Blackfriars Restaurant to host first Christmas market in medieval Cloister Garden this weekend

Barbara Hodgson

25 November 2024 at 11:00 am·2-min read

Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle will be holding its first Christmas Market in its Cloister Garden — -Credit: (Image: Sam Hook, PR)

A feast of food, drink and music will be served up in the atmospheric surroundings of a 780-year-old Cloister Garden in Newcastle this weekend.

The city's historic Blackfriars Restaurant, a 13th Century former Dominican friary, will be hosting its first Christmas market this weekend and visitors are being invited to step back in time and soak up the unique atmosphere of its grounds, where over the market's two days they will be able to browse stalls and enjoy the likes of hot roast sandwiches and cocktails while on the Sunday Christmas carols, by the Ryton Singers, also will be adding to the mix.

The Cloister Garden where the festive market will be laid out was renovated only last year - winning a design award soon afterwards - so that Blackfriars could host open-air food events and the restaurant's general manager Rebecca Armstrong is organising the latest 'first' for the garden. She said: “Blackfriars was once a medieval hub of trade and community and our goal has always been to transform the 780-year-old Cloister Garden into a vibrant, accessible space for everyone to enjoy.

"Seeing the Cloister Garden brought to life with our Christmas market is an exciting new development and we look forward to meeting new customers and getting in the festive mood." Visitors will find there a range of food and drink to sample from local suppliers.

Blackfriars itself will be serving mulled wine, mince pies, hot chocolate and Christmas cocktails along with the BBQ of hot roast sandwiches and festive street foods from the grill. It opened St Dominic's Brewery on-site earlier this year and its own lagers and ales will be adding to the drinks offer alongside the likes of Craft Beer Newcastle; Elvet Cider Company and Northumberland's Ad Gefrin distillery and Hepple Spirits.

Among the Christmas gift stalls will be Brewery Jewellery, which makes necklaces, ear-rings and accessories from decorative craft beer cans; Mr T’s Utensils selling art and crafts; candle-maker Hot Wax; Laura Wigham Design with prints and cards plus Local Heroes North East, a collection of traders who celebrate local food and drinks.

The free-entry market will run from 10am until 4pm on both November 30 and December 1. For more about Blackfriars and its events see here.

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