Reply With QuoteI'm frequently up there. I'm 30 miles south of Newcastle, but love the place, the friendly people and visiting relatives in Gosforth.
It was one of the top places in the world to go out on a night out.
Enjoy it it's amazing.
I work as a kind of management consultant, and some months ago I was asked to carry out a strategic review of a particular function within an arms length body that provides BPO services to the NHS. The project lasted 2 or 3 months, and during that period I ended up using a variety of hotels to enable me to work up there three days a week, whilst spending the rest of the time working from my office at home.
Fast forward a month or two, and I was asked to take on a head of department role on an interim basis - initially we thought it would be for 3 months or so, but it's now looking like a minimum of a 6 month project. I talked to Bea about it and gave it a little thought, but work has been quite hard to find over the last year or so - thanks, Brexit - so I really couldn't turn it down. I did qualify my acceptance, though, by saying that the organisation would have to pay for an apartment for the duration of my stay.
They accepted quite readily, and I now find myself living for 4 days a week in a duplex penthouse on Quayside, previously occupied by none other than Alan Pardew. It's a fantastic base, but what I can't get over right now is what an amazing city Newcastle is. The architecture, the river, the bridges, the bars and restaurants, the people... I'm just loving it up there, and even seem to be coping with the regular travel to and from London (although I admit it's a bit tiring week in, week out).
Anyone else feel the same about this wonderful place? Also, does anyone else in the area fancy a bit of a GTG over a beer or three one (midweek, unfortunately) evening?
This is effectively my front garden, by the way...
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Bob's lovely photos in his personal Coronavirus thread have prompted me to update this one, with some more shots taken whilst I was based in Newcastle. Hope they'll brighten up another dull day of isolation.
Some from the city (a mixture of Sony compact camera and iPhone)...
From a trip Bea and I took to Hadrian's Wall (camera)...
These show the wall pathway...
And a trip to Tynemouth and Whitley Bay (iPhone again)...
I'm frequently up there. I'm 30 miles south of Newcastle, but love the place, the friendly people and visiting relatives in Gosforth.
It was one of the top places in the world to go out on a night out.
Enjoy it it's amazing.
worked there in the 90s, C&A if you can remember them, its a wonderful city, they seem to have kept the "older" buildings rather than knocking them down unlike my birth place of middlesbrough, i now live in guisborough.
I like the surrounding area, and after going to Constantine College in Middlesbrough (lived part of the time in Redcar), started work in Darlington with Midland Bank. Places like Richmond and Durham were really nice both then and now, and worth visits.
I live 10mins from where you are tony and agree with everything you’ve said, while your up here try and visit Alnwick castle or the gardens the coast is also 15mins away on the Metro.
Yes, love the place.
People are really friendly, the architecture can be stunning and the restaurant scene has come on leaps and bounds.
I used to work up there quite a lot and convinced my daughter to choose Newcastle for her Uni. She is also a convert, although Id suspect that’s more about the nightlife.
It used to be very cheap compared to other cities in the UK but it seems to have caught up fairly quickly.
Plus, there’s also the live comedy show on at SJP every fortnight 😁
My Dad was a Geordie and I briefly went to Blaydon Grammar School. That's been knocked down!Originally Posted by jimp
Don't let everyone know that it's actually pleasant up North. May spoil it....
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I work up that way from time to time.
Lovely area, friendly people.
I had a job offer a couple of years back, my wife didn't want to move at the time due to her career, if the chance surfaced again now I think we'd be heading north.
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yea seems to be quite a lot of southerners moving up here because of house prices a lot cheaper than what you can get for down south making a killing on their house sale then living like kings up here don't tell everyone our lass says when they come to join the GP practice or very demanding and quite cock sure of them selfs.not as friendly as us up here.
As an exiled Geordie I'm glad you're enjoying my hometown......like other have said though, keep it quiet....its better when everyone believes it's 'Grim up North" ;o)
Yes really like it there. My son is at Uni there so been a few times and experienced the Sat night nightlife in Feb. Me and the wife in thick coats and the locals err...not.
It's a great place, lovely city and a cracking night out.
Try taking a train 10 minutes South and try Durham City. Very different to Newcastle, small and quiet, a beautiful little city.
Internet Shocker; Londoner discovers the North.
Tony you really should drive 30 min North and pick up the coastal route to Bamburgh via Alnmouth, Craster, Budle Bay....and take your camera!
Sssshhhhhh
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I came to Newcastle 15 years ago and haven't left. Very much home!
Great place and lovely people. Worked on the blinking eye bridge (Millennium Bridge) back in the 90's amongst many other places in and around Newcastle. At the Swan Hunters shipyard we did some piling and had the privilege to go up in one of the big red cranes, these were an iconic sight as you approached Newcastle from the South side of the river and the view from the crane cab across the Tyne and the surrounding area was magnificent, treasured memories indeed
Good to have you up here Tony, from my experience Londoners enjoy it more up here more than we do down London, tried it twice for 3 months at a time, good accommodation, ok people, but both times came away a bit disappointed, certainly not at the top of my must go to places. As said you are central to some beautiful places, well worth visiting a few if you can drag yourself away from the Big Market.
