Whenever I go out for tea with my friends, we always meet in the Union Rooms. Have done for at least the last seven years. (One time we met in Luckies and went for tea somewhere at that end of time, but just the once. We’re creatures of habit - although as for eating, we go whereever is cheap, or whereever we have vouchers for.)
The building is from 1877 (it says so at the top) and is gorgeous inside and out. Well worth a visit.
See also here.
My love affair with the Union Rooms goes back to when I was 11. I qualified to go to a grammar school at Denton Burn and every day got off my bus from Gateshead at Stephenson’s Monument to get the trolley bus up the West Road. There was this wonderful and mysterious “men’s club” which nobody knew anything about or if they did they weren’t telling. It remained that way until Wetherspoon’s opened it as a pub. Then for the first time I was able to enter the forbidden place and what a wonderful experience it was. I love it. Like you, Beth, I meet up with friends a few times a year and this has become our rallying point. My friends are all ex-pat Geordies who come to visit a few times a year and we have a few jars here before exploring the rest of the town. It is such a wonderful old building. Good beer and reasonably priced food do help.
Very impressive architecture! I hope you can take photos inside too. :)
For the few years I had a NUFC season ticket, that was where I’d meet my friends before the match for a bottle of Dog and a lovely lunch. Great atmosphere and there were almost always families of away fans mixed in with the home crowd.
it was always boarded up when i knew it, used to eat lunch in the churchyard next door.
restoring this was one of wetherspoon’s better contributions to publand.
Glad you like it too Alf. It’s a great place (and no music or anything to drown out the talking is always good).
Hilda - will do!
Mosh, it’s a great meeting place.
Danny I didn’t know it had been boarded up (or if I did I’d forgotten) - about when was that?
i’m not sure when it was restored, it was still derelict when i left in 96. it was in the shadow of westgate house before demolition, and it seemed grainger town regeneration investment hadn’t really got to this part of town yet.
i did always think it would make a fine pub one day.
like blackett street waterstones, i wonder what’s in the little rooms at the top…
ah danny i would love to explore!