Latest News:

  June is month of Newcastle Gay Pride, and this year's event promises to be an extravaganza not to be missed. More details here.

   The reprieve from the threatened demolition of the gay quarter has meant the arrival of a new venue on Scotswood Road in the form of the Number 52 Sauna. Details below.

   The Loft and Switch are as popular as ever with the noisy crowd, and weekends at The Bank have been transformed into dazzling ear-splitting window rattling extravaganzas. Twist and the Baron & Baroness are now very mixed since Digital, the straight night-club where the Powerhouse used to be, has opened.

   The Eagle continues to offer value. Twice a week revellers can thrill to the contortions of a male stripper, and once per month the now legendary Men Only nights defy description. The music is low key and chatting is possible, and the lower bar is men only at all times. Some say only the brave venture down into the catacombs, but in reality it is a space for men to let their hair down, and those without hair can surely find something else to loosen instead. One of the better and more manly Newcastle venues.

   Since the credit crunched Clone Zone closed a new establishment has arrived in the same place, Nice n Naughty, aiming at a wide audience. The goods are as one would expect and prices are similar if not a little below others in the area. Gay, bisexual and fetish customers are welcome, pop in for a look.

   Sunderland on Tuesday night is certainly gay night with the many promotions on offer from licensed premises in the city. Not least among these is Ttonic in Vine place, now open twice weekly as gay.
 

The Powerhouse Club, Westmorland Rd.

At last the New Powerhouse has opened in its new £2million plus home at the corner of Westmorland Road and St. James' Boulevard.

Its cavernous innards are a challenge for the unwary. Try to remember landmarks for getting out again, but in the meantime have fun on the various themed floors.

The large square building houses the club and the two adjacent and remodelled shops form Gossip. To the rear of the ground floor with its entrance facing the coach station is The Vault, a haven for the more mature crowd.

The fun starts on Friday at 2300hrs until 0400hrs the following morning with entry at £7. The Saturday scene is much the same but for the £10 entry fee. Sunday is another overnighter, closing at 0300hrs Monday morning for £4. Monday and Tuesday evenings start at 2300 and for £3 you can stop until 0300hrs the following morning . At present the club is closed on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Music and booze are much what you would expect, and at the moment there are few quieter spaces, but that will come soon with the opening of the extra space. A Pure Leisure venue.

Twist Bar, Times Square.

At the foot of Clayton Street West is Times Square, enclosed by the Centre for Life. One of the earliest commercial units to open is this quaint bar. Its quirky mix of traditional and 21st century trendiness attracts a mainly gay clientele in the evenings. It is more mixed at lunchtimes, but Twist is a definite party place.

The outside seating has been formalised and its welcoming and spacious atmosphere are attractive to those who want to be with and meet new friends without being drenched in tobacco fumes and deafened by the electronic megawatts. Twist is a happy, friendly and pleasant place that has now come of age. A Trafalgar Leisure venue.

Baron & Baroness, Times Square.

This venue serves food and caters for a mixed clientele during the day, but when evening comes, it is definitely a gay place to be.

Either inside or out a friendly crowd seems to congregate here, and it is conveniently next to a public cash machine so you can top up funds during the night.

It is situated next to Twist and shares the promenade area so that much mingling goes on.

It is open until 2300hrs Monday to Thursday, 0100hrs Friday night & Saturday night, and until midnight Sunday evening. A Trafalgar Leisure venue.

The Dog Bar, Westmorland Road.

Once the White Bull, The Dog is at the junction of Marlborough Crescent and Westmorland Road. On entering its dark interior, razor sharp shafts of coloured light sweep the bar and aggressively probe the back of your eyes. Meanwhile your ears, once aware of pins dropping and birds singing, become beaten into deaf submission by the clamorous and over-amplified din.

If you can communicate by semaphore or visual means, if you can live without your hearing for the foreseeable future, and if you actually enjoy an assault on your senses then The Dog is for you.

Despite this, The Dog is popular, and who would want it otherwise? It is not a venue for a chat, but rather for an up -beat injection of party-party before going on to somewhere else.
Dianne Charlton commented recently that she and her staff were offended by my impressions of The Dog, asking that I remove this section from my site, and threatening legal action because she didn't like it. For the litigious, I have revisited The Dog (2030hrs on 30th May, 2004) and this is my opinion.

Camp David Bar, Westmorland Road.

Mark Donnelly has pitched his 200 capacity two floor venue firmly astride the sexuality fence, and for a "mixed" bar it is not surprising that it has received mixed reviews. For some people, used to the comfort zone of a exclusively gay venue, Camp David may seem forbidding, but I urge you to give it a try before leaping to any conclusions. Opening times are Monday - Saturday 1700 - 0200, Sunday 1700 - 0030.

At One, Marlborough Crescent.

From the same people that brought you Switch and The Loft, Pure Leisure, here is @One, new in March 2006, between Betty's and The Yard, on Marlborough Crescent next to Churchill Street.

Its chic interior is light and alluring helped by the atrium and stairs between the two floors. Look out for the magnificent chandelier and matching lights downstairs.

The baby grand waits for those brave enough to tickle the ivories, but it is also a player piano that tinkles automatically. We are promised live music on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays and a laid back atmosphere, rather than the brain numbing ear hammering thump at some other places.

Venture upstairs for more seating and six free Internet terminals for you to cruise. The response was rather slow when I tried, and both Flash and Java have been disabled. However, for a free surf it can't be bad. Special stainless steel drinks proof keyboards are provided, so some of the clicking has to be done with determination. The toilets are spacious and clean, and throughout there is evidence of a creative design, not least in the use of mirrors.

