All about Newcastle

Reply 60

accountant-future

19

Just support Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby and you'll get on with the locals Im sure... :wink:

Reply 61

Sockhead

2

Any views on what the uni is like for someone who has been a social recluse most of her life? :colondollar:

I hear so much about how its the place to go for the clubbing scene ect, but really couldn't care too much about that side of things

Thanks

Reply 62

River85

17

Original post by Sockhead

Any views on what the uni is like for someone who has been a social recluse most of her life? :colondollar:

I hear so much about how its the place to go for the clubbing scene ect, but really couldn't care too much about that side of things

Thanks

I'm not a student there myself but the city isn't just catered to clubbing. It's the second home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (with the season taking place around June usually) and, with the Theatre Royal, Peoples Theatre and Tyne Theatre there are regular productions of many things year-round. If you're into hillwalking/rambling, or would like to give it a try, then the countryside in Northumberland and Durham is amongst the best in the country (plus the Lakes and North Yorkshire Moors aren't too far away). In the city itself there are a good number of quiter pubs and coffee shops if you just like to experience a quiter drink and I'm sure the university has similar things on campus. Newcastle's also got a good local music scene.

It might seem when you first arrive that everyone loves clubbing but don't worry too much. It's a fairly large university with thousands of people, young and old, and you'll find people who share your interests eventually, providing you make the effort with joining societies you're interested in.

Reply 63

xconfetti

Original post by greekguy

hi,

I hope that this thread will provide info, which will be important for every perspective student at Newcastle upon tyne.
Probably, next year i will go to study at northumbria and i d like to know as much as possible for the city.
I have read a lot of opinions about newcastle. On the one hand I know the city seems fantastic and compact. Its also cost effective for students. It is said that is safe too. However, on the other hand i have read that newcastle is considered to be a dangerous city, full of chavs. What kind of chavs are there in the north east? Do they threaten people, do they attack you or just wandering in the city and swear? There are some stereotyps such as geordies drink all day long, their god is Newcastle United and they beat their wives. I have heard that the city is sometimes rough at nights as well as the city is grim. The fervent supporters of newcastle maybe exaggerate a little bit, when they say that newcastle is the best city in england. Is newcastle so good or it is not all it is cracked up to be?
Is the city safe and particularly around northumbria uni?

Please, geordies dont get me wrong. You are the most appropriate people to help me.

thank you!

I grew up with Manchester as my closest city, and don't get me wrong, I LOVE Manchester, but I feel much safer in Newcastle than I ever did in Manc. Newcastle is fine as long as you're sensible, just like any other city. There is a big drinking culture but you hardly ever hear of people being bottled/knifed etc, and again, if you're sensible you're safe.
Personally I love it as a student city, thanks to the fact it's cheap, there's always something to do, it's easy to walk around, easy to get out of the city on the weekends and there's great nightlife. Even if you don't drink, there's still always local gigs, pub quizzes etc.
My best friend lives in Victoria Halls which are shared between Newcastle and Northumbria and so are very close to the Northumbria campus and she says there're always policeman around Northumbria campus. She walks home through the campus for that very reason :smile:

Reply 64

xconfetti

Original post by Sockhead

Any views on what the uni is like for someone who has been a social recluse most of her life? :colondollar:

I hear so much about how its the place to go for the clubbing scene ect, but really couldn't care too much about that side of things

Thanks

I only go clubbing every week - 2 weeks, and I have friends here who don't drink/like going clubbing and still find things to do :smile:

As someone else said, it's a large uni, and in freshers particularly it can be a bit overwhelming (I didn't drink much at all before I came here, and would have a drink about 2 times a year ish) but you soon get used to it. In my experience I've found that people tend to go out a lot first semester (although again there are still lots of people who don't!) but this semester we're having more block movie nights etc. Plus there are loads of societies to join :smile:

Reply 65

ArcaneAnna

15

Original post by greekguy

hi

1. - All you mentioned about newcastle is pure stereotyping. The same applies to every city in every country.
The north east has a bad reputation due to the areas past - when it was one of the poorest areas of the country.

However, the city has changed hugely in the past decade or so.

2. - It's super safe. I finish work at 4am and walk home everytime, not been bothered once. Girls might get the odd sly, sexual comment but nothing you wouldn't get in any other city.

Original post by Sakura-Chan

It can get a bit rough in town sometimes but that's usually on a weekend when all the (older) locals are out rather than students. But even when it's like that, it's not a bad place to be.

