Newcastle has more bars in 2019 than 10 years ago - and food has boomed in North East

Newcastle has more pubs, bars and clubs now than it did 10 years ago, while there has been a boom in the amount of food businesses opening throughout the region throughout the decade.

Newcastle and Darlington have bucked the trend nationally by having more drinking establishments open in 2019 than 2010, but every other part of the region has fewer bars and pubs than it did at the turn of the decade.

Regionally and nationally, the number of drinking establishments has been dropping year on year - although a slight increase in the last year could suggest that things are finally looking up.

Office for National Statistics figures show that there are now 2,190 pubs, clubs and bars across the North East- up from 2,115 in 2018, but down by 10% from 2,420 in 2010.

Newcastle had 265 drinking establishments open in 2019, up from 240 in 2009 and 245 in 2018. Darlington is the only other area in the North East to have more boozers now than it did in 2010, with 95 in 2019 compared to 90 in 2010.

Clubs have been particularly hard hit, with the increase seen in the last year purely down to a rise in the number of pubs and bars.

Bars have closed but food businesses have boomed around the UK over the decade (ReachPLC)

Although some pubs and bars have shut their doors over the course the decade, there are many more food businesses open now than in 2010.

The ONS figures show that there are now 4,100 foodie businesses across the North East.

That’s up from 3,960 in 2018, and is an increase of 64% since 2010, when there were just 2,500. Every single council area in the North East has seen an increase in food businesses over the decade.

The rise has largely been driven by a surge in the number of restaurants and cafes, although there has also been an increase in takeaways and street food vendors.

The boom seen here far outstrips London, where food outlets have increased by 45% in the last decade.

Drinking establishments in the North East over a decade

Louie's Liquor Store, a new bar in Nelson Street, Newcastle (Newcastle Chronicle)

Area // 2010 // 2011 // 2012 // 2013 // 2014 // 2015 // 2016 // 2017 // 2018 // 2019

County Durham // 565 // 545 // 525 // 495 // 475 // 475 // 460 // 460 // 470 // 475

Darlington // 90 // 85 // 85 // 85 // 80 // 80 // 80 // 90 // 90 // 95

Gateshead // 170 // 155 // 145 // 150 // 160 // 150 // 155 // 145 // 145 // 150

Hartlepool // 80 // 75 // 75 // 70 // 65 // 65 // 65 // 70 // 65 // 75

Middlesbrough // 105 // 105 // 95 // 95 // 95 // 90 // 80 // 85 // 85 // 90

Newcastle upon Tyne // 240 // 240 // 250 // 250 // 255 // 265 // 260 // 250 // 245 // 265

North Tyneside // 145 // 145 // 145 // 145 // 140 // 140 // 135 // 140 // 135 // 140

Northumberland // 375 // 370 // 360 // 335 // 345 // 350 // 335 // 320 // 315 // 325

Redcar and Cleveland // 135 // 120 // 130 // 115 // 115 // 115 // 110 // 110 // 110 // 120

South Tyneside // 145 // 140 // 125 // 125 // 125 // 125 // 110 // 115 // 125 // 130

Stockton-on-Tees // 140 // 135 // 135 // 125 // 120 // 120 // 120 // 125 // 135 // 135

Sunderland // 225 // 210 // 215 // 205 // 205 // 205 // 210 // 205 // 195 // 200

North East // 2,420 // 2,320 // 2,290 // 2,190 // 2,190 // 2,185 // 2,120 // 2,115 // 2,115 // 2,190

United Kingdom // 54,715 // 52,845 // 52,015 // 49,960 // 49,180 // 48,735 // 47,625 // 46,750 // 46,430 // 46,560

Food businesses in the North East in numbers over the decade

Chucho's Mexican street food restaurant in Jesmond (newcastle chronicle)

Area // 2010 // 2011 // 2012 // 2013 // 2014 // 2015 // 2016 // 2017 // 2018 // 2019

County Durham // 390 // 385 // 405 // 420 // 440 // 580 // 605 // 645 // 650 // 675

Darlington // 110 // 110 // 120 // 115 // 125 // 155 // 145 // 170 // 160 // 160

Gateshead // 200 // 195 // 200 // 195 // 215 // 270 // 290 // 290 // 305 // 315

Hartlepool // 85 // 85 // 90 // 95 // 95 // 115 // 115 // 120 // 130 // 135

Middlesbrough // 130 // 120 // 120 // 125 // 130 // 160 // 180 // 195 // 205 // 225

Newcastle upon Tyne // 450 // 445 // 465 // 475 // 515 // 595 // 595 // 600 // 630 // 665

North Tyneside // 190 // 205 // 215 // 195 // 220 // 275 // 290 // 295 // 305 // 340

Northumberland // 320 // 315 // 340 // 330 // 355 // 435 // 445 // 490 // 510 // 520

Redcar and Cleveland // 80 // 75 // 75 // 80 // 100 // 130 // 140 // 150 // 155 // 170

South Tyneside // 125 // 125 // 135 // 145 // 160 // 205 // 205 // 235 // 245 // 220

Stockton-on-Tees // 155 // 140 // 145 // 145 // 165 // 205 // 205 // 225 // 245 // 240

Sunderland // 260 // 245 // 260 // 270 // 295 // 350 // 385 // 400 // 430 // 435

North East // 2,500 // 2,450 // 2,585 // 2,595 // 2,810 // 3,475 // 3,600 // 3,810 // 3,960 // 4,100

United Kingdom // 72,580 // 71,810 // 75,645 // 76,265 // 81,085 // 93,285 // 96,080 // 99,150 // 102,615 // 105,410