The Common Room
ENTRY
from £5
WHERE
Newcastle upon Tyne
What it’s like
A heritage building near Central Station with gigs, talks and free family activities, plus archives you can explore on set admission days.
This is a proper old building with a lot going on inside it: heritage rooms and archives you can wander round on General Admission days, plus a steady run of gigs, talks and lectures in the evenings. Free educational and family activities run alongside all this, and though there's no charge for them, they're still ticketed, so it's worth grabbing a place rather than assuming you can turn up.
The gig list is the surprise here. There's folk, whisky tasting nights, Faber Academy writing workshops from £5 up to £100, and one-off events like a Christmas party with Gloria Love and Friends. Prices swing a fair bit, from a fiver for a taster workshop to £40 for whisky tasting.
The Alan Reece Reading Room is a separate thing entirely, open 10am to 4pm for researchers rather than casual visitors, and food and drink aren't allowed in there. The 5 Quarter café and bar runs 8am to 3pm if you want a coffee before or after whatever you're at.
Getting in is easy on foot: it's two minutes from Newcastle Central Station and there are bike stands right outside on Orchard Street. There's no on-site parking, though, and the main entrance has four external steps with no handrails, so wheelchair users and buggies need the accessible entrance round the corner, which has a platform lift.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Recommended to guarantee access and secure place
- Parking
- No on-site parking. On-street parking free for Blue Badge holders
- Wheelchairs
- Full wheelchair access throughout building
- Getting there by bus or train
- Newcastle Central Station, 2 minutes walk
- Bike stands are on Orchard Street, right by the accessible entrance
- The main entrance has four steps with no handrails; go round to Orchard Street if that's a problem
- Prices for events vary a lot, from £5 workshops to £40 whisky tastings
- The café only runs until 3pm, so plan food around that if you're there for an evening event
Plan your visit
Do we need to book?
For General Admission days and family activities, yes, book to guarantee a place, even though the family stuff is free. Gigs and talks are ticketed separately.
How much does it cost?
Family and educational activities are free but ticketed. Paid events range from £5 for a taster workshop up to £40 for whisky tasting.
Is there parking?
No on-site parking. On-street parking nearby is free for Blue Badge holders, and Central Station Long Stay or Stephenson Quarter car parks are close by.
How do we get there without a car?
It's two minutes' walk from Newcastle Central Station, and there are bike stands on Orchard Street right outside the accessible entrance.
Is the building wheelchair accessible?
Full wheelchair access throughout, but the main entrance has four steps and no handrails. Use the accessible entrance on Orchard Street, which has a platform lift.
Can we bring food into the Reading Room?
Food or drink is allowed in the Alan Reece Reading Room. The 5 Quarter café and bar is open 8am to 3pm if you want something to eat or drink.
What are the Reading Room hours?
It's open 10am to 4pm, aimed at researchers rather than a general visit. It sometimes closes for training or full building bookings, so it's not always guaranteed to be open.
Is there somewhere to change a baby?
There's a baby change facility on site.
What can we actually do there?
Explore the heritage building and archives on General Admission days, join free family and educational activities, or catch talks, lectures, gigs and theatre events.
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