Topgolf Targets Former Newcastle Brown Ale Site for £40m Leisure Complex

National World - LocalTV

Plans have been submitted to convert the old Federation Brewery site, near the Metrocentre, into a three-storey leisure facility led by Topgolf UK. The proposed development includes 102 high-tech golf-hitting bays spread across multiple levels, along with event spaces, a bar and restaurant, rooftop terrace, and lounge areas.

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00:00The former home of Newcastle Brown Ale in Gateshead could soon be transformed into a

00:05major £400 million golf and entertainment destination. Plans have been submitted to

00:10convert the Old Federation Brewery site near the Metro Centre here into a three-storey

00:15leisure facility led by Topgolf UK. The proposed development includes 102 high-tech golf hitting

00:22bays spread across multiple levels, along with event spaces, a bar and restaurant, rooftop

00:27terraces and lounge areas. The site, which was once home to the iconic Brown Ale brand

00:32from 2005 until its closure in 2010, was demolished in 2013. If approved, the new development

00:38is expected to create up to 300 jobs during construction and around 400 permanent roles

00:43once operational. Financial projections suggest the Lancaster Road venue could generate between

00:50£150 million and £250 million over a 10-year period. It is also estimated to drop a £400

00:57on-site parking spaces planned to accommodate demand. While Gateshead Council noted the plans

01:05do not fully align with the existing Draft Area Action Plan, which had earmarked the plan

01:11for future housing and green space, planning officers believe that economic and regeneration

01:16benefits outweigh those concerns. A Council report states, the site's location, immediately

01:23adjacent to Metro Centre and bounded by major highways, makes it uniquely suited to a large-scale

01:28leisure use, without direct conflict with existing residential areas. While the proposal limits

01:35some elements of the AAP's vision, it also accelerates delivery, raises the area's profile

01:40and introduces ANCA activity to support further investment.

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