Premier Inn Newcastle

Newcastle is well known for its lively nightlife, popular football club, beautiful Quayside and fascinating sights and landmarks, like the seven bridges that cross the Tyne.

People from Newcastle are affectionately referred to as Geordies. The term is thought to originate from the name ‘George’, which was a common name among pitmen and miners in the northeast of England in the late 1800s, or could perhaps be linked to the city’s support of English kings George I and II in opposition to the rest of the population of Northumberland in the early 1800s. It’s technically only supposed to refer to people born on the north of the Tyne within a mile of Newcastle, but nowadays tends to be a catch-all for anyone from the area. The area’s accent is made up of unique phrasings and words used by people from the Newcastle area and this is also referred to as Geordie. 

Many famous folk hail from Newcastle. Footballers Alan Shearer and Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne, singers Neil Tenant of the Pet Shop Boys and ex-Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson and TV presenters Ant and Dec all come from the area.

The distinctive Newcastle Geordie accent often includes non-standard pronunciations and grammatical forms that can leave even other Brits a little confused. It’s believed that the accent originates from over 1,500 years ago when Anglo-Saxon settlers came from continental Europe, blending Danish, German and Old English dialects. Common (if perhaps a little archetypal) phrases include ‘wey-aye’, meaning an emphatic ‘why, yes, of course’, ‘man’ or ‘pet’ as terms of endearment, or ‘areet’ as a quick ‘hello’.

Newcastle has a population of around 300,000 people, making it the 8th most populous city in England and the largest population in the north east region.

The Old English word ‘tun’, which eventually evolved to become town was pronounced ‘toon’. The original pronunciation never changed in the Newcastle area. The city is now affectionately referred to as the Toon, and Newcastle United supporters are often labelled the Toon Army. 

Newcastle is just under 250 miles north of London, with a journey that takes just under three hours by train or around 5 hours to drive.