R

emember what a night out at the pictures used to be like? Comfy seats, special drinks, delicious sweets and exciting films?

Of course it’s a bit like that in all the cinemas these days – and that’s exactly why we reckon you’ll love this place. Because it’s different.

Don’t worry, the seats are still sumptuous (and the traditional lemonade from the café downstairs is delicious), but it doesn’t just show the same old Hollywood-shmollywood ‘blockbusters’ that you get everywhere else.

The Tyneside is one of the UK’s most historic picture houses, designed and built by Ridley Scott’s great uncle, Dixon, in 1937. After a whopping £7 million refurb, many of the original Art Deco touches have been kept (including the mosaics and murals), so whether you’re watching a Swedish comedy, an Indiana Jones screening or old newsreel footage from the Thirties, this will definitely not be just another night at the movies.

After the film, why not head over to the ‘Diamond Strip’ – home to the city’s glitziest bars (and boy do they do glitzy here). Grab a mojito in Popolo , the American-style bar and restaurant, or try the Living Room or Barluga – which are both nearby.

Of course it’s not all about cocktails; if you fancy a proper ale instead, we suggest Crown Posada by the quayside, where the soothing soundtrack comes courtesy of a gramophone.