Earlier this month I popped along to a preview evening of The Green Room – the brand new bar at Newcastle Theatre Royal! 

If you know the Theatre Royal, you’ll know it’s one of the most iconic venues in the North East, and now it’s opened its doors in a whole new way. 

The Green Room sits in the former DatBar space on Market Street and has access directly to and from the theatre itself between the Stalls Foyer and Grand Circle. The best part? It’s open to everyone, not just theatre-goers!

The bar is absolutely stunning furnished with velvet seating, touches of brass and wood, and an incredible statement wallpaper!

That wallpaper is my favourite thing about The Green Room. Designed by local artist Beth Travers of BOBO1325, the bar features stunning bespoke wallpaper that tells stories of the theatre’s history. The artwork consists of provocative and captivating collections of paintings which all mark key parts of the landmark theatre’s long history. My favourite is the story behind the teacup – Way back when, you weren’t actually allowed to drink alcohol in the theatre so people used to sneak gin in teacups instead! ICONIC. 

The bar feels luxurious but still welcoming – the kind of place where you could happily settle in with a coffee and a book in the afternoon or sip a glass of wine after work. If you then decide you’re in the mood for a show, you can even book tickets at the Box Office Kiosk inside the bar open Mon–Sat, 11am–3pm! Theatre-goers will also love the spot as somewhere to discuss shows over a drink. It’s a versatile space and lends itself so well to the city. 

To celebrate the opening, the bar created its own signature cocktail – The Curtain Raiser. It’s a clever twist on a Tequila Sunrise but instead of tequila, it uses Vietnamese gin. Fruity, refreshing and the perfect nod to the space. It was delicious!

The choice of name for the bar comes from the theatre’s own Green Room relaxation space for actors, and it is in honour of the original building architects: father and son duo John and Benjamin Green who designed the theatre as part of Richard Grainger’s grand design for Newcastle city centre in the early 19th Century.

When I visited for the launch, there was a real buzz about the space. You could tell how excited people were to see the theatre open itself up a little more. It’s not just a bar, it’s being imagined as a cultural hub for the city and I love that. A spot for conversations, creativity, and just soaking up that bit of theatre magic whether you’re seeing a show or not. I can definitely see it becoming one of those ‘let’s just meet there’ spots with friends whether it’s for a quick coffee, a pre-theatre catch up, or a Curtain Raiser (or two!)

A wonderful new addition to Newcastle! 

The Green Room

11 Market Street

Newcastle

NE1 6JN

Open daily, 11am – 11pm