Yahoo News Fleet Street in Newcastle confirms opening date as work begins on transforming famous bar
After news of its comeback sent shockwaves through Newcastle and the many Geordies who have fond memories of partying there, Fleet Street has revealed exactly when it will be opening its doors again for the first time in nine years.
A place where you could belt out the likes of Summer of 69 and I'm in the Mood for Dancing, without an ounce of judgement from fellow revellers and dance to the Steps megamix, quite possibly with a jug of cocktail in hand; Fleet Street was packed out every weekend in the mid-late 00s, with it eventually shutting in 2015.
Before the last tune had even been played on the Pudding Chare haunt's decks, there were reports that the building was going to be taken over by smokehouse restaurant The Purple Bear. This never happened, as The Purple Bar instead opened elsewhere in town, before there were then talks of the building being demolished to make way for a hotel.
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Thankfully, for all those people who held onto hopes for a Fleet Street resurgence, that too never happened and, last month the cat was let out of the bag that it would be entering a new era as a sports and live entertainment bar. A new Facebook page has since been launched and it was on there, that it was announced that the new look Fleet Street will open on Saturday, July 20.
Heineken owned Star Pubs and its new licensees, Andrew White and Michael Bray are together investing £330,000 in a complete overhaul of the derelict premises and, for Andrew it's a return to familiar turf, as he worked next door in the old Chronicle offices, back in The Printers Pie days.
Scaffolding and banners are now upside on Pudding Chare as work begins inside and the plans is for the empty shell of an inside is set to become a contemporary rustic bar with a modern industrial vibe.
Premier League matches to be shown on TVs in the ground floor bar and in time the creation of a dedicated sports lounge on the first floor, with food also served during the day and local DJs and singers being recruited to provide the entertainment on weekends.
