Bar Fleet Street

Stuck between the diamond strip of Collilngwood Road and the decidedly dodgy Bigg Market, this bar goes for the middle-aged ground.

The Venue
In true tabloid form, Bar Fleet Street shouts its message at you. So, emblazoned on boards outside, we have “Dancing!”, “Food!”, “Party Music!”, “Atmosphere!” and “11 till late!” Well, they can be forgiven as the offices of The Chronicle are next door.

And anyway, inside it's a bit calmer. Bar Fleet Street is modern looking and sits on a strip which links Bigg Market to Collingwood Street. It opened six years ago, and has Newcastle’s longest-running karaoke night (on a Thursday with Gentleman John if you’re askin’). It's open plan and has features like art deco diamond-shaped mirrors, modern art-style wall panels and wooden window shutters. Otherwise, the lower halves of the walls are wood panelled and there are hedgehog lights with spines wrapped in wire wool.

There's a DJ booth with a plasma screen above and booth-seating slightly hidden away down the side. Posters of pin-up girls adorn a wall by some stairs which lead to the first floor, and this area is used as a function room. There are live DJs playing here during the week and a drag queen DJ gets the party going on Saturday nights.

The People
Old guys in deck shoes and jeans with white hair mingle with middle-aged ladies who come here for a munch and a natter in the afternoon. In the evening it gets a bit friskier with a thirty-plus crowd chancing their arm at karaoke or swaying to the cheesy party sounds the DJ plays.

The Food and Drink
On draught there's Strongbow, Kronenbourg, Foster's, John Smith's, Guinness, San Miguel and Woodpecker and in bottles there's Corona, Becks, San Miguel, Foster's and Budweiser. There are around a dozen cocktails at £4.50 each and they include cheeky vimto, cherry blush, black Russian and some unprintable ones (“Could I have a tight snatch please?” asks one 50-year-old chap). Pitchers are £5.95.

On the food front, chicken curry is £4.50 as is a portion of fish'n'chips. There are burgers, salads, jacket potatoes (£4) and sandwiches (£4.50). The cheese and ham wrap brims with thick-cut ham and tomato and is pretty good value for money.

The Last Word
At Bar Fleet Street you'll find a drag queen disco, karaoke...and that naughty cocktail.

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