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, The 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 more of a calmer affair. A modern looking bar on a strip which links Bigg Market to Collingwood Street it opened six years ago and boasts Newcastle’s longest-running karaoke night (on a Thursday with Gentleman John if you’re askin’).

It’s open plan and sports such items as an art deco diamond-shaped mirror and modern art style panels on the walls and there are wooden shutters on the windows. Otherwise the lower halves of the walls are wood panelled and hedgehog lights with spines enwrapped 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 the wall by the stairs leading to the first floor which is used as the function room area. 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 munch for a natter in the afternoon. In the evening it gets a bit friskier with a 30-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, Beck’s, 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 was brimming with thick-cut ham and tomato and was pretty good value for money.

The Last Word
The latest news is that The Fleet Street hasn’t changed. You’ve still got the drag queen disco, the white hair, the karaoke...and that naughty cocktail.