY CENTRE

Boasting beautiful buildings, an endless selection of shops, quirky boutiques, classy cocktail bars, cute cafés and historic landmarks, Newcastle city centre will keep you busy for days.

Sleep soundly – Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the panto and the Theatre Royal (100 Grey Street) has pulled out all the stops for this year’s production of Cinderella, which runs throughout December.

Must eat – Add a dash of Japanese authenticity to your meal and have a bit of fun with your food at Fujyama (35-39 Bath Lane, tel. ). Watch as your dishes – try the kaki furai (deepfried oysters in breadcrumbs) – are cooked in front of you.

Must drink – Kick back with cocktails and some of the city’s freshest DJs in the North bar (Neville Street).

Dance the night away – There are plenty of places to hit after hours but World Headquarters (Carliol Square) and Digital (Times Square) are musts.

Shop til you drop – Hit the high street and take in the twinkling Christmas lights along Grey Street and Northumberland Street, where you can see Fenwick’s famed Christmas window display.

HEATON AND OUSEBURN

Enjoy the mix of quirky restaurants, pubs and bars in Heaton or wrap up and take a walk along the River Tyne to Ouseburn – the city’s creative corner.

Culture vultures – For something a little less ordinary, try The Star and Shadow Cinema (Stepney Bank). Run by dedicated volunteers, this intriguing venue stages underground films, exhibits art and hosts bands and DJs.

Must eat – Jack Sprat’s (413 Chillingham Road, tel. ) cooks up the finest vegan and vegetarian food. Enjoy the chilled-out atmosphere while tucking into the vegan stir-fry or wheat-free falafel.

Must drink – Soak up the sounds of the city’s up-and-coming musicians at The Cluny (36 Lime Street) and treat yourself to some locally brewed beer.

GATESHEAD AND THE QUAYSIDE

While paying tribute to the city’s shipbuilding past, the radically renovated Quayside also looks forward to Newcastle’s vibrant future.

Sleep soundly – For pure opulence, check in to Hotel du Vin Newcastle (Allan House, City Road, tel. , hotelduvin.com, rooms from €177/£160). Set in the former home of the Tyne Tees Steam Shipping Company, this boutique hotel oozes style. Book the Valdepusa Suite for breathtaking views of the River Tyne.

Culture vultures – View Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy installation at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Gateshead Quays), which will be on display all month.

Must eat – Combine art with food at Six (Gateshead Quays, tel. ), which sits on the top floor of the stunning BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art. Lap up the stunning views of the Tyne’s iconic bridges and try the Northumbria duck with dauphinoise potatoes. For elegant eating, dine at Silk Room Champagne Bar & Restaurant (Trinity Gardens, tel. ). Sample the unusual menu of crocodile and kangaroo and, of course, the champagne cocktails.

JESMOND

If you want to rub shoulders with local celebrities, head to the leafy suburb of Jesmond, where you might just bump into a footballer.

Must drink – Osborne Road is where the action is, and there are plenty of bars to choose from. Try Spy (82-86 Osborne Road) if you fancy a good selection of cocktails.

Dance the night away – Hit the dance floor at Mr Lynch (Archbold Terrace). Get down to the sound of soul, funk, disco and house, until the early hours.

Shop til you drop – If you like to stand out from the crowd, then browse the shelves of Lebeado (9 Acorn Road) for beautiful, handmade jewellery and accessories.

Previous issues for Newcastle

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.

 

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