Just returned from an all too infrequent trip home. My last three home matches have been defeats v Everton, Man City and Spurs, so - yes - it must be my fault.

NE way. Don't know if any of the below will connect with anyone, but thought it might be of interest to one or two exiles or adopted Geordies who haven't been back recently.

* As mentioned elsewhere, serious concerns about the atmosphere at SJP, even if there wasn't much to shout about. Was in south west corner of the Gallowgate...sorry, Newcastle Brown Stand...and couldn't believe how many people left 15 mins from the end.

* New Millennium Bridge is a real credit to the Tyne. Surprising feeling to be able to walk so easily from one side to the other. And who should be standing on the Gateshead side as I made my first trip across...Supermac. The new Baltic development and the separate Music Centre - as tall as the Tyne Bridge - will really change the landscape.

* Knew nowt about the new nightlife down Osborne Road, Jesmond. But can see why the local residents might be a bit fed up.

* Also knew nowt about the new Wimpey exec housing development on the Longbenton estate - which they have re-named "Lower Gosforth". All within the shadow of local pub The Viking...and within easy reach of all amenities, including the only shop left on the estate - Booze Buster.

* Likewise The Royal Quays development at North Shields, officially opened by Ant and Dec last Sunday morning. Judging by the queue for autographs, they'd have been struggling to get to SJP before half time.

* Alnwick Castle. Site of several of the scenes in the new Harry Potter film. Check out the report on BBC1's Holiday prog Mon Nov 12.

* Spanish City. Very sad. Is there no-one with a bit of vision who could do for Whitley Bay etc what others have done for the quayside?

* Dog Leap Antiques. Finally cracked and went in. One of those pictures of the building of the Tyne Bridge now up on wall. Doesn't everyone have one?

* Didn't need reminding - but what a very special place Newcastle is.

Does anyone have any comments / observations on the changing face of Newcastle - good and bad?

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Answers

Lower Gosforth???? what the hell is that? So what is it now LGAB? The viking brings back loads of memories, mostly of fearing if I'd make it out the door alive. Spanish City...loved it, even though it seems it was only open 3 days a year. What happened to Osborne Road, used to love going down there for a quiet pint with the local upper class, kinda brought the tone down when we went in mind. sob, sniff.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Arghhhh.......need to get back there! Thanks to binLiner and screwed up flight schedules, all the cheap flights are sold out from now to February. :-((((

Are there still cheap train fares from London to Newcastle? I may have to fly into London and do the train rest of the way. Which means no Boxing Day match for me this year. :-(

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Ciara, GNER are currently flogging the Christmas saver tickets so I'd move fast!

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

The changes over the last 10-15 years have been largely positive, benton. Sadly, the 60's, and T Dan Smith, robbed Newcastle of some of it's finest architecture, eg. Eldon Square, and built some dreadful monstrosities that still scar the Toonscape.

Newcastle is a fine city, that has been enhanced by the redevelopment of the Quayside and it's environs.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Osborne Road, Jesmond: On Monday night it resembled St Tropez - without the harbour. Posh bars, sparkly lights, outdoor heaters...

The Viking, Longbenton: Yes, often a scary place. Never forget the first time I went in and asked for a Broon...then stunned to get a product which did not sport the Blue Star. Didn't realise you could buy anything but Newcastle Brown.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Hmmmm....I must have been the wrong end of Osborne Rd last time I was over. It was dead quiet and residential where I was(near Jesmond Metro station). Really must explore further. :-)

Dougal...are GNER running trains Christmas or Boxing Day now? If a return flight opens up fast-ish, I can get into London on the 25th.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Wll Bwnton, I letf just before the new brdige went up but I've yet to hear a bad word about it. Atmos in St James Park is indeed not what it was but lets face the sort of people that go to the match these days are the same ones that go to Osborne Road (no offence but you know what I mean). It has stopped being a day out with 'the lads' and become a 'family club' and that means the gentrification of of SJP and the game as a whole. Some say it had to happen as a reaction to the bad old days, but lets face it it is no longer a case of those that drink and work together going to the match together, it's a middle class game with pleasant applause, it's lots of reasons but we are not the only ones, the whole games has gone that way - NOW AWAY GAMES, different kettle of fish altogether. Brillaint day, brilliant atmos, I love away matches.

The toon is coming back in fits and starts, how's Grainger street development gone? saw that one start. Commercially it had to happen with the metro centre but its such a lovely town to socialise and shop in. Now if they could only get some jobs in telecoms there it could be the start of sometheing beautiful....

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Ciara I read on nufc.com a couple of weeks ago that GO airlines were running cheap flights between Newcastle and Gatwick (I think). Introductory offer was £10!! Don't know how much standard fare is, probably about £40 I've heard.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Low cost airline Go fly to Newcastle from Stansted. Great if you live in or near that area or have access to the fast train connection from Liverpool Street.

New timetable from Nov 1 has flights to Newcastle departing at 0640 Mon to Sat & 1850 Mon to Fri and Sundays. Return flights to Stansted are 0800 Mon to Sat and 2010 Mon to Fri and Sundays.

More info at: http://www.go-fly.com

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2001

Syme...the Wimpeyspeak "Lower Gosforth" only applies to their new estate of houses at the moment. The rest of the area, including the still to be demolished 15 storeys, is still reassuringly LBAB.

