‘Hooray at last’: Geordie joy as historic Tyneside Coffee Rooms confirms long-awaited reopening

Geordies are celebrating the long-awaited reopening of the Tyneside Coffee Rooms for the first time since closing at its Newcastle site for Covid-19.

The coffee house is found in the Tyneside Cinema and shut its doors on March 20, 2020, just as many hospitality sites across the country did as lockdown began.

However, the much-loved Coffee Rooms will now re-open for the first time since the pandemic on Wednesday, September 7.

The famous coffee house first opened in 1938 when Tyneside Cinema founder Dixon Scott, grand uncle of Grammy-award winner Ridley Scott, was unable to find tenants to use the space as an office.

Trying to make the space pay for itself, the Scott family turned it into the Tyneside Coffee Rooms and has served customers including Sir Ian McKellen, Rowan Atkinson, Bryan Adams and many more over the years.

After announcing its return on Facebook, fans of the Tyneside Coffee Rooms shared their excitement in the comments.

One customer wrote "hooray at last" as others said "huzzah hurrah a fabulous day" and "nice that it's opened again".

Tyneside Cinema Interim Chief Executive, Simon Drysdale said: “Tyneside Coffee Rooms is not only an essential part of our cinema, it’s an essential part of Newcastle’s heritage.

“I know people have missed visiting Tyneside Coffee Rooms and it will be a delight to see the space busy and bustling again.

“Tyneside Coffee Rooms has been here since the 1930s and we felt it was important to preserve its fittings and décor as far as possible. People will see some changes though – we’ve hung new film posters, fitted new carpets and installed new tables, chairs and banquette seating.

“There’s a new digital screen, so we can use the space for all sorts of events, and there’s now also a draft beer pump, so people can enjoy a pint alongside some familiar favourites on the menu.”