Living in Newcastle

Newcastle is a great place to be a student. Cosmopolitan and vibrant, it is fast becoming an important cultural centre attracting tourists from all over the world. But don't just take our word for it, be a part of it - live it!

Newcastle slideshow

Click through our slideshow to see pictures of Newcastle and the surrounding region.

Shopping

Nowhere in the North East can beat Newcastle for its massive selection of shops - whether it's haute couture, vintage, urban street wear, or high street chic you're after, Newcastle is the capital of style. Northumberland Street, Monument and Eldon square are the main shopping areas whilst streets like High Bridge have stylish boutiques and vintage shops.

The Metrocentre

The Metrocentre in Gateshead is one of Europe's largest shopping and leisure centres with over 300 retailers and 50 cafes and restaurants- just a short bus or train journey from Newcastle city centre.

Markets

Every Sunday there is a traditional street market on the Quayside selling everything and anything, and an Arts and Crafts market on the Armstrong Bridge in Jesmond. Farmers markets are run on the first Friday of each month at Monument, where you can buy meats, cheese, confectionery and other local produce.

Entertainment

Pubs and clubs

The Rough Guide hailed a night out in Newcastle as the best of British – and we agree. With several areas around the city centre where the nightlife is bustling, you’ll never be limited for options. There’s the infamous Bigg Market, popular Quayside and new chic establishments around Central Station. And then there’s The Fate 0 a £75million city-centre entertainment venue willed with bars, restaurants, a club, casino and multi-screen cinema. A short metro ride away is the lively Osbourne Road in Jesmond with a good choice of bars and restaurants, and lots of student life.

Eating out

All tastes and budgets are catered for at the hundreds of restaurants and cafes in and around Newcastle. Spanish, Italian, Mexican, French, Japanese Portuguese, Polish, Mongolian and Indian as well as a la carte or a simple burger. For an authentic Chinese meal, head for Chinatown. You could even dine in the UK’s oldest dining room at the city’s first –class Blackfriars Restaurant.

Cinema and theatre

There are three major theatres in Newcastle - the Theatre Royal, the Tyne Theatre and the Newcastle Playhouse. All play host to touring plays and local acts. There is a multi-screen cinema complex at The Gate where you can catch all the latest releases, as well as the Tyneside Cinema which shows art house films as well as cult movies. Whatever your cultural taste, there will be something to wet your appetite.

Music

Music venues and concerts

There are plenty of music venues in and around the city, from gig venues such as the Carling Academy, to larger concert venues such as the City Hall, the Sage and the Metro radio Arena. Recent guests have included Beyonce, Take That, Lady Gaga and Michel Buble. Newcastle is also host to annual Jazz, Asian and Irish festivals.

Music Shopping

Northumberland Street is the place to find the large record chains, HMV and Virgin. Newcastle also boasts a range of smaller independent stores specialising in dance, blues, country, jazz, hip hop, reggae and more! The bargain hunter should head for Steel Wheels for a wide selection of second hand records and CDs. If playing a musical instrument is your passion, Windows stocks a varied range of sheet music instruments and quality hi-fi equipment.

 Art & culture

Newcastle is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK, with stunning architecture throughout. Most notable is Grey Street which was voted the best street in Britain by radio 4 listeners, the Quayside development and the landmark Tyne Bridge.

For a day out with a difference head to the redeveloped south bank of the River Tyne, which is home to an array of cultural venues; stroll across the award winning Millennium Bridge and discover the BALTIC art gallery and the Sage Music Centre - an international home for musical discovery.

There are also many art galleries and museums located throughout the city. The Discovery Museum is a two-minute walk from the College's Rye Hill Campus, whilst the Hancock Museum and the Laing Art Gallery are in the city centre. The Side Photographic Gallery, the Biscuit Factory and the Waygood Gallery are also worth a look. Of course no tour of Newcastle is complete without a trip to Antony Gormley's stunning Angel of the North which looks out from 65 feet high across the A1.

Sport

St James' Park is the home of Newcastle United, one of the most famous and best supported football teams in the England.
Sport plays an important part of city life: goal and see Newcastle United, as well as rugby, basketball and ice hockey teams. Whatever sport you're interested in, even WWE, we are sure you'll find it here!

For a more leisurely day out, take a walk in the beautiful Jesmond Dene Park, or walk along the Quayside... go to the coast or the beautiful countryside around Newcastle.

History

Text taken from Wikipedia.

Newcastle, known at the time as "Pons Aelius" was founded by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, whose Wall is still visible in parts of Newcastle, particularly along the West Road. The course of the "Roman Wall" can also be traced eastwards to Wallsend (Segedunum).

After the Roman withdrawal from Britain, Newcastle became part of the powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria and was known throughout this period as Monkchester. After a series of conflicts with the Danes and the devastation north of the River Tyne inflicted by Odo after the 1080 rebellion against the Normans, Monkchester was all but destroyed. Because of its strategic position, Robert Curthose, son of the Conqueror, erected a wooden castle there in 1080 and the town was henceforth known as Novum Castellum or Newcastle.


Throughout the Middle Ages, Newcastle was England's northern fortress, in the Border war against Scotland. The Scots king William the Lion was imprisoned in Newcastle in 1174, and Edward I brought the Stone of Scone and William Wallace south through the town. Newcastle was successfully defended against the Scots three times during the 14th century and around this time became a county corporate.

King Charles bestowed upon Newcastle the East of England coal trading rights. This monopoly helped Newcastle prosper, but it had its impact on the growth of near-neighbours Sunderland, causing a Tyne-Wear rivalry that still exists. During the English Civil War, Newcastle supported the king and in 1644 was stormed ('with roaring drummes') by Cromwell's Scots allies, based in pro-Parliament Sunderland. The grateful King bestowed the motto "Fortiter Defendit Triumphans" ("Triumphing by a brave defence") upon the town. Ironically, Charles was imprisoned in Newcastle by the Scots in 1646-7.

In the 18th century, Newcastle was the country's largest print centre after London, Oxford and Cambridge, and the Literary and Philosophical Society of 1793, with its erudite debates and large stock of books in several languages predated the London Library by half a century. Newcastle also became the greatest glass producer in the world. Newcastle's development as a major city, however, owed most to its central role in the export of coal.  The phrase taking coals to Newcastle was first recorded in 1538. In the nineteenth century, shipbuilding and heavy engineering were central to the city's prosperity; and the city was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. Innovation in Newcastle and surrounding areas included the development of Safety lamps, Stephenson's Rocket, Lord Armstrong's artillery, Joseph Swan's electric light bulbs, and Charles Parsons' invention of the steam turbine, which led to the revolution of marine propulsion and the production of cheap electricity.
 

Cost of living

Newcastle benefits from a low cost of living - cheaper than the south of England. One of the many benefits of living in Newcastle is the low cost of student accommodation and food, leisure facilities and nightlife. It is no suprise that many international students stay in Newcastle!