Newcastle is a busy market town in North Staffordshire, and lies between the A500 (called the 'D-road' locally) and the M6. Often assumed to be a part of Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle residents will soon tell you otherwise! Newcastle has its own borough, extending north of the D-road to Kidsgrove and Mow Cop, and west of the M6 as far as Loggerheads.

Shopping

Not the best shopping town in the country, though there is a market in the high street on most weekdays. For the hardcore shoppers amongst you, Hanley (Stoke City Centre) is only a short bus journey away. Public transport is pretty good in the area, even if the more reliable of the bus companies (Potteries Motor Transport - PMT!!) is a bit expensive.

Cinema

This state-of-the-art 8 screen Warner Village Cinema is located off of the high street and is in a far more sensible location than Stoke's Odeon in Festival Park. With many bus services running until midnight, it also means you can combine a film with a few beers... The Cinema was built in 1999-2000 to replace the 'FineFare' building, once voted the countries most hideous abomination of architecture!

Pubs and Clubs

There is certainly no shortage of these in the town - shops are continually closing and reincarnating as public houses. Even the old town hall is now a pub (the Guildhall)! With around 50 alehouses in the town centre, a full pub crawl could be fatal! Good variety as well, with 3 rock pubs (The Rigger and Full Moon both supporting live bands, and the Black Friar for those who enjoy a bit of rock, but don't feel the need to wear the uniform!), plenty of trendy pubs (for those who like to queue for ages to get in, and then again to get to the bar), loads of old mens pubs, a couple of Irish bars, a Revolution Vodka and cocktail bar etc etc.

In the way of clubs, there are several: Zanzibar, Maxims and Metropolis in the way of dance/disco, and the Sutherland Arms for the Metalheads, Rockers and those who just want a late drink with somewhere to sit. If you are a hardcore dance fiend, then you're probably better off taking yourself to Longton's The Void at the far end of Stoke-on-Trent.

Eating Out

Although there are many good restaurants in Newcastle Town Centre (The Shalimar and Aneesa Balti cottage are two good curry houses, there is a good Italian in the High St, Ephesus a new Turkish restaurant near the church, and several good pubs that serve food such as O'Neils and Revolution), the place for food (particularly take-away) in the town is George Street running up past the Zanzibar toward Stoke. There are around 4 kebab houses, 3 chinese restaurants, a couple of curry houses, a Thai restaurant, a chippy, a french restaurant, and even a mobile greasy burger stall that sits outside of the Zanzibar!

Places of Interest

Parks

• Brampton Park - the nicest park in the area, with two large fields and some gardens, the Brampton also has a kiddies playground, model railway (often giving rides on sunny summer Sundays), an aviary and a museum/art gallery. The foundations of an old kiln, a cannon brought back from the Crimean War, and the broken remains of the Market Cross can also be found near the museum. For those who like that sort of thing.
• Lime Valley Park - down near the Lime Brook.
• The Four Parks - in the Westlands (posh part of Newcastle). In four bits. Hence the name.
• The Butts - also in the Westlands, this park is steep and often boggy, but has a pleasant woodland walk at the top.
• Wolstanton Marsh - also boggy, this park is between the borough towns of May Bank and Wolstanton.

Arbitrary Places

• Mow Cop - a Victorian Folly and local landmark on top of a hill in the far north of the borough.
• Keele University - the local University, Keele also owns the old Sneyd family residence Keele Hall which is an impressive stately home with pleasant gardens, and a string of lakes through the woodlands in the estate.
• The Roaches - a popular place for walkers and climbers in the heart of the North Staffs Moorlands, 20mins away on the other side of Leek.
• Wedgewood Pottery Museum - in Barlaston just down the A34 from Newcastle
• Alton Towers - in the Churnet Valley on the far side of Stoke, this popular amusement park is about 20mins from Newcastle, and regular busses run from Keele through Newcastle and Hanley to Alton Towers (though taking considerably longer than the 20mins!)