Your Guide to the Metrocentre
Image: courtesy of tripadvisor.com
The MetroCentre, located in Gateshead, is in easy reach of the city of Newcastle in the North East of England. The centre is still the largest shopping and leisure complex in Europe, and home to over 340 shops and leisure facilities.
The MetroCentre shopping and leisure complex opened way back in 1986 and has since become one of the most famous and recognisable of the attractions in the local area.
In recent years Newcastle has also seen an increase in the number of visitors on short city breaks, attracted by both the shopping experience and the vibrant nightlife.
Three flagship department stores in residence are House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, and Debenhams. Sadly in 2023, only M&S remains.
The shopping complex covers over 2 million square feet, so it is no surprise that the average time a shopper spends inside the mall is just over 1.5 hours. It would take an hour to walk past each store without even entering any of the stores.
The Metrocentre shopping extravaganza
The complex has main quadrants which are colour coded; red, green, yellow and blue. And each quadrant has an upper and lower floor. The four quadrants run parallel to the nearby A1 trunk road.
The red and green quadrants converge at House of Fraser, and the blue and yellow quadrants meet up outside Primark, the value fashion retailer. The platinum mall interconnects all four quadrants and runs in a northerly direction between the House of Fraser and Primark.
The red quadrant to the west is the leading one for fashion and clothing and also includes the Apple shop and Debenhams. Unfortunately, Debenhams will likely cease trading due to the coronavirus.
Image: courtesy of elleandmimi.com
The yellow quadrant is the entertainment sector dominated by restaurants, fast food outlets, a games arcade and the Odeon IMAX cinema multiplex.
The green and blue quadrants contain an abundance of retailers. These shops specialise in everything from fashion and clothing, accessories, health and beauty, jewellery, electricals, mobile phones, home furnishings, books, audio/visual entertainment, gifts, holidays, luxury confectionary to opticians.
So if you are looking for some relaxing indoor retail therapy, why not pop over to the Metrocentre.
Looking for Entertainment in The Metrocentre
Look no further than the Qube in the yellow quadrant, packed with entertainment.
The Qube is home to the Odeon Imax multi-plex. The on-site cinema boasts eleven screens and offers visitors the chance to watch all the latest film releases in comfort while enjoying a selection of fresh popcorn, ice cream and soft drinks.
Namco Funscape in the Qube has something for everyone. You could be spoilt for choice with 18 bowling lanes, over 150 video and arcade games, the fastest dodgem car circuit in Europe, a pool hall for playing pool, and a bar and lounge area with large-screen sports.
Why not visit the Angry Birds Adventure Golf courses, fun experience for the whole family. It’s a mini-golf indoor adventure, with two 18 hole courses, in Bird Island and Pig City.
Clip ‘n Climb in the yellow quadrant offers an entertaining experience with a variety of climbing challenges. Clip ‘n Climb makes climbing easy, reassuringly safe and fun with the use of Trublue safety devices.
Image: courtesy of elleandmimi.com
In need of a restaurant or a quick bite to eat?
There are over 50 restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets inside the shopping centre. Food and drink offerings include Nandos, Pizza Express, Wagamama, MacDonalds, Krusty Kremes, Starbucks, Costa, Subway and Greggs.
And if you are looking to unwind with a few drinks after a long day shopping, why not check out the bars and clubs in Newcastle upon Tyne?
The Metro Retail Park
This retail park located immediately to the west of the main shopping centre has several home furnishing shops including Barker and Stonehouse, Harveys, SCS and Next Home. Other stores include Staples and Gala Bingo.
What are the Metrocentre Opening Times?
The Metrocentre is open seven days a week, except for Christmas day.
During the week opening hours are 10 am – 9 pm, on Saturday opening times are 9 am – 7 pm and Sunday opening times are 11 am – 5 pm.
Parking spaces
Free car parking is available at the Metrocentre for all visitors. There are over 8,300 spaces in six car parks, one in each quadrant, a multi-storey car park linked to the shopping centre, and another one in the retail park. The spaces available include disabled bays and EV charging points for electric cars. Escalators and lifts provide easy access from the car parks to the shopping centre.
Directions on how to get to the Metrocentre
By Car:
The shopping centre, located just of the A1, is three miles from Newcastle city centre. Whether you are driving from the north or south on the A1 Western Bypass, the Metrocentre is well signposted, and the junction number is 71.
The main postcode to use on a car navigation system is NE11 9YG. However, due to its sheer size, the centre has 21 postcodes ranging between NE11 9GA and NE11 9ZG. So is you are looking for a specific shop or location it may be worth checking online what their postcode is before setting off.
Six miles to the south is the iconic statue Angel of the North, highly visible from the A1.
By Train:
The MetroCentre has a dedicated train station that connects the centre to Newcastle. The journey time from Newcastle Central Station to MetroCentre Rail station is approximately 7 minutes, and they depart every 15 minutes. Train services are also available for Sunderland and Teesside.
By Bus:
The MetroCentre bus terminal ensures that the centre is well connected. The Metrocentre Shuffle, No. 100, travels between the shopping centre and Newcastle every 15 minutes, stopping at Blackett Street, The Monument and the Central Station. The total journey time is between 7 and 15 minutes, depending on traffic.
The X66 bus links the centre up with the Gateshead Metro Interchange every ten minutes, with a journey time of around 7 to 10 minutes.
We hope you enjoyed our guide for the Metrocentre and you find all the goods and services you are looking for.
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