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The Gay Scene is located around and to the west of the Central Station.
None of the following is intended to be advertisements for any businesses, and the views expressed are my own. The idea to form a "Gay Village", is a plan by the local council rather than commercial
growth like that in Manchester. Only time will tell if it will succeed in attracting inward investment, or be a dead in the water nice idea that city councillors can point to in future during their "I
Told You So" speeches.
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Latest News:
The Oh so Liberal and wonderfully Democratic Local Council plans to sweep away the gay scene from under us. From an almost secretive world of handshakes and nods with Big Business the Planning Department are now forced to consult with those affected. You and me. But only for two days! See more here.
On the corner of Marlborough Crescent and Scotswood Road a new white fascia with the simple sign "@NE" does not seem very inviting, but be not deceived, this is the newest gay bar, At One, dedicated to chic
and relaxation. See more 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. In comparison The End, with its muted decor and muted ambience has attracted a muted number of customers. It's quiet and laid back but not very busy. 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. Three times per week revellers can thrill to the contortions of a male stripper, and once per month the now legendary Men Only nights defy description. The last Thursday of the month is "Suits You Sir"; come dressed in a suite and tie and discuss the merits of double over single breasted, and the correct way to unbutton your overcoat! The music is low key and chatting is possible, and when the extractors are switched on the stink of tobacco is diminished. One of the better and more manly Newcastle venues.
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. Also see news about Fizikal on Murton Street near Tavistock Place Click here for more details.
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The Powerhouse Club, Westmorland Rd.
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 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 floors open so far.
The large square building is almost all finished, but the added space formed from the two adjacent and remodelled shops has yet to open.
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. Trafalgar Leisure Ltd. runs this venue.
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Twist Bar, Times Square.
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 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.
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Baron & Baroness, Times Square.
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 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.
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The Dog Bar, Westmorland Road.
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 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.
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Camp David Bar, Westmorland Road.
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This swish retro' 1960s bar is aimed at the Bohemian crowd; equally welcoming to gays and others. It opened opposite the Centre for Life
next to the Dog and Parrot (ex "Golden Fleece") in early December, 2004 and serves cocktails, beers and wines against a background of bare brick walls, grey slab sofas, spindly chrome tubed
furniture and a predominance of seductive red backlights. Sounds are variable, but not objectionably loud.
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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. The Camp
David Website was created for the opening and is rather uninformative. Camp David has hosted heterosexual speed dating in the past and runs "Nice" a Sunday music and dance arena with a frisson of danger from 1830 to midnight. Opening times are Monday - Saturday 1700 - 0200, Sunday 1700 - 0030.
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At One, Marlborough Crescent.
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 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.
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The Yard Bar, Scotswood Road.
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Visit the Yard. Adrian has done us proud with its airy
style. Light oak and fresh bright decor abound. It is simple and effective. Once popular with the older crowd (it had the nickname "Graveyard" for a while) it is now part of the mainstream, and welcomes
all ages and temprament.
It is next to Switch, and contrasts with the bright and brash in a more mellow mood. There is space to stop and natter, or pop upstairs to Heavans Above for a more lively
bop.
The Yard is open until 0100hrs except Sunday evening when it shuts at 0030hrs.
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Heavens Above, Churchill Street.
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Switch & The Loft, Scotswood Road.
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 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.
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The Bank Bar, Scotswood Road.
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On the left is the conversion from an old Lloyd's bank to
a trendy bar.
Colin welcomes you to this thumping venue with traditional hours and some late openings. It is promoted as a wine bar, but it also sells traditional beers and imported lagers.
The decor is old bank and 1970s kitsch, complete with potted plants! The sound levels attract the lager boutique crowd and deter the more level headed. Ear defenders are definitely recommended
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The Bank is on Scotswood Road, almost next to the Yard. As
you can see, Switch bar and The Loft lie between the two. For the sake of identification, the massive blue Centre for Life is visible in Marlborough Crescent.
This once quiet, friendly bar has
been transformed into the vestibule to Hell, devoid of charm, and intent on robbing its customers of their sensibilities and hearing.
This venue is part of the Pure Leisure empire.
