Bigg Market Consultancy Project 

In the beginning…

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The local newspaper The Chronicle has helped to identify the key changes and views over the previous twenty years. The articles highlight four main themes: drinking; businesses; government law changes/council decisions and regeneration. 

 

2002

 

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The first online article which mentions the Bigg Market "Disorder fear over bar's late opening" (Chronicle, 2002). A pub on the Bigg Market was allowed to open till 1am on Saturday (not really that late compared to today). Part of a drinking circuit in the city, Bigg Market was one of the top places to go.

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2003

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More pubs and bars started opening later and at the time this was viewed as positive even to the council due to the economic benefits. One article discusses the amount of establishments in the Bigg Market and Newcastle Quayside."77 bars, pubs and clubs which are licensed to stay open past the traditional last orders of 11pm" (Chronicle, 2003). The National Government Licences Act (2003) allowed bars, more flexibility in opening hours. The Act was originally introduced to minimise public disorder and reduce binge drinking but this was not the result it had on the Bigg Market.

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2003-2009

 

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Attacks, violence, riots, these have all made headlines in the local media between 2003 – 2009 and divided attitudes between the council, the public and businesses. Allowing Newcastle to become a tourist spot and growing the night-time economy vs the anti-social behaviour and crime linked to drinking. "The place is a tourist attraction. It can get a bit rough sometimes, but I suppose that's just the Geordie way!" (Chronicle, 2004).

 

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The original circuit route in the city had changed and this was noticeable when in 2006 one of the main bar and nightclub groups who had establishments in the Bigg Market reported its first drop in profits. "Bar and nightclub group, Ultimate Leisure, has seen a significant drop in takings and profits, figures today show".

 

Over the next few years headlines are dominated by negative more serious crimes. It was reported in 2007 that crime, including public disorder, has risen by 8.7% from 24,496 to 26,627 incidents since 2006 (Chronicle, 2007).

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"Sniffer dogs target drug-taking party-goers" (Chronicle, 2008), "Crime gang targeted revellers during nights out" (Chronicle, 2009b), "Woman raped in Newcastle nightclub toilets", (Chronicle, 2009c). From 2005-2009 there were no positive stories about the Bigg Market. In 2008 the recession hit and Ultimate Leisure was taken over by a new company "700 jobs saved in Newcastle nightspot takeover" the decline in the Bigg Market continued as a reputation from drunk and disorderly overshadowed the area in the papers (Chronicle, 2009a).

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2011: Influence of Geordie Shore 

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In 2011, Geordie Shore was created and Newcastle was put in the spotlight on TV, the show did not put the drinking culture of the city in a positive light. With responses from local residents and MPs stating arguing that the drunk & under-dressed locals cast a poor light on the reputation and image of Newcastle.

 

2013-2015: The Party City

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Newcastle drinking culture was in the spotlight, the Bigg Market was part of this label of a place to observe the ‘drunken party scene’. It was still suffering from the crime and drunken disorderly and there were articles on drugs, fights and no positive stories.

 

However there was a change in 2015, the Bigg Market was seeing investment and new bars were announcing their openings, “Plans for Newcastle's Blu Bambu nightclub to be transformed”, “Cafe culture could be on its way to the Bigg Market following bar's pavement cafe plans”, “new bar and restaurant, in what was Little Saigon”(Chronicle, 2015). Things stated to change and this was demonstrated in the local press with positive articles being written.

 

2016: Regenerating the Bigg Market

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In 2016 the regeneration plan was confirmed for the Bigg Market “Plans for multi-million pound Bigg Market regeneration to be unveiled to the public”(Chronicle, 2016). Since this announcement there has been less negativity around the site but it is still trying to escape the reputation that has plagued the area for years.