Ciara...yes, it's the other end of Osborne Road. Just drove through. Hear it was first discovered by thirtysomethings, but may now be attracting a more mainstream crowd.

-- Anonymous, October 27, 2001

Sigh! I feel the tug of the Tyne again, and can`t see any chance of getting up there again in the immediate future. (:o(

-- Anonymous, October 27, 2001

TM...sadly, didn't see how Grainger Town is developing. If you haven't been there already, the official website is at: http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/grainger

and forgot to mention:

* Amazed to hear of the first £1 million flats - sorry, apartments - in Newcastle...in the old printworks overlooking The Copthorne Hotel. Was told a lot of well-heeled Geordies who now live in London and come up for the match have bought properties...all those nights in The Malmaison add up after a while. Any millionaire lurkers out there care to comment?

* Got caught up in The Fog On The Tyne on the quayside opposite the Tuxedo-whatever-it's-called these days. For some daft reason I wanted to drive over the Tyne Bridge, so went south over the Swing Bridge to sweep "back" north over the Tyne. But the fog was so dense - could hardly see the traffic lights in Gatestheed...ended up driving south towards, well...the sooth. Know the north side as well as the back as my hand...but as soon as I drive over a bridge...

* Which reminded me of an old Alan Hull "solo" album, which wasn't, subsequently, on sale in any of the HMV/Virgin outlets in town. Just some Alan Hull at the BBC CD. The album featured a track called something like STD 0632 - which, I'm sure most of you will know, was the old dialling code before 0191. Anyone remember what the LP - as was then - was called...and if it's available on CD today?

* ...and Julie's...lit up with very grand neon lights...plus, along the way, a new bar called Prada's, which I'm told has been there for a good few years?

Any exiles like to add details of their last visit - and their views on Newcassel?

-- Anonymous, October 27, 2001

only this:

it's still the most beautiful place in the world with the best people.

oh, and stotties STILL taste as good as they always have....

*sigh*

-- Anonymous, October 28, 2001

And, of course, the Alan Hull solo album I was trying to recall was his very first - Pipedream. Just purchased on CD from Amazon at the very reasonable price of £6.99.

Found Pipedream via a section of a useful Lindisfarne site at: http://www.lindisfarne.de/pipe_tl.htm

-- Anonymous, October 28, 2001

I was staying at Di Vinci's on osbourne Road before the liverpool game, the bars along there are a great warm up an evening out. I don't get as misty eyed as you lot, I went through Byker with it's latest redevelopment "project" around where Parish's used to be. What a hole & complete waste of money it is to spend good money after bad.

The area around Grainger market has improved with it's new shops & cafe's. Down towards newgate St is still 'orrible, the old Binns is a beautiful building but looks disgusting.

-- Anonymous, October 28, 2001

The bonded warehouse develoment opposite the Copthorne will start in March. When you wander through it now it reminds you of the darkest scenes in Alien but it will be transformed into luxurt apartments. I think the works will cost around £12m (Ballast Construction) and will be a fine addition to the already excellent quayside.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2001

Hmmm ! Jesmond must have changed since I went to school in Tankerville Terrace.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2001

Jesmond is a canny night and the drinks arent at Toon prices either , Start off at lonsdale off metro then on to Osborne rd, Whitley Bay is currently waiting for a Mayor to be voted in then hopefully well see something happen, recently a wetherspoons has opened up and its chocka at all times.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2001

Anyone know the web address for dog leap antiques........I want to get a print of the picture coming down grey street looking up at the tyne bridge. In fact any help would be much apprecitated.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2001

syme...the canny lad who sits on a chair inside Dog Leap Antiques is a really friendly old soul, but his mate tooting outside - delivering a copy of the Chronicle by car - is about as hi-tech as he gets. I didn't even bother to reach for a credit card. It was a cash-in-a- box job...picture wrapped in brown paper.

Sure someone else will have better info, but you could start off at: http://www.newcastle-arts-centre.co.uk/

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2001

Many thanks sonna! I remember the last time I was back being astonished at the changes.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2001

a visit too short for any real reflections just a sunda' in Tyneside (well some point sth of there)

* total inability to work out what ticket is required for the metro - maybe none at all (?), why do all the guards run out when you press a concession ticket an' the buzzer gans off, nearly knocked me mam o'er!!

* predaliction with shopping - isnt everyone supposed to be skint??

* the orange hue of single scantily clad young lasses

* the orange hue of designer tracksuited young lads

* everyone else rugged up apart from that pratt from Oz with the shorts on

* how many clurb shops there are in the town

* agreeing with Min that stotties are still tops

* what a mighty stadium we have and that the players turning out for training were more than happy to chat with the fans - totally unaware of the griff/french bob fracas at this time

* what a joy it is to saviour a champion pint in a champion pub - circa strawberry monday 11.05am

* ohh err another bridge - where the bugger did that come from ??

* abject disappointment that the ticket offer for the toffees game from Sting was not taken up and then the twot produxces such a memorable write up !!!

* the friendliness of people in the street and on the train

* terrific weather and from a personnal front seeing my family

* a win away, sadly not in larden

* cans of dog in the BA lounge heathrow

* lordy the price of team clays in the shop - Rik do you have any special;s at the mo' - remember only 3 Oz $ to the pound ... come down our way its the bizzo at current exchange rates

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2001