Right folks - need advice from people from Newcastle -
I'm going down on the 15th for a day in the Toon. Have a couple of things on my list to do - namely, Baltic and Seven Stories, the children's book centre. Although any other / better suggestions would be most welcome.
I've booked lunch in a place called Cafe 21 - is this place decent?
Also - there's a really nice pub I found one night after a Newcastle match, it's on the hill road out of the station that leads up to St. James park, I believe it's on the right as you go up. It's a bit twee and dark and wood panelled and they were playing Fuck Buttons last time I was in. Any help with that?
Any other ideas would be most appreciated.
PSN / 360 Name - regmcfly
Steam - martinhollis
The pub sounds like it might be The Forth Hotel, officially sanctioned meeting point of all Toonstock events.
Personally I prefer Tilley's on Westgate Rd (about a 5 min stroll away) but The Forth is a canny pub.
Never been to Cafe 21 so can't comment. If you're going to the Baltic anyway, the restaurant on the top floor is excellent, and if you're going to Seven Stories make sure you call into the Cluny next door for a pint.
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We should plan a ComboStock double header, one in Newcastle and the away leg in Edinburgh, which I nearly just spelled Edinborough.
Are The Forth and Tilley's still the place to go for non-twats? I take it The Head of Steam still has all the same people going as it did 10 years ago. Does anything ever change in Newcastle, EVER?
I'm pretty sure it wasn't a hotel. It was a bit too young and trendy. There was stuff up on chalkboards and they had Frullis Raspberry beer on draught.
It's a pub, it's proper name is The Forth Hotel, but generally just referred to as The Forth.
@SpaceGazelle - I'd hope Tilley's is a non-twat bar as I spend more time there than any other bar. The Forth isn't as good as it used to be (or maybe I'm just getting on a bit), frequently full of pretentious twats in hats.
The big evil Head of Steam multinational conglomerate now owns the H.O.S. (obviously), along with Tilleys, The Cluny (&Cluny 2), Central (in Gateshead) and LYH near haymarket.
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Every bar in Newcastle has at least one twat in it. If you're ever in a bar, looking around at the clientele and can't see one, then unfortunately you're a twat.
I used to run The Forth many moons ago, in a different life. It was dodgy as fuck when I took over. Took a year of throwing out mentals to get the young crowd in. I'd heard Kenton had left, from someone on this very forum I think. I used to drink all night every night with the manager of Tilley's when it first opened. We'd take it in turns to host the lock in. Those were the days.
Can't claim to know Newcastle intimately, but I head up there a lot with the kids, as well as for the Baltic and gigs.
Based on that, the Baltic and Seven Stories are both good starting points. If you've got kids with you (and if not, I wouldn't bother with Seven Stories), the Life Centre's probably worth a visit. (They've got an Ice Skating rink set up at the moment too.) Not sure if there's anything worth seeing at The Sage (probably my number one reason for going to Newcastle) that day, but it's practically next door to the Baltic, so it's probably worth wondering across to check...
I have no children, but I do like books.
Fair enough, I've found some of their stuff pretty fascinating on visits in the past. It's very dependant on whose work they're highlighting at the time, and a lot of it is very much angled towards the kids themselves. I'm guessing dressing up as characters from picture books, and having story readings, probably isn't going to rock your world. Some of the stuff in their collection might well, but you'll have to battle your way through the packed half term crowds to get a look in.
(If all that sounds a bit down on Seven Stories, it isn't, as I'm a big fan of the place, but it helps to know what you're letting yourself in for...)
I've been to Cafe 21 before, was nice, fairly pricey.
I spent most of my childhood pressing buttons in the Discovery Museum. Never been to the Baltic, though. I'm not quite sure whats stopping me.
You should've come down on Saturday Reg, and had a pint with Toonstock.
That bar you describe sounds like The Forth.
Wait it's this Saturday? I thought it had changed to march?
Aye!
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As in aye, it's on Saturday, not March.
www.thebearandbadger.co.uk
I've looked at the thread again and I can't work out why I thought it was ever changed to March. I'm going to put it down to stupidity.
So this means that it's still going to be the night after my works piss up. Bother.
This isn't helping me have the best wednesday ever (tm)
Carry on Reg.
The The Lord of the Rings films were filmed in Newcastle go to Gandalf's house it has round doors in it.
Ahahaha.
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We're moving house. Come with g if you want to live...
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Oh, mother, tell your children
Not to do what Reg has done
Laugh it up fuckers. First class rail to Newcastle on 8am train. Lunch at 1. Find that pub and drink.
What happened to regstock?
Reg's home. We don't go there any more.