Stags and hens have been coming to Tyneside for decades, although the current feelgood buzz around the city, be it from Newcastle United or Sam Fender, has driven up demand.
There’s a reason more hens flock to Newcastle than almost anywhere on Earth. It probably isn’t because of Geordie Shore, or the fact we have a 24/7 Greggs (although that definitely helps).
No, brides-to-be visit Tyneside because Geordies know how to party. Be it the buzzing Bigg Market, the classy Quayside or the stylish Diamond Strip, come the weekend our city centre is absolutely bouncing until the wee hours.
Newcastle offers four distinct nightlife areas, all of which are well worth exploring. The Quayside is the most picturesque with classy waterfront bars that boast stunning views of the River Tyne, which looks even prettier at night time. Grey Street runs from Grey’s Monument down to the Quayside and is packed with all your fav chain bars such as Las Iguanas and All Bar One. The Diamond Strip (a phrased coined by the Geordie Shore lot) is where you’ll find all the big clubs and party bars. And finally, The Bigg Market, that has a reputation for being rowdy and fun, however in recent years there have been some classy bars pop up here too such as WC.
The districts form a natural route for a day of drinking. Start the day with cocktails down the Quayside – the Pitcher and Piano offers incredible views of the Tyne before a slow ascent up to The Bigg Market and The Diamond Strip via the bar-laden Grey Street. Grey Street is architecturally stunning but also packed with hen parties at the weekend and has some of the city’s swankiest bars. It is a great place to while away the afternoon and evening before finishing the day off by hitting the Bigg Market or Diamond Strip for some wild fun.
The three most popular hen party bars, Howlers, Revolucion De Cuba and Bohemia are all located in the spot where The Diamond Strip meets The Bigg Market, within about 100m of each other, so a Newcastle night out doesn’t take a lot of effort.
It’s not only the fact it’s compact and the nightlife is unreal, there’s also the amazing activities you can do here. There’s a ton of different bottomless brunch options, from Howlers, which has its own ball pit to Manhatta, a super cool NYC-themed bar. Or if you fancy something a little risqué you can take a nude life drawing class or hit up the iconic Dreamboys. If you’re an active group, you can spice up your life with a Spice Girls dance class or play Bubble Mayhen (a hen party twist on Bubble Football). No matter what your taste or budget, Newcastle has an abundance of hen party activities to check out.
Newcastle even leads the way with accommodation with huge hen houses you can rent such as Honeypot House that can be found right on The Bigg Market, meaning you have loads of bars within literal stumbling distance. As well as it being in a fantastic location, it’s also a brilliant place to stay with a variety of themed apartments from the Wild West themed ‘Toon Saloon’ that comes with its own bar and ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Room’, a gorgeous Alice in Wonderland themed apartment sleeping up to eight guests.
So, there you have it, Newcastle is compact with some of the best nightlife areas, activities and accommodation in the whole of the UK, making it a forerunner for groups looking to organise a hen party.
To find out more about planning a hen do in Newcastle visit Last Night of Freedom.