I'd be interested in a GTG, weekends better than midweek.
There are some nice watch shops too in Newcastle, with Berry's, Reid & Sons and Northern Goldsmiths on the same block.
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But have you tried sittin in a sleazy snackbar suckin sickly sausage rolls?
It is a nice place as are many places up this end.
Can I just say tho,I see a lot have said "Friendly People",this always has me wondering where are the places where People aren't friendly!.Tbh Ive found wherever in the world I've been,people tend to be friendly,only the unfriendly ones aren't.......that too can be anywhere in the world.
So many fantastic places up here,with not enough time to visit them all sadly.
I think it’s in the North people are more likely to talk to strangers. Not necessarily more friendly but more open to conversation. This is most apparent on public transport, tube for example people avoid eye contact and never-mind say hello.
Went there on a mates stag night once, the local ladies were errr, very friendly.
Cheers..
Jase
I'd second this. I live just outside the city and spend most weekends on the Northumberland coast and countryside. Its a beautiful place to visit, and yeah bring your camera. 👍
Haha... it's unanimous then
I do intend exploring the surroundings a bit, although weekends up there will be rare as I tend to need to be in London. Mind you, I've already booked Bea's tickets for a trip up soon and we're certainly going to spend one of her days exploring the coastline and popping up to Hadrian's wall.
And they don’t seem to wear much, even on a cold January night.
My affection for Newcastle stems from Auf Weidersehen, Pet!
Done a half dozen weekends there over the years and absolutely love the place and the people; fondest memory being a Good Friday afternoon binge with a crew from Komatsu Sunderland, by God that was carnage.
Happy days
I was up there a couple of years ago for a break, the north east is my favourite part of the country to be honest (I grew up there).
I couldn’t get my head around the amount of Greggs in Newcastle City centre, are there still loads of them Tony?
There's a 24hr Greggs now 🙂
I live a few miles south of Newcastle, and work in Northumberland. I get into Newcastle frequently, and would be up for a GTG.
My manager is over from Calgary next week, and I’m sure we will be heading into town.
That is indeed my abiding memory of the place.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Although I was born and live in London, my family is from the North East. I love Newcastle. It has really come up in the last 15 or so years. A wonderful city full of wonderful people!
Dave you’re too kind...
You’ll get a ticket parking your car there, mate.
I agree, it's a fantastic place to live. I'm in whitley Bay so only a few miles from the city centre but right on the coast with miles of beaches (and the odd cocktail bar!) Always happy for a NE gtg work permitting.
I had to move to the South East as I need to wear a coat in the winter and never required subtitles - I simply didn't fit in. Must have been adopted from a Southern family.
Its changed a lot since the 60's. Mainly for the better though they absolutely ruined Blaydon in the late 70's destroying the old market square and building a concrete shopping centre over it.
An interesting place.
I lived there for two years in the early ‘90s and I love the place. I would gladly move back there but work keeps me in London at the moment.
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Only an hour from me, so me and the mates are regularly out on the Toon. Great city, good people, what more can you ask!
And that from a Jock.
I'm enjoying all the love for the toon...I'm originally from Northumberland (a few miles down the coast from Alnwick)..went to college in Yorkshire and once graduated ended up working in Newcastle from 92-94...man what a nightlife, regularly dragged out down the Quayside and there would typically about 30 of us from my work out every Thursday night...weekends were a hoot and I loved my time there....eventually moved up to Edinburgh for a rest...regularly return to Northumberland to catch up with friends and family but would love a cheeky night out in Newcastle to see how its changed. If the OP manages to head north to Northumberland then anywhere between Holy Island and Druridge bay is well worth a visit...eg Bamburgh Castle, Seahouses, Beadnell, dunstanburgh castle, Craster, Alnmouth, Warkworth castle, Amble harbour, Alnwick Castle of course....and much more...the beaches are stunning and locals crackers (but in a good way)
surprisingly a nice place, there's even running water, electricity and rail travel.
And crucially, a massive Greggs that stays open until about 3am by the train station.
If the weather was a bit better it pretty much ticks all boxes, great City.
Bob's lovely photos in his personal Coronavirus thread have prompted me to update this one, with some more shots taken whilst I was based in Newcastle. Hope they'll brighten up another dull day of isolation.
Some from the city (a mixture of Sony compact camera and iPhone)...
From a trip Bea and I took to Hadrian's Wall (camera)...
These show the wall pathway...
And a trip to Tynemouth and Whitley Bay (iPhone again)...
Tynemouth
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Lovely photos and definitely worth posting. Never been so nice to see somewhere different when I’m stuck in.
I do like this one. That is to say, I like them all, but this one in particular.
I worked in Newcastle for a while a few years ago ,we used to stay in the premier inn at the foot of the swing bridge ,I found it to be a great location,plenty of light refreshments in that area .
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