The Newcastle Student Guide: Newcastle City Centre

About the author: Hi, I’m Lara Parsons! I recently graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Journalism, Media and Culture. Originally from London, I've loved experiencing the buzz of both cities and I'm excited to share my tips on the best places to explore near you!

Newcastle is a buzzing city brimming with opportunities, activities, and delicious food! While it's best known for hosting legendary nights out – a reputation I can personally confirm – the city has so much more to offer. 

The city centre is home to most of the action, with a vibrant atmosphere which is rich in culture and constantly on the move. Follow this guide to discover what the heart and soul of Newcastle has to offer. 

Nightlife

The rumours are true – Newcastle provides the best night out. The city centre holds multiple strips of brightly lit up bars and clubs, promising trebles and a good boogie until dawn. The variety of venues means that you can mix and match your clubbing route, and generate new and wilder stories at every venture into town. 

A particular favourite of both the student and Geordie population is Market Shaker. Its typical club bangers, which heavily feature Sam Fender (the icon, the legend), will draw you in and keep you dancing under the glistening disco ball until the birds start tweeting. However, prepare to bump into every situationship, friend, and possibly your lecturer in the smoking area – so make sure you've got your sociable head screwed on!

There is so much more to Newcastle than what meets the eye, and the only way to see it all is to go out and explore it yourself!

Student housing

Although living in first-year uni halls with a bunch of strangers was fun whilst it lasted, it's the type of experience you reminisce fondly about but don’t wish to relive. As your university experience progresses, and your taste in living conditions evolves, the city centre is a perfect place to live as a second- or third-year student. 

During the 25/26 letting season, the city centre was the fourth most popular area in Newcastle for students looking for student housing (according to UniHomes). You’re situated right next to a sea of shops and conveniently close to both Newcastle University and Northumbria University – so much so that you can roll out of bed, grab a coffee and be sitting in your lecture theatre within twenty minutes if you need to. 

As well as being convenient, it is also affordable. The average rent in Newcastle’s city centre (according to UniHomes August 2025) is £219.17 per person per week, with a maximum price of £400 and a minimum of £98 PPPW. Rent prices in the City Centre are admittedly more expensive than in areas such as Jesmond and Sandyford, as you’re paying for the convenience that comes with city centre living – so where you choose to live is dependent on where your priorities lie.

Food

Newcastle’s city centre offers a diverse and vibrant food scene, from quaint cafés and upmarket restaurants to local takeaways swarming with students (particularly at three in the morning)

Pockets of food places exist all around town. Both Northumberland Street and Grainger Street are lined with fast-food chains and cafés, while Bigg Market and Grey Street are better known for their luxurious offering of high-end restaurants and cocktail bars.

Greggs – the city’s favoured fast-food chain – has approximately 32 locations throughout Newcastle. It's almost guaranteed that if you're ever running late, Greggs has got you covered with its stacks of sausage rolls and student Full Sandwich Deal option which permits you to receive a sweet treat for free! Have a traditional taste of Newcastle by purchasing a stottie (a dense, round flat bread) to claim you’ve truly experienced Toon culture.

Amenities 

Hungry and not in the mood to wander through the cobbled streets of Newcastle city centre looking for a spot for food? Fenwick Food Hall has you covered. Fenwick’s department store is home to the holy grail of high-end foodie brands and pop-up stores. When you wander through the isles, you’ll mindlessly purchase everything in sight due to the aesthetic nature of the products being sold at each stand. 

Right next to the above-mentioned food hall lives Eldon Square Shopping Centre, located opposite Monument metro station. This popular hot spot is a multi-layered building containing a variety of shops and facilities spread over two floors. If you're searching for a friend’s birthday present, a bite to eat, a sparkling new pair of shoes, or simply want to fill a dull Sunday afternoon, Eldon Square is brimming with shops to satisfy your needs. 

Our UniHomes Content Ambassadors are current students across the UK who share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. If you're interested in writing for our programme, click here for more details.

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.