- Really? I haven't once thought that it get's rough at the weekend?
I'd say worst time is when it's half term and you see all thekids out in town - girls are dressed head to toe from topshop as if it's some uniform (but then again it's true in any city).

Original post by greekguy

What is exactly the Metrocentre?

Metrocentre is a ****hole. Seriousley never go there, unless you need to get a lot of shopping done in a short period of time. All the local scum hang around there, trakkie wearing charvs. They're harmless, just an ear and eyesore.

Also gateshead is the city on the other side of the tyne, not sure why you'd ever want to go there.
(apart from if you're going to the sage, gateshead tesco or baltic - but all three of those are 10 minute walk from necastle city centre).

Newcastle is a city that has a lot to offer, especially since it's actually fairly small...

One warning - pretty much everyone knows everyone here, there is no getting away from people knowing people you know. Connections all over the place.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 66

shephi

Original post by ArcaneAnna

One warning - pretty much everyone knows everyone here, there is no getting away from people knowing people you know. Connections all over the place.

Who are you? :P

Reply 67

River85

17

Original post by ArcaneAnna

1. - All you mentioned about newcastle is pure stereotyping. The same applies to every city in every country.
The north east has a bad reputation due to the areas past - when it was one of the poorest areas of the country.

Why the past tense? It still is? Like any region (and Newcastle as a city) it has areas ranging from huge affluence to poverty and great deprivation but, overall, it is the poorest in the country and typically has the highest unemployment rates (as well as poorest health indicators and largest percentage of public sector workers) in the country. It contributes the lowest or second lowest toward the national economy of all English regions (much of what it does contribute is from Tyne and Wear alone). Northumberland is largely rural and dependant on tourism and farming, except for the south east which has struggles since the closure of the pits. Despite the gentrification of Newcastle, and establishment of Nissan in Wearside, offshore energy research/manufacturing and high technology, there are still many areas struggling after the collapse of industry post-Thatcher. This is no criticism of Newcastle and the wider region, as it's a great and beautiful region, but it would be absurd to deny it isn't the poorest region in the country.

Also, without being pedantic, Gateshead is a town and centre of a surrounding "mentropolitan borough". If it ever gets city status I'll emigrate.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 68

ArcaneAnna

15

Original post by River85

Why the past tense? It still is? Like any region (and Newcastle as a city) it has areas ranging from huge affluence to poverty and great deprivation but, overall, it is the poorest in the country and typically has the highest unemployment rates (as well as poorest health indicators and largest percentage of public sector workers) in the country. It contributes the lowest or second lowest toward the national economy of all English regions (much of what it does contribute is from Tyne and Wear alone). Northumberland is largely rural and dependant on tourism and farming, except for the south east which has struggles since the closure of the pits. Despite the gentrification of Newcastle, and establishment of Nissan in Wearside, offshore energy research/manufacturing and high technology, there are still many areas struggling after the collapse of industry post-Thatcher. This is no criticism of Newcastle and the wider region, as it's a great and beautiful region, but it would be absurd to deny it isn't the poorest region in the country.

Also, without being pedantic, Gateshead is a town and centre of a surrounding "mentropolitan borough". If it ever gets city status I'll emigrate.

Newcastle is not as low socio-economic, people mistake Tyne & Wear/Gateshead for Newcastle, which are the poorest areas - but I have to disagree about the actually city.
[And gateshead is gash]
Yes, every area will have it's fair share of good and bad....but I don't think North Shields, Sunderland or any of those **** areas can be associated with Newcastle.

Also I might just point out that farming in Northumberland makes it one of the richest areas in England - people also underestimate the wages of a farmer.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 69

marcohunter

Original post by jamjam1994

I can say for definite that the nightlife here is amazing and there is something that everyone will enjoy everyday of the week.

hi jamjam1994, I've heard a lot about 'Thursbay', is it easy to pull there? Have you any tips? I bet you do :P

Reply 70

River85

17

Original post by ArcaneAnna

Newcastle is not as low socio-economic, people mistake Tyne & Wear/Gateshead for Newcastle, which are the poorest areas - but I have to disagree about the actually city.
[And gateshead is gash]

You said region, didn't you? So I was taking you to mean the north east. Or Tyneside (and possibly Wearside) at the most. This is why I said that the region is the most deprived in the country and not the city.

