'Right now we're fighting for survival'

An alliance of more than 100 Newcastle bars and pubs has mounted a legal challenge against the Stack fanzone outside St James' Park.

- DANIEL HOLLAND Local Democracy Reporter

Earlier this summer, the 2,000-capacity venue was granted a five-year extension to its planning permission by Newcastle City Council.

But city centre businesses, uniting under the banner of the newly-formed NE1 Hospitality Group, are now trying to get that decision quashed.

They claim that the St James' Stack, which opened in 2024 and now has approval to keep running until 2031, is endangering the city's famous nightlife.

The group said that soaring footfall at the Stack, throughout the week and not just on Newcastle United matchdays, is taking trade away from other venues and putting jobs "at serious risk" at a time when the hospitality industry is struggling across the nation.

An application has been made for a High Court judicial review of the council's decision to extend the planning permission, which the NE1 Hospitality Group believe is "unlawful".

Judicial reviews can only be used to challenge the legality of a planning decision that has been made, not the merits of the application in question.

A spokesperson for the alliance said yesterday: "This isn't about growth - it's about displacement.

"The Fanzone is drawing trade away from the very venues that helped build Newcastle's reputation for hospitality. We're not against progress but it must be fair and sustainable."