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Assembly Rooms, Newcastle upon Tyne
Opened in 1776, Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Assembly Rooms is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Grainger Town, the historical heart of the city. Inscribed on the foundation stone, laid when building began in 1774, reads, “rooms dedicated to the most elegant recreation,” a truth which has remained throughout the building’s long history.

The funding for the building was raised through subscription, a common method at the time, with notable local names subscribing including the then Duke of Northumberland and Sir Matthew White Ridley. For this money, eminent architect William Newton was commissioned and produced the Assembly Rooms, just as he had created many other prominent buildings in the region, such as Kielder Castle and the Grade-two listed Dissington Hall.

Completed in race week in June 1776, the Assembly Rooms boasted intricate plasterwork, carved stonework and, its major feature at the time, a famous chandelier lighting system which cost £630 out of the total £5840 building costs. The stunning chandelier (a replica of which still hangs there today) consisted of 10,000 pieces of Newcastle hand-cut crystal made in the Closegate crystal works.

Over the years the Assembly Rooms has been visited by a host of famous names, from the aristocracy and royalty, to big names in the entertainment world. It has hosted recitals from renowned composers such as Liszt and Strauss and performances from Charles Dickens’ own amateur theatrical company during his visit to the North East.

It has hosted visits from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Indeed, the Assembly Rooms was the site which was chosen for King Edward VII to knight the Mayor during a visit to Newcastle in July 1906.

The 20’s, 30’s and 40’s were a time when the Assembly Rooms was in high demand for dancing and dining, with bands such as Jos.Q Atkinson, Jimmy Bents, Willie Walker, Geraldo, Joe Loss and others providing the music. Following the Second World War, the building was increasingly used for Masonic Ladies Nights, the East Wing having been consecrated as a Masonic Temple during that period.

On 24th June 1974 the Michaelides brothers – Homer and Michael – bought the building, which had fallen into disrepair in 1967 and was being offered for demolition. Instead of consigning a piece of Newcastle’s rich history to the demolition workers, however, the family rescued and then set about restoring the building and, at the family’s personal expense over the last 37 years, several million pounds has been ploughed into restoring it back into its place at the heart of the Newcastle entertainment scene. The Assembly Rooms became, once again, a venue for ‘elegant recreation’, just as the original foundation stone had promised.

Between 1978 and 1999 the Lower Ballroom suite was the setting for the Casino Royale, the “best run casino in the North of England,” according to the Gaming Board of England’s Inspectorate, and where patrons could enjoy gambling, or simply relaxing and dining in luxury and comfort.

The Assembly Rooms now runs as a premier conference and banqueting location, for both social and corporate functions. It has served other exciting purposes too, notably the Lower Ballroom suite, which retains its stunning Georgian décor.

It has been used as a location for many Catherine Cookson film and TV adaptations, Mike Figgis’ ‘Stormy Monday,’ featuring Sting, and most recently the TV film ‘United,’ about the Manchester United Busby Babes, starring David Tennant.

Thanks to the meticulous attention provided by the Michaelides brothers and subsequent family members, the building has retained its original splendour and they have succeeded in reincarnating and restoring a piece of Newcastle’s finest architectural heritage.