Newcastle certainly isn't the most deprived in the country, however, many of its wards are in the bottom 10% nationally and it ranks in the 30s overall out of around 160 local authority areas. So this is still in the bottom fifth or so of all local authorities and probably the bottom 50% of cities with populations over 300,000k.

Are you referring to Gateshead the town or the borough? Even if just the town, there's Low Fell (and parts of Bensham). If the wider borough then Ryton (where I'm from), Rowlands Gill and Whickham are all relatively affluent areas and more affluent than at least half of Newcastle's electoral wards.

Just referring to Newcastle then, yes, there has been improvement in recent years. In 2007, it was still the 37th most deprived local authority area in the country (up from 34th in 2004). South Tyneside was 28th, Gateshead was 50-something and North Tyneside in the eighties, I think. So North Tyneside is the least deprived local authority in Tyne and Wear.

Therefore, in 2007, Newcastle was the second most deprived local authority in Tyne and Wear, although the difference between Sunderland, Newcastle and South Tyneside is fairly negligible. Gateshead Borough and North Tyneside are relatively affluent.

To put this into context, before anyone thinks I'm making Newcastle into a craphole, amongst the English core cities (Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester) Newcastle has experienced more improvement than any over the last decade, with the exception of Leeds, and is less deprived than Liverpool (which is the most deprived city in England), Manchester and Birmingham (all top ten in 1007) and Nottingham (top 20). Only Leeds, Sheffield and Bristol are less deprived than Newcastle.

In conclusion: -

Yes, every area will have it's fair share of good and bad....but I don't think North Shields, Sunderland or any of those **** areas can be associated with Newcastle.

See above or check the Index of Multiple Deprivation figures yourself. You'll see , by looking at their positions nationally, Newcastle is comparable to Sunderland and South Tyneside. North Tyneside and Gateshead are higher (meaning less deprived than Newcastle).

Also I might just point out that farming in Northumberland makes it one of the richest areas in England - people also underestimate the wages of a farmer.

Northumberland is not one of the richest areas of England. That's absurd. I know farming well (and spent some time working in rural surveyors across Northumberland) so I'm aware of how much farmers can earn, particularly those with large farms (not really the case for a small hill sheep farmer). Besides, I was referring to how much the industry in Northumberland contributes to the national economy, which is a little different.

Northumberland is an outstandingly beautiful county with some lovely, relatively affluent towns and villages (Hexham, Corbridge, Alnwick, Alnmouth, Warkworth....) but the county as a whole is still not comparable to Kensington and Chelsea, is it, or parts of Cheshire (Sale, Alderley Edge, Knutsford).

Besides, where farming is the predominant activity, these are rural areas with a small population density. In the urban south east, where the majority of those living in Northumberland are located, unemployment can be at least three times the national average as they are still suffering following the closure of the pits around twenty years ago. Northumberland's rate of 18-24 year olds claiming JSA is well above the national average.

So, even if we accept that every Northumberland farmer has an income of £400,000 (which is far from true) for every one of these it's likely that there are two people living in the urban south east who are unemployed, and at least another two in work but on a low income.

See Northumberland County Council's website.
http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=10348#LabourMarket

For Newcastle see the Index of Mutliple Deprivation's 2007 report on the City Council's website.

Reply 71

accountant-future

19

Can't really argue against this region, the whole of the North-East is, in my view, the most friendliest places around - I also include the likes of Sunderland and Middlesborough here

Don't let people who say it's rough put you off, they most likely haven't been here in the first place

Reply 72

MrJimjams

Hey,
I have a conditional offer from northumbria however i am concerned about a few things involving nightlife and the locals.
Firstly i am from seaham, right outside sunderland and therefore i am a mackem and huge safc supporter. Obviously i know to leave my safc shirt at home :biggrin:

however i have heard storys that geordies have heard accents of mackems when in newcastle and then proceeded to cause bother. Whats the chances of this happening based entirely on my accent (no mention of football).
Also what is the lgbt scene like in newcastle, are there specific lgbt bars, and how are the locals towards lgbt people? ie. any verbal or physical abuse outside of bars and clubs.
Thanks

Reply 73

River85

17

Original post by MrJimjams

Hey,
I have a conditional offer from northumbria however i am concerned about a few things involving nightlife and the locals.
Firstly i am from seaham, right outside sunderland and therefore i am a mackem and huge safc supporter. Obviously i know to leave my safc shirt at home :biggrin:

however i have heard storys that geordies have heard accents of mackems when in newcastle and then proceeded to cause bother. Whats the chances of this happening based entirely on my accent (no mention of football).

