The club scene has well and truly reopened in Newcastle. Charlotte Lloyd is here to take you through the best clubs to get your groove back and get you socialising again. 

When I think back to this time last year, compared to now, so much has changed despite so many people saying it wouldn’t. Last year I was doing almost exactly the same thing. I was writing for Yak and on Uni break, but I was at home and would have to get used to being at home for most of the year.

With COVID came ISO, and this time last year was only the beginning of a long year of up and downs. Clubs had shut down and our social life as we knew might as well have been too. This makes it sound like all of our socialising is done on the dance floor, and while there is so much more than just clubbing and dancing, it’s mostly true.

Even when clubs and pubs re-opened at the start of this year, things still felt different and the fun factor was still zapped. Then, a miraculous thing happened. A mere 3 weeks ago, dancing, mingling, and everything that made going out so great was back. With this being a new normal or forgotten normal (for now), it’s hard to know where to start with what’s open and where the best places to go.

Before COVID turned our lives upside down, Newcastle had a clear structure of where to go, but now we have to figure this out all over again. Below are some of the places which have not only re-opened but who are giving us a party vibe to bring us back into the much anticipated clubbing scene.

The King Street Hotel

Now while much of the pubs and clubs adapted to the constantly changing restrictions around social distancing, standing and checking-in, The King Street Hotel on, you guessed it, King Street, was one of many clubs that decided to shut down completely. They battered down the hatches on the club and only resurfaced since the easing of dancing restrictions a few weeks ago, and fair enough. Because of King Street’s reputation as a predominate dance club with little to minimal seating, the restrictions of dancing and social distancing were enough to put the whole place on hold.

With restrictions now hopefully a distant memory, King Street was one of the first places to re-open with a full house. The crowd, while definitely more dominated by the younger age groups, still plays some killer music and is good for a boogie well into the morning.

King Street is only open Friday and Saturday, meaning there will be lines upon lines, so getting there early is a must. But, even if this isn’t your vibe, a one-off attendance at this iconic club in Newcastle city is well worth it.

The Cambridge Hotel

This club, which has been a constant during the pandemic and one which is not new on Newcastle’s clubbing radar, was also big on dancing. But when isolation kicked in the social aspect The Cambridge relied upon was over. By reopening in July of last year, The Cambridge has tried to go back to normal and has done so with a little bit of rebellion, but also playing music people want to hear.

Being Newcastle’s live rock n roll venue for a very long time, The Cambridge has a focus on live music and local bands, hosting some of the state and the country’s emerged and emerging artists. The Cambridge has also opened Lost Boys Kebab, and happy hour is on Friday and Saturday, so make time for some delicious food, good music and drinks with friends.

The Newcastle Hotel

The Newcastle Hotel is easily one of the most popular late-night, early morning clubs in the Hunter region. With the ‘Newy’ also relying upon the clubbing and dancing aspect of their hotel it was also hit hard by the pandemic.

Into the start of the year, the clubbing room has been cut off completely and despite efforts to keep the place pumping from the lounge or a bar stool, I can confirm it is just not the same. But like everything else that eased three weeks ago, The ‘Newy’ came back to life with both the clubbing and karaoke room, allowing dancing for the first time in a year or more.

Another thing which makes this place a go-to if karaoke isn’t enough to draw you in is ‘Newy Fried Chicken,’ which is joined with the hotel to keep you full enough while on the dance floor or on the karaoke stage, wherever your heart desires!

With all of this in mind, another reason why meeting your friends for a boogie at the club would be a great idea is because it helps to support local businesses which have gone through an especially difficult time during the pandemic. Getting back on their feet is their first priority and what better way to help than to have a dance with some friends (there are worse things we could do).

Whether you’re after live music, good food, or just a night under the strobe lights, everything has reopened, so now is your chance to have a dance, get social and help local businesses by having a night on the town.

Feature Image by Matty Adame via Unsplash