The big day is set, you’ve got your dress and everything is planned...now it’s time to celebrate with your pals! Newcastle has a reputation as a great party city that’s perfect for hens and stags and there are plenty of ways to have fun with your besties - from hatchet throwing to chocolate truffle-making workshops and from cocktails with friends to deliciously decadent meals. So, celebrate your ‘last day of freedom’ in Newcastle with our round-up of hen party ideas.
Book a fun activity
Before your night on the town, why not try out a new experience or make something wonderful to remember your day by? Exit Escape Rooms on Westgate Road is a great activity for small groups; find your way out of the locked room using clues, solving puzzles and overcoming challenges – a great way to find out if your chief bridesmaid really can solve anything! Hatchet Harry’s on Forth Banks is a great way to blow off some steam, as their axe-perts (see what they did there?!) will take you through a thrilling 90-minute axe throwing experience.
Those with a sweet tooth will find La Chocolatrice’s chocolate truffle making workshops on Westgate Road hard to resist; learn the art of chocolate making and decorating, complete with tastings! Make memories to treasure with a special ring making workshop courtesy of The Glamourous Owl on Old George Yard, where their silversmiths will teach you how to create your very own bespoke jewellery, making for a perfect keepsake for your hens.
After all that wedding planning, you’ll need some R&R; head straight for Crowne Plaza’s Mineral House Spa where you and your gal pals can relax in their steam room and enjoy a range of beauty packages. Their Gin Spa Package comes recommended – spend two hours in the spa, enjoy a 55-minute treatment and a gin board from their fantastic gin bar! Malmaison’s afternoon tea is a sophisticated way to begin your celebrations: choose from the classic cream tea and add a splash of bubbles or a cocktail or two to make it extra special.
Talking of cocktails, you and your hens can learn to make your very own creations at 3SIXTY Champagne Lounge on Rutherford Street, where their bar with a view provides the backdrop to a 90-minute tutorial on how to make the perfect cocktail with their legendary mixologists.
If it’s an afternoon of rowdy fun you’re after, Howlers is the place to be. Their Bottomless Bonkers Ball every Friday and Saturday is tailor-made for stag and hen parties and includes a trip to their legendary ball pit, karaoke, boujee bingo, lip sync and limbo battles, party games and much more – all alongside bottomless Prosecco, beers, spirits and cocktails.
If your party has a budding diva amongst it, Cosy Joes’ private hire karaoke rooms are all kinds of fun! Available to hire by the hour for 4-25 guests, their rooms feature high-tech touchscreen karaoke systems and push button drinks service, meaning you don’t even have to pause the action to queue at the bar!
Grab some drinks with the girls
A real favourite in the Bigg Market, at Twenty Twenty you’ll find giant 20” pizzas and 20 signature cocktails that’ll get your party started right. With happy hour and bottomless brunch offers too, it’s a great place to kick off your celebration. Nearby in the Cloth Market, Revolución de Cuba will add some Latin spirit to any occasion, with dazzling cocktails and an indulgent Cuban-themed menu amidst funky decor.
Don’t leave the area without a stop off at party staple Flares where there’s retro vibes aplenty, non-stop party classics and cheesy anthems that’ll mean you’ll never want to leave the dance floor!
As you’d expect from Newcastle’s show-bar, Purple Peacock at 55 Degrees North is party central and their pulse-racing shows will make your night go off with a bang. Why not try out their Drunch (that’s ‘drunken brunch’, if you hadn’t worked it out) every Saturday, with performances around themes including Magic Mike, Coyote Ugly, Grease, West End shows and Girl Power!
If it’s a classy affair you’re looking for, The Botanist has friendly vibes, a great menu and an excellent cocktail list, making it a must-visit for drinks with the girls, plus their central location means it’s also a great pitstop on a shopping trip! For a birds-eye view of the city, head to Vermont Hotel’s Above rooftop bar, where panoramic views provide an accompaniment to a classy wine list and variety of menu options, from party fare to afternoon tea.
For locally sourced culinary delights, Horticulture on Pilgrim Street serves up small plates with big flavours, and their cocktail list is full of signature creations made with innovative and unusual tastes in mind.
Hire a private party room
Spend some quality time with your fellow hens and hire a space just for you to enjoy. Hidden away under Pleased To Meet You on High Bridge is their Viceroy private room, catering for up to 120 people and offering a variety of food and drink options. The opulent Lelia Lily’s boasts everything from vegetarian afternoon tea to innovative cocktail menus, and their Eva Rose Garden space is a pretty floral wonderland perfect for a budding bride.
High-end cocktail bar ChachaBuchi is all about rustic glamour, and their magical private chalet and decadent interiors will make sure your hen party is a chic affair. Their party planners will get everything right, whether you’re looking for fondue and cocktails or pizza slices and shuffleboards!
Hopefully it’ll be true that you’ll only marry once, so YOLO Townhouse on High Bridge will provide a suitably special backdrop for your celebration. Their trendy bar is fun and funky, while private spaces include bookable booths and snugs with minimalist décor and bespoke packages. For a real night to remember, why not book a table at the quirky WC, a converted Victorian water closet (yes, it was a toilet!), where you’ll find highly skilled bartenders crafting bespoke cocktails soundtracked by live music.
Enjoy a delicious meal
Promising a dining experience no like other, Hibou Blanc is situated in a stunning Grade II listed building and boasts remarkable décor and a host of eccentric touches. The menu is flavour-led and seasonally changing, with a focus on British seafood and high quality ingredients, while their cocktails are served with a modern twist.
Contemporary Japanese dining is on offer at restaurant and late bar Aveika down on the Quayside. Their colourful and flavourful menu serves up Asian-inspired cuisine, fusing authentic and modern flavours with a funky and fresh aesthetic. Stay until the early hours with live DJs and creative cocktails adding the icing to the cake!
There’s more modern Asian cuisine at Quayside venue Victors, where you’ll find a wisteria-bedecked dining room, show-stopping cocktails and a menu of American-Asian small plates and sumptuous dinners.
Lui’s Bar And Kitchen on the Quayside (formerly known as Sabas) has been given a new lease of life by young chef Daniel Bernardelli, and it’s the place to be for tasty Italian tapas-style dishes with a Sardinian flare, alongside a great menu of classic pizza and pasta. Missy Milieu’s (or just Missy’s to her friends) offers up appetising and nutrition-led menus featuring quirky twists on British classics alongside a unique cocktail menu.
We think we've made the case that Newcastle is the place to be if you want to celebrate your upcoming nuptials in style. Whether you fancy a riotous party, some decadent dining or an experience to remember - there's no city quite like Newcastle for your hen party celebrations.
