- Play Hard
- 23rd Sep 2026
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First look at St. James’ Park’s stunning new hospitality suite – think small plates, live music and panoramic pitch views
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Newcastle United has thrown open the doors to Tidings, the new hospitality suite at St. James’ Park built for the 26/27 season.
Tucked into the Leazes West corner near the very top of the stadium, the newly refurbished space is one of the biggest upgrades to matchday hospitality the club has seen in years.
Huge windows frame the city skyline and the pitch during the build-up and at half-time, while a central bar, live kitchen counters, booth seating and a cosy sofa area give it the feel of a proper occasion. There’s even a stage for live music.
We went along for a first look and here’s what to expect…
A SPACE SHAPED BY THE MAGPIE SPIRIT
The club’s design team has gone big with Tidings, tucking it near the very top of St. James’ Park. The space is open-plan, built around a striking central bar with live kitchen counters running along one side, and floor-to-ceiling windows look straight out over the pitch and the city beyond. The blinds come down once the match kicks off, so the room’s energy shifts from watching the view to watching the room, before opening back up again at half-time and full-time.
There’s pitch-facing booth seating for anyone who wants to soak up the build-up and the post-match wind-down, plus a cosy sofa area for those who prefer something more chilled out. A stage sits at one end for the live acoustic music that follows full time.
The booths are upholstered in ribbed emerald green and pushed right up against the glass, so the pitch feels close enough to touch, while clusters of globe pendant lights hang low over the high tables in between. Round the corner, the sofa area swaps the green for soft khaki, with a curved banquette, boucle-backed armchairs and round wooden tables topped with fresh hydrangeas, plus potted greenery lining the windows for anyone who fancies a slower build-up to kick-off.
This is hospitality built for people who actually want to be there, not just seen there.
SEASONAL SMALL PLATES, UNLIMITED FROM START TO FINISH
Food here runs on an all-inclusive basis, so seasonal small plates keep coming from the live kitchen, refreshed regularly and set out for guests to help themselves to, and there’s no need to pace yourself.
On our visit, that meant a creamy burrata plate lifted with sweet peaches, chilli crisp and charred courgettes, followed by a baked marinated tuna dressed in a vibrant salsa verde and scattered with borlotti beans. Every plate came straight from the curved live kitchen counter, its “small plates” signage lit up above the pass.
Half-time brings its own refreshments, and once the final whistle’s gone, there’s a post-match snack alongside dessert, think a fresh mango and passionfruit cheesecake with coconut dressing, or a rich dark chocolate and peanut butter tart, so nobody’s rushing off hungry. It’s the kind of detail that turns a three o’clock kick-off into a proper occasion.
Small plates, but there’s nothing small about the appetite this suite is built to satisfy.
A BAR BUILT FOR EVERY KIND OF MATCHDAY
The central bar covers a lot of ground: beer, wine, champagne and soft drinks are all included, alongside cocktails made to order. It’s the sort of range you’d expect from a decent Newcastle cocktail bar, not a football stadium
Think a Madri pulled fresh from the tap, or a bartender shaking up your favourite cocktail and finishing it with a silky foam top and a skewer of macerated berries. It’s a proper cocktail list, not an afterthought.
Staff move quickly given how busy a matchday bar can get, keeping drinks topped up through the build-up, half-time and the post-match wind-down. Nobody’s watching the clock on their last round here.
At Tidings, the bar is as much a part of the experience as the football itself.
NUFC LEGENDS, LIVE MUSIC AND A BETTER VIEW FROM YOUR SEAT
Tidings ticket holders get pre- and post-match analysis from a NUFC legend, a nice bit of insight most fans only get from a phone screen. There’s also a limited edition match badge and a matchday programme to take home, small touches that add up over a season.
Once the final whistle blows, live acoustic music kicks in, giving the room a different atmosphere entirely from the one it had two hours earlier. Match seating is in the Leazes West corner, with private seats directly outside the suite reserved for Tidings guests, so the walk from the bar to your seat is a short one.
On our visit, that meant a solo guitarist playing an acoustic set, tables still scattered with matchday programmes as the room shifted gear from full-time energy to something closer to a wind-down drink with friends.
It’s a matchday built around stunning plates and an atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else in the city.
EXPERIENCE TIDINGS FOR YOURSELF
Tidings hospitality is on sale now for the 26/27 Premier League season.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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