Quite unlikely. Of course there's going to be lunatic fringe in terms of football supporters, as there are in any city, but many people either don't follow football (and therefore much of the rivalry is lost on them) or see the rivalry as just good natured with perhaps some light banter on derby day.

You'll probably be surpised by the number of people who probably won't even notice the difference in your accent.

Also what is the lgbt scene like in newcastle, are there specific lgbt bars, and how are the locals towards lgbt people? ie. any verbal or physical abuse outside of bars and clubs.
Thanks

There has been a long-standing area of the city centre that's known as the "pink triangle". It's close to the Centre of Life and Westmorland Road (not far from Central Station). It consists of around 15 pubs and clubs although most of them attract a mixed clientelle and aren't exclusively LGBT.

http://pubsnewcastle.co.uk/GayVillage.html

I think that's relatively up to date. Been a while since I was last round there on a night out (well, had any night out in Newcastle) but I was never aware of any trouble and don't know friends who've had any.

It's a cultural, cosmopolitan city you know. The locals are quite progressive :p:

Reply 74

Juichiro

18

Original post by greekguy

hi,

I hope that this thread will provide info, which will be important for every perspective student at Newcastle upon tyne.
Probably, next year i will go to study at northumbria and i d like to know as much as possible for the city.
I have read a lot of opinions about newcastle. On the one hand I know the city seems fantastic and compact. Its also cost effective for students. It is said that is safe too. However, on the other hand i have read that newcastle is considered to be a dangerous city, full of chavs. What kind of chavs are there in the north east? Do they threaten people, do they attack you or just wandering in the city and swear? There are some stereotyps such as geordies drink all day long, their god is Newcastle United and they beat their wives. I have heard that the city is sometimes rough at nights as well as the city is grim. The fervent supporters of newcastle maybe exaggerate a little bit, when they say that newcastle is the best city in england. Is newcastle so good or it is not all it is cracked up to be?
Is the city safe and particularly around northumbria uni?

Please, geordies dont get me wrong. You are the most appropriate people to help me.

thank you!

Hi. It has been a year since you made this post. May I know your opinion about Newcastle? I am planning to study at Northumbria.

Reply 75

Juichiro

18

Original post by KingGoonIan

Subbed: I'm driving from London to Newcastle tomoro got an interview at Northumbria on Friday.

How was newcastle?

Reply 76

bell12

Great thread! Could anybody tell me if there's something to do there when you are 30 and whether all clubs and pubs are just packed with teens? ...

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 77

River85

17

Original post by bell12

Great thread! Could anybody tell me if there's something to do there when you are 30 and whether all clubs and pubs are just packed with teens? ...

Posted from TSR Mobile

Clubs, pubs and restaurants have plenty of people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. People of all ages, especially the under 40s, travel from elsewhere in the country to have a night out in Newcastle.

Obviously some clubs will attract more younger people than others, but I can't think of any pubs or clubs that I'm familiar with who don't still have plenty of people in their 30s at least.

If only people in their teens and early 20s went out clubbing places would be half empty.

Reply 78

bell12

Original post by River85

Clubs, pubs and restaurants have plenty of people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. People of all ages, especially the under 40s, travel from elsewhere in the country to have a night out in Newcastle.

Obviously some clubs will attract more younger people than others, but I can't think of any pubs or clubs that I'm familiar with who don't still have plenty of people in their 30s at least.

If only people in their teens and early 20s went out clubbing places would be half empty.

Oh nice! Where i come from it'd be hard to find a place that doesnt make you feel old because everyone are 20 in most clubs and bars, and aside from specific places for 30 yearolds, you might as well just stay home and watch tv! I think i might just move to Newcastle for good :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 79

username1221160

19

Original post by bell12

Oh nice! Where i come from it'd be hard to find a place that doesnt make you feel old because everyone are 20 in most clubs and bars, and aside from specific places for 30 yearolds, you might as well just stay home and watch tv! I think i might just move to Newcastle for good :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Obviously the places popular with the students tend to have a much younger client base, but most other places are filled with people of all ages. You won't feel too old in your 30s. My Dad, aged 68, regularly goes out in the centre of Newcastle.

All about Newcastle

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