Eldon Square, Newcastle upon Tyne

Set in the heart of Newcastle, the Eldon Centre is a mall strongly dedicated to shopping. Although one of the older centres (opened in 1977), Eldon Square is a very modern looking building, with none of the “concrete jungle” appearance so common at that time. 

The entire building was designed to make all aspects of shopping easier for all. There is roof top parking and quantities of lifts, escalators and disabled access throughout.

The centre, since its recent refurbishment, occupies two buildings, split by Blackett Street. The halves are linked by a pedestrian bridge, which gives a superb view of the immediate area and particularly the Earl Grey Monument. 

Above the shopping malls is a large leisure centre, Eldon Leisure. The leisure centre has various fitness studios, squash courts and a large sports hall. This hall is regularly used for a range of indoor sports such as basketball and tennis. The fitness suites are available to all.  

An innovation above the new St. Andrews Way Mall is the environmentally friendly “green” roof. The entire roof area is planted with pollen producing plants, to encourage insect life and seed producing plants for birds. It is part of the city’s commitment to encouraging biodiversity and the protection of urban wildlife. Already, there is a small colony of bats taking up residence on the roof.

The biggest advantage of Eldon Square is its access to the city centre and the ease of reaching it. Underneath the centre itself is a Metro station, which is part of the excellent light rail system linking all the area around Newcastle, north Tyneside and south Tyneside. There is even a direct link from the airport. 

For those coming from further afield, there is a good park and ride service linking with either the Metro stations or the bus services. Both are reasonably priced and very regular.  

By car, the routes into the city are clearly marked, although some junctions are a little tight. There is plenty of parking in and around Eldon Square, all on a pay and display system. The main railway station is a 10 minute walk away.  

Getting to good shopping and the centre of a vibrant city has never been easier.