Nightlife in Gateshead

When it comes to pubs, we love The Schooner. The quirky guys and gals who run the gaff set themselves the lofty ambition of making it ‘The Second Best Bar in Gateshead’. We’re afraid to tell them they may have gone one better. The independent free house has a great selection of ales on cask, craft beers on tap and fridges brimming with bottles and cans from around the world. There’s regular live music, which in the warmer months takes over the pub’s outside terrace. That’s all before we’ve even mentioned the food, which is so good we could have easily recommended The Schooner among the best places to eat in Gateshead. Overall, you can’t fault The Schooner; it does everything well and with a smile from their warm and welcoming staff.

The Black Bull is another animal of a live-music pub across the main road from the Gateshead Metro Station. Gigs take place on the weekend. Take a glance at the programme, and you’ll see The Black Bull has a penchant for punk and rock bands. If that’s your cup of tea, you’ll love the pub’s atmosphere and army of local rockers. Take a look at what’s on during your stay. If you’re staying at our Newcastle Quayside hotel, then The Black Bull is less than a 20-minute walk across the Tyne.

If you’re wondering on the whereabouts of the local Wetherspoons pub, it goes by the name of The Tilley Stone, and you can find it on Jackson Street in the town centre. It’s named after two coal seams worked at Dunston Colliery. It’s one of the nicer Wetherspoons you’ll visit. You know what to expect: cheap drinks, fast-as-lightning pub grub at great prices and an atmosphere that gets livelier with every turn of the hour hand.

If you fancy a night out, we’d recommend taking a look at what’s happening across the river with the help of our Newcastle nightlife guide. One we forgot to mention is the Prohibition Cabaret Bar on Pink Lane. The name gives the game away; it’s a fantastic cabaret bar and music hall. It’s like taking a trip back in time to a bygone Great Gatsby-esque era of entertainment.

Back on our side of the Tyne, Station East is a brilliant real ale bar with a fantastic drinks selection, a bawdy local crowd and live music every now and then. There’s also a mezzanine level if you prefer to sit away from the bar and look down on its punters. Our top tip is to visit on Thursday for the pub quiz.

Alternatively, ale enthusiasts can head a stone’s throw across the railway tracks from Station East to The Central. As far as drinking dens go, The Central is a Gateshead institution. It ticks every box. Great staff, great drinks, great craic, bar games, Sunday roasts, live music, wood-panelling, loads of rooms, a doggie playroom and a roof terrace where you can wave to the passing trains.