- Play Hard
- 20th Oct 2026
- 0
- 0 minute
Baltic is serving a new rooftop festive afternoon tea and a Winter Makers Market
- Advertisement Feature
A festive afternoon tea six floors above the Tyne, followed by a browse round more than 50 independent makers? Yule be pleased to hear that’s exactly what’s on the cards at Baltic, Gateshead.
The gallery’s launching a brand-new Festive Rooftop Afternoon Tea on Saturday 28th November, the very same day Endless Love Creative rolls into town with their Winter Makers Market. Gifts in the morning, scones in the afternoon, and your whole Saturday wrapped up with a bow.
Here’s everything you need to know before you book.
WINTER MAKERS MARKET BY ENDLESS LOVE CREATIVE
Saturday 28th November
Endless Love Creative are back this winter with a vibrant, fun and friendly makers market running from 11am to 5pm, and it’s a gift-hunter’s dream. If your Secret Santa is impossible to buy for, this is your moment.
More than 50 independent makers from across the UK will be setting up shop, bringing artisan craft, contemporary design and beautifully made pieces from established names and emerging talent alike. Entry is £2 and booking is essential, while 18s and under go free.
Your Christmas gifts, sorted
Expect stalls brimming with illustration, print, stationery, ceramics, textiles, glass, jewellery, botanicals, clothing, accessories and homeware. Everything’s made slowly and in small batches, with an eye for design, function and longevity, so you’re buying something that’ll last well beyond Boxing Day.
There are handmade pieces for everyday rituals, from organic botanicals through to knitwear, plus illustration and print layered with detail, character and a distinctive point of view. Better still, you get to meet the makers themselves and hear the stories behind each piece. Try getting that from a midnight scroll.
Meet the makers behind the magic
Among the line-up are Alex Sickling Ceramics, Hannah Dolden Textiles, Rachel Mahon Print, Thundercliffe Press, Little Black Cat Illustrated Goods, Manom Jewellery, Woman of the Woods and Satomi Yamamiya Illustration, with dozens more to discover on the day.
If you’ve not come across Endless Love Creative before, they’re all about art, craft and design. Their ever-growing community of makers and creators showcases independent talent from across the UK, with markets in Sheffield, Gateshead and Edinburgh. You can keep up with all things Endless Love Creative over on Instagram.
FESTIVE ROOFTOP AFTERNOON TEA AT BALTIC
Saturday 28th November – Thursday 31st December
Let’s be honest, the Quayside in late November can be a bit bracing. BALTIC’s answer is simple: trade the chill for the warmth of its sixth-floor Level 6 Rooftop, grab a seat by the glass and let someone else do the hosting for once.
Running from 28th November right through to New Year’s Eve, the new Festive Afternoon Tea pairs panoramic winter views over the river with a proper spread of seasonal treats. Picture the NewcastleGateshead skyline twinkling away outside while you tuck in. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon, is it?
The sandwiches have had a Christmas makeover
First up are the festive sandwich triangles. There’s roast turkey with cranberry and brie (basically Christmas dinner without the washing up), a Christmas cheese and chutney number, and smoked wild sea trout with cream cheese, dill, and a touch of lemon for something a little lighter.
Alongside those come traditional homemade sausage rolls infused with festive herbs. You can pick pork, turkey, or vegetarian, so nobody at the table misses out. Bring an appetite, because this is only the opening act.
Scones, spice and all things nice
The scones come two ways. Savoury fans get a cheese and roasted onion scone with whipped butter. Sweet tooth? The cinnamon and winter spiced scone arrives with clotted cream and a seasonal preserve, and we won’t judge which one you spread first.
Then it’s on to mini mince pies and a selection of festive cakes. Wash it all down with Love Leaf Tea or Pink Lane Coffee, or make it merry with a mulled wine or a glass of festive fizz.
Afternoon tea is £28 per person, or £33 per person with prosecco or mulled wine. That’s a £5 upgrade for a little extra sparkle, and frankly, ’tis the season.
MAKE A DAY OF IT ON GATESHEAD QUAYSIDE
Here’s the clever bit. Because the Festive Afternoon Tea launches on the same day as the market, you can tick a few names off the Christmas list at the stalls, then head up to the Level 6 Rooftop to rest your feet and refuel.
A mince pie, a glass of fizz and the Tyne glittering below after a morning of shopping small? Sounds like a sleigh-ride of a Saturday to us. Just make sure you book both before the elves snap up every slot.
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, Gateshead NE8 3BA
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…
Subscribe
Subscribe now to receive our twice-weekly emails and exclusive offers for High Life North readers.