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The Eagle Bar, Scotswood Road.
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 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 words and here for an MP3
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 foul tobacco stench 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. Adrian has made sure that we are
entertained with a variety of weekend events and late openings. Adian Gadd's The Yard, The Eagle and The End are all within strolling distance. The Eagle opens at 1700hrs daily, and is the only bar
catering for a leather denim crowd in Newcastle. See the Eagle Web site here for detailed closing times.
I think we can confidently proclaim that The Eagle has landed!
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The End, Scotswood Road.
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 Finally, finish the pub crawl by visiting The End (formerly Rockies Bar), just past the Eagle at the
end of the block. The new decor resembles a comfy lounge and is a chill-out area, becoming popular with a more mature crowd looking for a natter and a chance to catch up with old friends and the latest gossip.
The ambience is completed with a thoughtful range of music encompassing Soul, tuneful R&B and Jazz. We are promised live entertainment in the months to come, including Stand-up Comics, Salsa, Talent
competitions, and Open
 Microphone to unleash those talents.
The End is very different from Rockies, and while the outside is still
changing, internally the venue is complete and has attracted some crowds, especially at weekends. Opening times are 1700hrs to 0100hrs daily.
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Top2Bottom Gay Men's Sauna,
Blandford Street
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 This clean and spacious 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 behind the Tyre Centre. Turn right into Blandford
Street and it is on your right about 50metres.
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 opposite Patterson's Printers.
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 £8, a Friday - Sunday weekend pass is £18 for members. Non members pay £12 per visit..
A Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, hammock area and power showers await. The café is mixed with a
smokers' area, doubling as the television lounge.
 It is sad the the foul stink makes
the café area a no-go zone for all but the most confirmed and condemned tobacco addicts.
There is a small 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.
With its spacious two storey layout Top2Bottom is the largest and best appointed gay sauna club in the region. The huge walk through
steam room leads to a large Jacuzzi with continuously renewing water and filtration system.
The Red Light Café offers a variety of hot and cold snacks and drinks, and the lower floor maze promises
more distraction.
However, the owner should care for their customers and pay attention to leaks and damp floors. The staff toil to keep it tidy, but a little repair work now will prevent this
place from slipping into shabbiness.
Manager David welcomes you, and staff members want your hints and tips. Phone 0191-230-4110 for details. Owned by Gravity Leisure
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Blue Corner Gay Men's Sauna,
Heaton Park Road
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A little way from the City centre, and just a short ride
on a No. 1 bus towards Four Lane Ends, is Blue Corner. Soak away those aches and pains at Newcastle's original gay sauna. It's on the corner of Heaton Park Road and Wandsworth Road and is open from
1000hrs until 2200hrs Monday to Saturday. On Sunday it opens at 1200hrs and closes at 2000hrs.
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Fizikal Gay and Bisexual Men's Sauna,
Murton Street, Sunderland
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Celebrating its first year of successful operation
in the centre of Sunderland, Fizikal is the latest entrant to the increasing number of gay and bisexual men's sauna clubs.
Most large towns and cities have at least one such offering and it was
high time that Sunderland joined in.
It is open Monday to Saturday from 1200hrs until 2100hrs, although at other times it opens for private functions.
It costs £10 to join and £7 per visit
Monday to Friday and £8 at Weekends. There are often weekly pass promotions. Quite a bargain.
Look out for the Bear Days (open to all!) on the last Sunday of each month. Entrance is £2 members £3
non member, and includes a lunchtime buffet.
See here for more illustrated details and reviews. Owned by John Woolley.
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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!
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Links to other gay organisations
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Swap stories, view world wide information, gather views and possibly meet people locally or further afield. This is
a totally free and mature site - but beware contributors use explicit language.
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This free to use site is aimed at GLB people of the North East of England, with its Webmaster, a South African, based in Whitley Bay. He says that he aims to encourage people to
abandon their computers and to meet people in the "real world" for some good clean fun. Free sign up lets you into the message boards; the rest is up to you!
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Site and contents (unless otherwise stated) ©
Tim. Pickford-Jones and Timmonet, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
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If you should arrive here via a search, or be missing the navigation on the
left hand side, click this button.
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