Article from Chronicle Live

Published 13 June 2024

A hugely popular party bar of Newcastle’s past, Fleet Street will soon re-open its doors after a £330,000 makeover.

After standing empty for nine years, once hugely popular Newcastle party bar Fleet Street is all set to re-open next month, as a craft ale, entertainment and sports bar after an extensive £330,000 makeover.
Going back to the 00s, Fleet Street, formerly The Printers Pie, was packed to the rafters every single weekend, as Geordie revellers of all ages, as well as plenty of stags and hens, flocked to dance the night away to songs like I’m in the Mood for Dancing, Summer of 69 and Never Gonna Give You Up, while also taking advantage of some cracking drinks deals.

The last dance was had in the Pudding Chare haunt in 2015, before the venue closed down and, after rumours that it would become smokehouse restaurant The Purple Bear came to nothing, it has been standing empty for close to a decade. However, the good times will soon be back again as Fleet Street is going to be transformed both internally and externally, to open with a brand new look in July.

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.

Andrew and Michael have now recruited experienced Newcastle hospitality boss Baileigh Musgrove as manager, with passers by set to get a look at the massive change to the building’s exterior over the coming weeks and it is transformed from, its current derelict state to have a new black exterior, complete with orange signage and a contemporary mural.

The empty shell of an inside is set to become a contemporary rustic bar with a modern industrial vibe including timber floors, exposed brick and rustic walls with a Beavertown mural and space invaders arcade machine. The plan is for 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.

Fleet Street will offer barista style coffee in the day and have Wi-Fi and charging points, with food like pies and sandwiches available to order during the day.

As well as being a place to go to watch sport, the aim is for Fleet Street to be a real hub for live entertainment, with Michael keen to hand opportunities to local DJs and performers. on What customers can expect, he said: “Having DJ’d around the bars in my twenties, and having a passion for giving others opportunities, we are looking to showcase a variety of local talented artists.

“As well as this we will be showing a host of live sporting events and weekly themed nights which, on the whole, will bring a fresh feel to the city centre. Everyone involved is extremely excited for a reinvented Fleet Street to open its doors in July.”

Design render to give an idea what the bar will look like when finished.