Quayside Sunday Market

January 20, 2014 by Rachel Kershaw in Days Out 8

One of my favourite ways to while away the hours on a Sunday morning is to head for the Quayside Market on the Newcastle side of the River Tyne. Locals tell me it’s been a popular market for over two hundred years and although the goods on offer might not be exactly the same as when it first started, some things never change… like the witty banter from the cheerful traders and the bitterly cold North East winters!

I wrapped up in my winter woolies and popped down last weekend for a bit of a wander. While the city’s party goers slept off their hangovers in the nearby hotels, I was rummaging through stall after stall of local crafts, handmade jewellery and beautiful paintings. The stalls run all the way from the Millennium Bridge to the Tyne Bridge with plenty of hot food and coffee stops along the way (which I took full advantage of)!

One of the things I love most about the Quayside Market (as well as the iconic setting and panoramic views of course) is the fact that you can genuinely grab a bargain. I mean you can’t grumble at three scarves for £5 can you?

For me, no trip to the Quayside Market is complete without a visit to the stall of David Nash… you’ll find him at the Millenium Bridge end of the market and are guaranteed to be entertained by his unique display cards, cleverly describing each of his handmade leather goods.

You’ll know when you’ve reached David’s stall because you’ll start to over hear people chatting and chuckling as they read the quirky descriptions. The quality of his products is just as pleasing as his sense of humour too!

After a morning of bargain hunting al fresco, you will no doubt be ready for a well deserved Sunday lunch so while you’re down the Quayside I can highly recommend The Broad Chare for a satisfying roast. Priding itself on being a ‘proper pub with proper beer and proper food’ you won’t go far wrong booking a table here. You’ll find the Broad Chare on a side street beside the Law Courts, just a stone’s throw from the Quayside Market.

The Quayside Market takes place every Sunday from 9.30am till 4pm

The Broad Chare serves Sunday Lunch from 12noon till 5.30pm

By Rachel Kershaw