Blackfriars

Where once Newcastle was synonymous with coal-mining and industrial skylines, it now stands as a gleaming example of what happens when regeneration goes right, says Ben Lerwill

THE fog on the Tyne has lifted, it seems, for readers of The Daily Telegraph recently voted Newcastle Best City In The North, Time magazine has called it “one of the secret capitals of Europe” and its convention bureau last year won a Gold Award for Business Tourism. Right now, Geordie eyes have never been brighter.

The preferred marketing tag these days is Newcastle Gateshead (Newcastle being the north bank of the Tyne, Gateshead the south), so it’s apt that the river plays a starring role in the appeal. The waterside panorama is one of the country’s finest, with the old steel arch of the Tyne Bridge complemented by Sir Norman Foster’s space-age colossus, The Sage. Away from the meeting halls, an already vibrant hotel and restaurant portfolio continues to be bolstered, while the local feel-good factor surrounding the return of the king (that’s HRH Keegan) can’t be overstated.

Wow Factor
Name: The Sage Gateshead
Address: St Mary's Square, Gateshead Quays,
Gateshead, NE8 2JR
Tel: 0191 443 4552
Email: joeli.brearley@thesagegateshead.org
Web: www.thesagegateshead.org

A masterpiece of modernist engineering or a bloated shiny slug? Public opinion may be divided, but industry approval has been high since the 2004 opening of Newcastle’s most eye-catching feature. Ostensibly created as a centre for musical education and performance, it also offers fully equipped conference facilities. There are four main event spaces: Hall One’s 1700-seat auditorium; Hall Two’s compact 400-capacity roundhouse; the Northern Rock Foundation Hall, suitable for dinners for up to 200, and The Barbour Room’s avant-garde reception space, able to hold 250. A number of smaller meeting rooms are also available for hire.      

Quirky Venue
Name: National Glass Centre
Address: Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Tel: 0191 515 5555
Email: info@nationalglasscentre.com
Web: www.nationalglasscentre.com

Around 25 minutes’ drive from Newcastle city centre is another contemporary venue offering notable event space, this time overlooking the River Wear. The £17m building highlights the region’s involvement in the glass industry, incorporating galleries, design workshops and historical displays. There’s good scope for conference organisers, especially in the form of the sub-divisible Riverside Room, able to accommodate 200 delegates theatre-style. Also available is The Pod, a smaller space giving good views over the water and able to seat 50 or take 75 for a reception, a balcony-cum-foyer for up to 150, a smaller meeting room and the Throwingstones Bar & Restaurant.

Money No Object
Name: Jesmond Dene House
Address: Jesmond Dene Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 2EY
Tel: 0191 212 3000
Email: info@jesmonddenehouse.co.uk
Web: www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk

Originally home to local Georgian aristocracy, the refurbished Jesmond Dene House balances an evocative period atmosphere with 21st-century trimmings – it’s most definitely a luxury hotel, but it’s not trying to do anything overly complicated. There are 40 guest rooms and suites, ranging from £160 to £395 a night, while the in-house restaurant has drawn a wealth of plaudits. On the meeting front, the Great Hall can seat 100 among oak panels and inglenook fireplaces, and two smaller spaces on the lower ground floor are able to take up to 30. The hotel sits just five minutes away from town, although the surrounding woodland means you wouldn’t realise it's so close to the city.

New Kid On The Block
Name: Kensington House
Address: 5 Osborne Road, Jesmond,
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 2AA
Tel: 0191 281 8175
Email: stay@kensingtonaparthotel.com
Web: www.kensingtonaparthotel.com

Opening its doors just before Christmas, the Kensington House 'Aparthotel' has firm appeal for corporate travellers. The owners have a can-do approach to arranging tables for informal meetings and events, primarily of a small nature, and there are 23 serviced apartments to choose from. Each one provides  a spacious modern base with gizmos and gadgets aplenty. There’s a designer feel to the décor, with padded leather furniture, retro wallpaper and 32inch plasma TVs.  

On A Shoestring
Name: The CastleGate
Address: Melbourne Street, Newcastle UponTyne, NE1 2JQ
Tel: 0191 233 2288
Email: enquiries@thecastlegate.co.uk
Web: www.thecastlegate.co.uk

The CastleGate might have held events for everyone from British Airways to Tyne Tees Television but its roots hark back to a more basic technological age. It was constructed in 1902 to harness power for the city’s now-defunct tram network and the building today gives a unique venue option close to the heart of town. The largest space is the Turbine Hall, which is big enough to seat 550 and has direct access from the street. Other notable possibilities include the original boardroom of the Tramways Company and the L-shaped third floor, able to hold up to 200.

Wired Up
Name: Council Chamber at Newcastle Civic Centre
Address: Barras Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE99 2BN
Tel: 0191 211 6948
Email: trevor.milner@newcastle.gov.uk
Web: www.newcastle.gov.uk

There are a dozen different spaces for hire at the Newcastle Civic Centre. Its Banqueting Hall is the focal point, accommodating up to 700 theatre-style, but it’s the lately upgraded Council Chamber that has piqued recent interest. The domed room has 112 soft fixed-base seats, all of which have individual microphones for conference use. A dual-screen backdrop and camera system are both also in use, designed to zoom in on speakers and delegates when relevant. The space itself can comfortably hold as many as 250, and a team of in-house technicians are on hand to oversee any further AV requests.  

Small but Perfectly Formed
Name: Blackfriars Restaurant
Address: Friars Street, Newcastle, NE1 4XN
Tel: 0191 261 5945
Email: info@blackfriarsrestaurant.com
Web: www.blackfriarsrestaurant.com

If you think the puddings are rich here, they’re nothing compared to the history. Blackfriars Restaurant bills itself as the oldest dining room in the UK, and its tale stretches back as far as the 13th century. Henry III is said to have been a past patron, while more recent visitors include the AA, who were impressed enough to award it a rosette. Food aside, the venue also offers a range of function space, including the Old Dormitory Meeting Rooms and The Balcony Room, which can seat up to 40. Combined with the adjacent cloister view, receptions can be held for up to 100.

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