Newcastle stag do

Newcastle has a reputation as the best night out in England, and the city does its best to live up to it every weekend. Everything is close together, the drinks are cheaper than most of the south, and the people are about as friendly as you'll find anywhere in the country.

It works for almost any group. The Bigg Market is cheap and loud, the Quayside is a bit smarter, and the Diamond Strip is where you go if the group owns proper shoes. Add a match at St James' Park, a walk along the Tyne and a long Sunday lunch, and it's a very easy weekend to plan.

Geordies are famously welcoming, and stag groups are a normal part of a Newcastle weekend. You'll be talked to at the bar, asked where you're from and probably told where to go next. The city makes a lot of money from groups like yours and generally treats them well.

The goodwill depends on you not being a nuisance. Locals go out in big numbers too, and a stag group that takes over a bar, shouts at the staff or starts on someone's mate will find the friendliness disappears fast. Respect the football as well. If Newcastle have lost, it's not the night for jokes about it.

Most bars in the Bigg Market and around The Gate are used to stag groups and will let you in, especially earlier in the evening. The smarter Diamond Strip on Collingwood Street is a different story. Expect a proper door, smart dress, and fewer chances for a big group of lads.

As anywhere, size is the main issue. Split a group of twelve or more into smaller groups before you reach the door, and you'll get into far more places. Several local companies sell nightlife wristbands that cover entry to a run of bars on the Diamond Strip and in the Bigg Market, which takes a lot of the guesswork out for a big group.

Fancy dress is fine in the Bigg Market, where some bars actively welcome it, and pretty much expected for at least one member of the group. It won't get you into the smarter Quayside and Diamond Strip bars, some of which have a no-fancy-dress rule. Dress smart if you want the full run of the city. Trainers and sportswear get turned away at the better places.

You'll notice locals going out in very little, whatever the weather. Nobody will expect you to do the same.

Bigg Market

The cheap, rowdy heart of a Newcastle night out. Plenty of stag-friendly bars, karaoke and fancy dress. A good place to start, and for some groups a good place to stay all night.

The Gate

An indoor complex with bars, clubs, a cinema and a 24-hour casino. Popular with big groups because everything is under one roof, and useful when the weather turns.

Diamond Strip

Collingwood Street and Mosley Street. Upmarket bars, an older crowd and stricter doors. Worth it for a smarter night, if the group is dressed for it.

Quayside

Riverside bars under the Tyne bridges. Pricier, but the views are excellent, and it's busy and lively at weekends.

Grey Street and around

Traditional pubs and craft ale bars with a more grown-up feel. The right place for a quieter pint before the evening gets going.

Jesmond

Osborne Road, a short Metro ride from the centre. Lots of students, good drinks deals, and a smarter crowd than the Bigg Market.

A match at St James' Park

The ground is right in the city centre, and a home game is an unforgettable afternoon. Tickets are hard to get for big games, so check the club's membership and ticketing rules well before you book the weekend.

Brewery and distillery tours

Newcastle has a strong craft beer scene, and several local breweries run tours and tastings. It makes a good Saturday afternoon before the main night out.

Go-karting, paintball and clay shooting

All available a short drive outside the city. Stag companies run packages that include transport, which is worth it with a big group.

Comedy

The Stand has a Newcastle venue as well as Edinburgh. Check its booking policy for stag groups before you plan around it.

The Tyne bridges walk

A walk along the Quayside and across the Millennium Bridge to Gateshead is the best hangover cure in the city, and you'll see why Newcastle is so photographed.

Friday

Arrive at Central Station, drop the bags and start in the Bigg Market. Dinner somewhere central, then into The Gate or back out around the Bigg Market for the rest of the night.

Saturday

A slow breakfast, then a walk along the Quayside. A brewery tour or the match in the afternoon. Dinner booked for the whole group, then a smarter night on the Diamond Strip or the Quayside.

Sunday

A big Sunday roast, a last pint on Grey Street, and the train home.

There are plenty of hotels within walking distance of everything, and big serviced apartments are common, which suits a large group. Staying near Central Station makes Friday arrivals and Sunday departures much easier.

Prices jump when Newcastle are at home to a big club and on major event weekends, so check the fixture list before you pick a date.

Prices change, so check before you book.

• The smarter bars will turn away trainers, sportswear and football shirts. Pack a shirt and proper shoes even if most of the weekend is casual.
• On match days the city centre is packed before and after the game, and some pubs near the ground are home fans only.
• Book Saturday dinner for the whole group in advance. Walk-in tables for fifteen don't exist at 8pm on a Saturday.