Friendly, human and new. Opening times are 1200 to 0100 daily. Website here.

The Yard Bar, Scotswood Road.

Heavens Above, Churchill Street.

Switch & The Loft, Scotswood Road.

Find Switch between The Yard and The Bank. It caters for a young and noisy crowd. It takes no prisoners in its headlong dash to hardcore disco and head splitting sounds.

Switch daytimes are mixed, serving meals as well as booze. It becomes the gay centre for hedonism in the evening and punters can enjoy the fun until 0100hrs from Thursday to Saturday evenings, and midnight at other times.

The party continues late upstairs in "The Loft", and Switch also provides live entertainment on Thursday nights. Some have said, rather unkindly, that there is not enough room for another night-club in Newcastle, and then have gone on to say that Mark Donnelly's The Loft is rather small. Wrong on both counts. It has fashionable looks and real prices. What more could you want? A Pure Leisure venue.

The Bank Bar, Scotswood Road.

The Eagle Bar, Scotswood Road.

Far from being a 1950s boy's comic, The Eagle is for grown up men! Its log-cabin interior will appeal to the Lumberjack in you, and we all know what Monty Python had to say about them, don't we! See here for the words.

The ground level main bar is long and rather narrow with tabled booths and some barstools fashioned on the "ample is not enough" principle. There is a minstrel's gallery for sitting quietly and observing the action, and a lower "Men Only" bar in the basement area.

The decor is functional, and I especially like the ventilators running the length of the bar that by turns extract the smells and deliver fresh air. The sound system is not intrusive, and there are handy notices around the place to remind us that, amongst other things, "The only un-natural sex act is one which it is impossible to perform" from the erstwhile Doctor Kinsey.

The attractive and attentive bar staff keep the place going and a warm welcome is assured. We are amply entertained with a variety of weekend events and late openings. Adian Gadd's The Yard, The Eagle and Heavens Above are all within strolling distance. The Eagle opens at 1700hrs daily, and is the only bar catering for a leather denim crowd in Newcastle.

I think we can confidently proclaim that The Eagle has landed!

Number 52 Gay Men's Sauna
Scotswood Road

The Number 52 Sauna is located at (Guess where?) No. 52 Scotswood Road, just west of The Eagle.

For travellers by car, there are on-street parking bays, and by prior arrangement the staff will ensure that your tickets are kept up to date during your visit. There is also a large 24hr NCP car park beyond The Jurys Inn at Times Square.

Pedestrians will find the place by continuing west from The Centre for Life along Scotswood Road.

The clean, fresh facilities are on three floors with a secluded smoker's patio to the rear. The ground floor is for changing showering, steaming and the Jacuzzi as well as the licensed snack bar. The first floor is the location for the spacious sauna, another shower area, some large rest rooms, a television lounge, and a veranda for parading and nattering. Once on the top floor the pace quickens as a huge erotic cinema awaits alongside some smaller rooms, glory holes, and a dark room.

As a whole the fellows behind this new bright venture have put a lot of thought and not a small amount of cash into their business. Attendances are good both during the weekday daytimes as well as the weekend evenings, with a mix of ages and preferences as you would expect from a bright thriving gay venue.

The standard entry fee is £12, but for a £10 yearly subscription you get £8 admission before 1200hrs and after 1800hrs Sunday to Thursday and £10 at other times. There is currently a visit six and your seventh is free offer. Members also are eligible for a 10% discount at the nearby Nice n Naughty sex shop a couple of doors away.

The www.number52sauna.co.uk website gives more information, current news and offers, and an opportunity to see what otheres are saying about it all.

Opening times are Sun to Thur 1100rs to 2200hrs; Fri & Sat 1100hrs to 0700hrs the following morning. Public holidays are treated as weekends. Closed Xmas & New Year's Day.

Tel:0191-221-2189 Email: info@number52sauna.co.uk

Top2Bottom Gay Men's Sauna,
Blandford Street

This now worn and dowdy facility lies between St. James' Boulevard and George Street. Find it by crossing over from the Coach Station and cutting through the path leading away from the Pelican crossing behind the Tyre Centre. Turn right into Blandford Street and it is on your right.

By car, look for the Discovery Museum in Blandford Square. On the opposite side of Westomorland Road along Blandford Street you'll find it on the left.

Opening times are Sunday to Thursday 1100hrs until 2300hrs, with 1000hrs to 0600hrs overnights on Fri/Sat and Sat/Sun. There is an annual joining fee of £10 and entrance is £10, a Friday - Sunday weekend pass is £18 for members. Non members pay £12 per visit.

A Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, play area and power showers await. The café provides hot and cold snacks and is also the television lounge.


There is a small projection video viewing room and private areas nearby. Users can enjoy a sun bed session inclusive with every visit and even arrange a masseur by appointment.
 
Although its spacious two storey layout makes it the largest gay sauna club in the region its reputation and popularity have nose-dived recently due to poor management decisions and unblinking, robber baron practices causing customers excessive and swingeing costs.

The owner of this once flagship establishment should care for his customers rather than the narrow, panicked money grubbing and egocentric style that has taken over recently. This place is slipping into shabbiness and sharp practice.

The staff are welcoming, if a little clueless concerning customer care. Phone 0191-230-4110 for details. Owned by Gravity Leisure

Blue Corner Gay Men's Sauna,
Heaton Park Road

Cruising Alert....

Cruising outdoors can be dangerous but some find it to be fun; take your choice.
Always tell someone where you are going, and don't take anything that you do not want to lose. Always plan an escape route; and above all, be careful!

Links to other gay organisations

 [MESMAC] [Gay Men Tyneside] [GayScape]
[NewcastleGayScene]

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