Entertainment and dining destination to join Newcastle’s Eldon Square

Manchester-born entertainment and dining venue Freight Island is set to open at Eldon Square in Newcastle this autumn.

Inspired by New York’s Coney Island and Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, Freight Island has taken a 15-year lease for 60,000 sq ft on the top floor and roof of the former Debenhams store.

Freight Island at Eldon Square will act as both an indoor and outdoor space, offering food and drink, music, and entertainment. The venue will host a curated selection of eateries and food traders, including a service-led restaurant, street food stalls, and a food hall with communal seating underneath a retractable roof.

Another key feature of Freight Island will be the purpose-built ‘Music Box’ – a venue for live music and touring acts. This will enable Freight Island to host a number of events such as corporate gatherings, art showcases, theatre, national theatres, and international tours.

Dan Morris, co-founder and managing director of Freight Island, said: “This venue has been designed with scale, prominence, and long-term investment in mind, and we’re delighted to have worked with Pradera Lateral, XPE Group plc and Newcastle City Council to bring it to Newcastle. We hope to replicate the huge success of Freight Island in Manchester, where it has already contributed over £30 million to the local economy.

“This incredible venue in the heart of a very special city offers a truly exciting opportunity to create a cultural space that could become a focal point of Newcastle for years to come.

“Freight Island Newcastle will take inspiration from some of the world’s leading social and entertainment spaces, and the venue will bring a mix of cultural and immersive experiences to the city, including everything from kids’ raves and Michelin-star level dining to live performances and some late-night parties.”

Kitty Vaughan, head of UK leisure and F&B at Pradera Lateral, Eldon Square’s asset manager, added: “Freight Island is more than just an entertainment venue; it’s a transformative project that will enable us to accelerate the performance of Eldon Square whilst celebrating the incredible culture that Newcastle is renowned for. The £16 million investment transforms Eldon Square into the beating heart of Newcastle and is an important building block in our ambitious growth plans for the centre.”