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Luxury Car Hire uk Newcastle Guide
Newcastle
At first glance Newcastle UPON TYNE - virtual capital of the area between Yorkshire and Scotland may appear to be just another northern industrial conurbation, but the banks of the Tyne have been settled for nearly two thousand years and the city consequently has a greater breadth of attractions than many of its rivals. The Romans were the first to bridge the river here, and the " new castle" appeared as long ago as 1080. In the seventeenth century a regional monopoly on coal export brought wealth and power to Newcastle and as well as giving a new expression to the English language engendered its other great industry, shipbuilding. At one time, 25 percent of the world's shipping was built here, and the first steam train and steam turbine also emerged from local factories. In its nineteenth-century heyday, Newcastle's engineers and builders gave the city an elegance that has survived today in the impressive buildings of Grainger Town indeed, only London and Bath h ave more listed classical buildings.
Industrial decline hit Newcastle early, as highlighted by the Jarrow Crusade of 1936,but there's been an extraordinary revival over the last decade as the city has shed its dowdy provincial coat to emerge as a vibrant European arts and nightlife destination. The pre-eminent artistic symbol of this renewal is Antony Gormley's Angel of the North, a magnificent steel sculpture the size of a jumbo jet that welcomes anyone approaching from the south by rail or road. Newcastle's city centre has been transformed, particularly along the banks of the River Tyne, whose famous series of bridges acts as a backdrop to the ever-developing cultural and entertainment scene. Both Newcasde and Gateshead sides of the river have seen dramatic change indeed, these days visitors are encouraged to think of the city not as Newcastle upon Tyne but as "Newcastle Gateshead". On Gateshead Quays are the BALTIC contemporary arts centre and Norman Foster's Sage music centre, whil
e Newcastle's Quayside is scene of much of the city's contemporary nightlife, rivalling the traditional knees-up antics of the notorious Bigg Market. Add to these the lure of some impressive museums and galleries, including the unique Life Science Centre and the best traditional art gallery in the Northeast, the Laing, and there's a case for taking whatever time you were going to spend in the city and doubling it. Newcasde's inhabitants, known as Geordies, have a partisan pride in their city, which finds its most evident expression in fanatical support for the Newcastle United football team (the "Magpies"). With the stadium firmly anchored in the heart of the city, and every other young (and not so young) supporter wearing the familiar black-and-white shirt, it's difficult to overstate the team's importance.
Newcastle Getting around guide
Coming to Newcastle by train gives a fantastic view of the city's trademark bridges across the steep Tyne Valley. Central Station, on Neville Street, is a five-minute walk from the city centre or Quayside, and has a useful tourist office and Metro station. National Express services arrive at the coach station on St James's Boulevard, not far from Central Station, while most regional bus services use the Haymarket bus station on Percy Street on the north side of the centre (Haymarket Metro). Many other city and local bus services arrive at and depart from the underground bus station a hundred yards down the same street in Eldon Square Shopping Centre.
Newcastle 's airport, six miles north of the city, is linked by Metro to Central Station ( 5.50am— 11.10pm, every 7—15min; 20min; £1-80) and beyond. Alternatively, take a taxi into the centre (around ^12). Ferry arrivals from Scandinavia and Holland dock at Royal Quays, North Shields, seven miles east of the city. Connecting bus services run you into the centre, stopping at Central Station, while a taxi will cost around £10
There are tourist offices at 132 Grainger St (Mon-Wed & Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Thurs 9.30am-7.30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm; Oct-May closed Sun; 0191/277 8000, www.visitNewcastlegateshead .com); in Central Station (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm; same contact details); and at Gateshead Quays in St Mary's Church, Oakwellgate (Mon—Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm; 0191/477 5380Budget chains offer plenty of good-value rooms in the city centre and down by the Quayside, while the biggest concentration of small hotels and guest houses is a mile north of the centre in Jesmond, along and off Osborne Road: take bus #30B, #31B or #80 from Central Station or Haymarket.You shouldn't have difficulty finding a bed, though business visitors make weekdays busier than weekends for most of the year. Consequently, many hotels offer discounts for Friday- and Saturday-night stays, especially at the upper end of the scale where savings can be considerable. Save yourself time and effort by using the free room-booking service available at the tourist offices to personal callers
Newcastle information listings
Airport 24hr enquiry line 0191/286 0966, www.Newcastleairport.com.
Banks and exchanges Banks are concentrated around Grey and Northumberland streets. There's a bureau de change at the airport, in the main post office and in Thomas Cook travel agency (see below).
Books Waterstone's, 104 Grey St; Blackwells, Grand Hotel Buildings, 141 Percy St. Car rental Avis 0191/232 5283 and at the airport 0191/214 0116; Europcar 0191/261 0833 and at the airport 0191/286 5070; Hertz 0191 /232 5313 and at the airport 0191 /286 6748.
Ferries North Shields ferry terminal at Royal Quays, seven miles east of the city, has sailings to Scandinavia and Amsterdam. Contact Fjord Line (for Bergen, Haugesund and Stavanger; 0191/296 1313, www.fjordline.com) or DFDS (Gothenberg, Kristiansand and Amsterdam; 08705/333000, www.dfdsseaways.co.uk). Buses leave from Central Station to the terminal before each sailing.
Football Newcastle United play at St James' Park (ticket office 0191/261 1571, www.nufc.co.uk) in front of the country's most fanatical supporters. You're unlikely to get a ticket for the big matches against major rivals, but seats do go on general sale for some games. If
Live Theatre 27 Broad Chare 0191/232 1232, www.live.org.uk. Enterprising theatre company with regular productions promoting local actors and writers (Lee Hall gave his boy-ballet movie, Billy Elliot, its first reading here). Also has exhibitions and occasional club nights, plus fine live blues, reggae, country, soul and roots at its regular Jumpin' Hot Club.
Newcastle Playhouse Barras Bridge 0191/230 5151. Home of Newcastle's own Northern Stage company (www.northemstage.com) and co-host of the annual RSC season in Nov. The Gulbenkian Studio here hosts small-scale theatre, dance and recitals. Good cafe-bar (closed Sun).
Theatre Royal Grey St 0870/905 5060, www.theatre-royal-Newcastle.co.uk. Drama, opera, dance, musicals and comedy; also co-host of the annual RSC season in Nov.you can get in, you're in for a treat - just don't wear anything red (the colour of arch-rivals Sunderland).
Hospital Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Rd 0191/232 5131, behind the university, just 400yd from Haymarket bus station. Internet Internet Exchange, 26-30 Market St (Mon-Fri 9.30am-8pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11 am-6pm). There's free access at the Library and at the Live Wires Centre in the Discovery Museum.
Pharmacies The handiest central pharmacy is Boots, Monument Mall, Grey St 0191/232 4423. Police Corner of Market and Pilgrim streets 0191/214 6555.
Post office St Mary's Place , near the Civic Centre, at Haymarket.
Taxis There are ranks all over the centre, including those at Haymarket, Bigg Market, and outside Central Station. Weekend nights are the most difficult times to hail a cab; the queues at the Bigg Market ranks can be horrendous. Call Noda Taxis (0191/222 1888 or 232 7777) at Central Station for advance bookings.
Travel agents STA, 9 St Mary's Place 0191/233 2111 and University of Northumbria, 2 Sandyford Rd 0870/160 6070; Thomas Cook, 79 Grainger St 0191/232 5809; Trailfinders, 7-9 Ridley Place 0191/261 2345.
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Newcastle/ Newcastle Getting around guide/ Newcastle Accommodation Guide/ Newcastle information listings